Wikipedia

1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

The 1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their fourth season under head coach Frank R. Burns, the Scarlet Knights compiled a perfect 11–0 record while competing as an independent, outscored their opponents 287 to 81, and were ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll. The team's statistical leaders included Bert Kosup with 1,098 passing yards, Glen Kehler with 764 rushing yards, and Mark Twitty with 514 receiving yards.[2] The Rutgers players decided to decline playing in the inaugural Independence Bowl against McNeese State in Shreveport, Louisiana.[3]

1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 17
APNo. 17
Record11–0
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorBob Naso (9th season)
Home stadiumRutgers Stadium
Giants Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Pittsburgh   –   12 – 0 – 0
No. 17 Rutgers   –   11 – 0 – 0
San Diego State   –   10 – 1 – 0
No. 12 Notre Dame   –   9 – 3 – 0
Colgate   –   8 – 2 – 0
Boston College   –   8 – 3 – 0
Cincinnati   –   8 – 3 – 0
Memphis State   –   7 – 4 – 0
North Texas State *   –   7 – 4 – 0
Southern Illinois   –   7 – 4 – 0
Penn State   –   7 – 5 – 0
Villanova   –   6 – 4 – 1
South Carolina   –   6 – 5 – 0
Virginia Tech   –   6 – 5 – 0
Army   –   5 – 6 – 0
Florida State   –   5 – 6 – 0
Illinois State   –   5 – 6 – 0
Richmond   –   5 – 6 – 0
West Virginia   –   5 – 6 – 0
Georgia Tech   –   4 – 6 – 1
Temple   –   4 – 6 – 0
Air Force   –   4 – 7 – 0
Dayton   –   4 – 7 – 0
Louisville   –   4 – 7 – 0
Marshall   –   4 – 7 – 0
Navy   –   4 – 7 – 0
Indiana State   –   3 – 7 – 0
Hawaii   –   3 – 8 – 0
Holy Cross   –   3 – 8 – 0
Miami (FL)   –   3 – 8 – 0
Syracuse   –   3 – 8 – 0
Utah State   –   3 – 8 – 0
Northeast Louisiana   –   2 – 9 – 0
Southern Miss   –   2 – 9 – 0
Tulane   –   2 – 9 – 0
  • North Texas State (originally 6–5) was awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

edit
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11at Navy
W 13–317,501[4]
September 18at Bucknell
W 19–78,500[5]
September 25at Princeton
W 17–029,500[6]
October 2Cornell
W 21–1416,000[7]
October 9Connecticut 
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
W 38–08,500[8]
October 16at Lehigh
W 28–2115,000[9]
October 23vs. Columbia
W 47–042,328[10]
October 30UMass
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
W 24–720,100–20,400[11][12]
November 6Louisville
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
W 34–016,000[13]
November 13at Tulane
W 29–2028,872[14]
November 25vs. ColgateNo. 17
  • Giants Stadium
  • East Rutherford, NJ
W 17–933,405[15]
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

edit
  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
  2. ^ "1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  3. ^ "Unbeaten Rutgers Wins, 17–9". The New York Times. November 26, 1976.
  4. ^ Jackson, James H. (September 12, 1976). "Middies Drop Opener, 13-3, to Rutgers". The Sunday Sun. Baltimore, Md. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ O'Brien, Ken (September 19, 1976). "Rutgers Beats Bucknell for Ninth Straight Victory". The Home News Sunday. New Brunswick, N.J. p. B1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ White, Gordon S. Jr. (September 26, 1976). "Rutgers Tops Princeton; Knights Triumph by 17-0". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. pp. S1, S7.
  7. ^ Keese, Parton (October 3, 1976). "Brown, Rutgers Remain Undefeated". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. pp. S1, S8.
  8. ^ Smith, George (October 10, 1976). "Rutgers Manhandles UConn, 38-0 Handing Huskies 5th Loss in Row". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Drogo, Ron (October 17, 1976). "Rutgers' Streak Survives a Scare by Lehigh, 28-21". The Sunday Record. Hackensack, N.J. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Lassiter's 3 Scores Propel Scarlet, 47-0". The Sunday Register. October 24, 1976. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Whiteside, Larry (October 31, 1976). "Blocked Punt Sparks Rutgers to Victory over UMass, 24-7". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 79 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  13. ^ Younkin, Lou (November 7, 1976). "Rutgers 'Best Ever' Is Bomb for U of L". The Courier-Journal & Times. Louisville, Ky. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ McLaughlin, Marty (November 14, 1976). "Rutgers Rallies, 29-20; Streak at 17". Sunday News. New York, N.Y. p. 128 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Lewis, Allen (November 26, 1976). "Rutgers Wins 18 in Row". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.


 

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