1976 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONPittsburgh12–0 overall
HEISMANTony DorsettPittsburgh · RB
#1 PICKRicky BellUSC · Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1977 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1977Rose BowlUSC 14, Michigan 6
Jan 1, 1977Cotton BowlHouston 30, Maryland 21
Jan 1, 1977Sugar BowlPittsburgh 27, Georgia 3
Jan 1, 1977Orange BowlOhio State 27, Colorado 10
Dec 31, 1976Peach BowlKentucky 21, North Carolina 0
Dec 25, 1976Fiesta BowlOklahoma 41, Wyoming 7

1976 STANDINGS

13 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

Maryland finished atop the 1976 ACC standings at 5–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Maryland5–011–1HOU 30–21 MD
North Carolina4–19–3UK 21–0 UNC
Wake Forest3–35–6–
Duke2–3–15–5–1–
NC State2–33–7–1–
Virginia1–32–9–
Clemson0–4–13–6–2–

BIG 8

Oklahoma State finished atop the 1976 Big 8 standings at 5–2 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Oklahoma State5–29–3OKST 49–21 BYU
Oklahoma5–29–2–1OU 41–7 WYO
Colorado5–28–4OSU 27–10 COLO
Nebraska4–39–3–1NEB 27–24 TTU
Iowa State4–38–3–
Missouri3–46–5–
Kansas2–56–5–
Kansas State0–71–10–

BIG TEN

Michigan finished atop the 1976 Big Ten standings at 7–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan7–110–2USC 14–6 MICH
Ohio State7–19–2–1OSU 27–10 COLO
Minnesota4–46–5–
Indiana4–45–6–
Purdue4–45–6–
Illinois4–45–6–
Wisconsin3–55–6–
Iowa3–55–6–
Michigan State3–54–6–1–
Northwestern1–71–10–

GULF SOUTH

Jacksonville State finished atop the 1976 Gulf South standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Jacksonville State0–00–1

MAC

Kent State finished atop the 1976 MAC standings at 6–2 in conference play (8–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Kent State6–28–4–
Western Michigan6–37–4–
Ohio6–27–4–
Ball State4–18–3–
Central Michigan4–37–4–
Bowling Green4–36–5–
Toledo2–63–8–
Miami (OH)2–43–8–
Eastern Michigan1–52–9–
Northern Illinois0–61–8–

OVC

Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee finished atop the 1976 OVC standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Western Kentucky0–01–0
Middle Tennessee0–01–0

PACIFIC 8

USC finished atop the 1976 Pacific 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
USC7–011–1USC 14–6 MICH
UCLA6–19–2–1ALA 36–6 UCLA
Stanford5–26–5–
California3–45–6–
Washington3–45–6–
Washington State2–53–8–
Oregon1–64–7–
Oregon State1–62–10–

PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

San José State finished atop the 1976 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings at 4–0 in conference play (3–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
San José State4–03–4
Fresno State3–12–4

SEC

Georgia finished atop the 1976 SEC standings at 5–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Georgia5–110–2PITT 27–3 UGA
Alabama5–29–3ALA 36–6 UCLA
Florida4–28–4TA&M 37–14 FLA
Kentucky4–28–4UK 21–0 UNC
Mississippi State4–28–2–
Ole Miss3–45–6–
Tennessee2–46–5–
LSU2–46–4–1–
Auburn2–43–8–
Vanderbilt0–62–9–

SOUTHERN

East Carolina finished atop the 1976 Southern standings at 5–1 in conference play (9–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
East Carolina5–19–2–
App State2–2–16–4–1–

SOUTHLAND

Louisiana finished atop the 1976 Southland standings at 4–1 in conference play (7–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Louisiana4–17–2–
Louisiana Tech2–36–4–
Arkansas State2–34–6–

SOUTHWEST

Houston and Texas Tech finished atop the 1976 Southwest standings at 7–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Houston7–110–2HOU 30–21 MD
Texas Tech7–110–2NEB 27–24 TTU
Texas A&M6–210–2TA&M 37–14 FLA
Baylor4–3–17–3–1–
Texas4–45–5–1–
Arkansas3–4–15–5–1–
Rice2–63–8–
SMU2–63–8–
TCU0–80–11–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

BYU finished atop the 1976 Western Athletic standings at 6–1 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
BYU6–19–3OKST 49–21 BYU
Wyoming6–18–4OU 41–7 WYO
Arizona State4–34–7–
Arizona3–45–6–
New Mexico3–44–7–
Utah3–33–8–
Colorado State2–45–5–
UTEP0–70–11–

INDEPENDENTS

Pittsburgh finished atop the 1976 independents at 12–0.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Pittsburgh12–0PITT 27–3 UGA
Rutgers11–0–
Notre Dame9–3ND 20–9 PSU
Cincinnati8–3–
Boston College8–3–
San Diego State7–1–
Penn State7–5ND 20–9 PSU
Tulsa7–3–1MCN 20–16 TLSA
Virginia Tech6–5–
Memphis6–4–
South Carolina6–5–
Florida State5–6–
West Virginia5–6–
Army5–6–
Marshall4–7–
Navy4–7–
Georgia Tech4–6–1–
Temple4–6–
Akron4–2–
North Texas4–5–
Air Force3–7–
New Mexico State3–5–1–
Miami3–8–
Syracuse3–8–
Louisville2–7–
Hawai'i2–7–
Delaware2–2–1–
Tulane2–9–
Utah State2–7–
Massachusetts2–3–
Southern Miss1–9–
UL Monroe1–9–
UConn0–5–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

6 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 2, 1977Postseason gameTexas A&M 37, Florida 14
Dec 31, 1976Postseason gameNebraska 27, Texas Tech 24
Dec 27, 1976Postseason gameNotre Dame 20, Penn State 9
Dec 20, 1976Postseason gameAlabama 36, UCLA 6
Dec 18, 1976Postseason gameOklahoma State 49, BYU 21
Dec 13, 1976Postseason gameMcNeese 20, Tulsa 16