Following the bowl win, Pitt announced Tulsa head coach Todd Graham as the new head coach of the Panthers. At his introductory press conference, Graham talked about how Pitt was a "dream come true" and that he would work hard every day to "gain everyone's trust" and that he would coach his players to do the same. Graham instituted a sweeping change of offensive and defensive philosophies but staggered to a 6–6 regular season. However, major news for the university was announced in September of that season when Pitt accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference effective July 1, 2013. On December 14, 2011, less than one year after being hired, Graham shocked Pitt when he resigned to take the head coaching position at Arizona State. Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson was named as the interim head coach for the BBVA Compass Bowl, which the Panthers lost to Southern Methodist by a score of 28–6.