1976 Virginia Tech Gobblers football team

The 1976 Virginia Tech Gobblers football team was an American football team that represented Virginia Tech as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their third year under head coach Jimmy Sharpe, the Gobblers compiled an overall record of 6–5.

1976 Virginia Tech Gobblers football
Conference	Independent
Record	6–5
Head coach	Jimmy Sharpe (3rd season)
Home stadium	Lane Stadium

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. Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 4	at Wake Forest	Groves Stadium Winston-Salem, NC	W 23–6	25,600
September 11	at No. 14 Texas A&M	Kyle Field College Station, TX	L 0–19	44,039
September 18	Southern Miss	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	W 16–7	35,000
October 2	William & Mary	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	L 15–27	35,000
October 9	vs. VMI	City Stadium Richmond, VA (Tobacco Bowl, rivalry)	W 37–7	21,000
October 16	at Virginia	Scott Stadium Charlottesville, VA (rivalry)	W 14–10	32,618
October 23	Kent State	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	W 42–14	37,000
October 30	West Virginia	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA (rivalry)	W 24–7	39,000
November 6	Tulsa	Lane Stadium Blacksburg, VA	L 31–35	31,000
November 13	at Richmond	City Stadium Richmond, VA	L 0–16	20,200
November 20	at Florida State	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	L 21–28	16,148
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

The following players were members of the 1976 football team.

1976 Virginia Tech roster
	Paul Adams Mike Arbaugh Dale Babione Jim Banks Mitcheal Barnes Tom Beasley Gippy Belcher Greg Birtsch Larry Blunt Henry Bradley Gene Bunn Blair John Buskirk Steve Cannon Larry Capps Roscoe Coles Tom Cooper John Dasovich Rondal Davis David DeHart David Stephen Dolphin Paul Engle Larry Fallen		Michel Faulkner Mickey Fitzgerald Moses Foster Keith Gibson John Goodwin George Heath Mike Heizer Danny Hill Dickie Holway Tony Ray Houff Bill Houseright Scott Hurd Mathew Dane "Chip" Keatley Billy King Kent Knupp David Lamie John Latina Curt Lowery Keith McCarter Doug McDougald Dave McGlothlin		Barry Miller Lewis Neal Chuck Nuttycombe Stuart Patterson Greg Payne Rick Razzano George Roberts Mike Roy Ellis Savage Larry Schmidt Dennis Scott Steve Scott Jerry Sheehan Gary Smith Eddie Snell Mark Steadman Mike Stollings Steve Trask Leonard Walker Tom Webb