Legendary college football coach Johnny Majors -- who led Pittsburgh to a national title in 1976 -- has died at 85, the school announced Wednesday.
Majors was a head coach at the college level from 1968-1996 ... with programs including Pitt, Iowa State and -- most notably -- Tennessee, where he led the Volunteers for 16 seasons.
John's wife, Mary Lynn, released a statement to WNML ... saying "It's with a sad heart that we make this announcement," she said.
"John passed away this morning. He spent his last hours doing something he dearly loved: looking out over his cherished Tennessee River.