The 1896 Pittsburgh College football team was an American football team that represented Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy GhostâÂÂnow known as Duquesne UniversityâÂÂduring the 1896 college football season. Ernest Brown served in his first and only season as the team's head coach. Duquesne University claims a season record of 12âÂÂ1 based on the first 13 of 15 games played by its reserve (second) team â but does not acknowledge the first team or its record of 2âÂÂ4âÂÂ1 or 1âÂÂ5âÂÂ1.
In advance of the season, the college rebranded its sports teams from Holy Ghost College to Pittsburg(h) College. This change was prompted by concerns that the religious name was being used disrespectfully or flippantly in sporting contexts.
The Duquesne University football record book gives the 1896 season record as 12âÂÂ1 on the basis of games that, according to 1896 newspapers, were played by the reserve (second) team. The schedule in the record book is identical to that in the November 1896 issue of the Holy Ghost College Bulletin, which listed results of games played "up to the time of going to press". Neither source includes the first-team results or the last two reserve-team games, which were against the Keystone Tigers (November 24) and Press Young Folks' League (November 26). College Football Data Warehouse lists a similar schedule but omits the forfeit win against Allegheny High School and adds a supposed 10âÂÂ0 loss against the Allegheny Athletic Association on November 10, for a season record of 11âÂÂ2. Pittsburgh newspapers of 1896 reported that the Allegheny Athletic Association's opponent on November 10 was the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, with Allegheny winning 12âÂÂ0.