1976 Akron Zips football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1976
| team = Akron Zips
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| APRank = 3
| record = 10–3
| head_coach = Jim Dennison
| hc_year = 4th
| off_coach =
| oc_year =
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Wally Neal
| dc_year =
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Rubber Bowl
| bowl = Pioneer Bowl
| bowl_result = L 13–24 vs. Montana State
}}
{{1976 NCAA Division II independents football records}}
The 1976 Akron Zips football team was an American football team that represented the University of Akron during the 1976 NCAA Division II football season. In their fourth season under head coach Jim Dennison, the Zips compiled a 10–3 record and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 282 to 144. In post-season play, they defeated UNLV, 27–6, in a Division II quarterfinal, and defeated {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Northern Michigan Wildcats|title=Northern Michigan}}, 29–26, in the Knute Rockne Bowl. In the championship game in Wichita Falls, Texas, Akron lost to Montana State in the Pioneer Bowl.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JKhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2817%2C4171751 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Montana State wins title |date=December 12, 1976 |page=4B}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kSFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6476%2C5442864 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Dennehy leads Montana State's bowl win |date=December 12, 1976 |page=D1}} The 1976 season was the first and only ten-win season in Akron's program history.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1976
| rankdivision = NCAA Division II
| poll = Associated Press
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 11
| time =
| w/l = l
| opponent = Temple
| site_stadium = Rubber Bowl
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv =
| score = 13–23
| attend = 33,158
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 18
| time =
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Morehead State Eagles|title=Morehead State}}
| site_stadium = Rubber Bowl
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv =
| score = 26–6
| attend = 10,102
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 25
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Youngstown State Penguins|title=Youngstown State}}
| site_stadium = Stambaugh Stadium
| site_cityst = Youngstown, OH
| gamename = Steel Tire
| tv =
| score = 24–3
| attend = 4,846
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 2
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Indiana State Sycamores|title=Indiana State}}
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Terre Haute, IN
| tv =
| score = 34–7
| attend = 8,318
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 9
| time =
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Dayton Flyers|title=Dayton}}
| site_stadium = Rubber Bowl
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv =
| score = 27–6
| attend = 7,439
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 16
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = T–5
| opponent = Ball State
| site_stadium = Ball State Stadium
| site_cityst = Muncie, IN
| tv =
| score = 3–0
| attend = 18,323
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 23
| time =
| w/l = w
| rank = T–5
| opponent = Eastern Michigan
| site_stadium = Rubber Bowl
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| tv =
| score = 36–0
| attend = 9,042
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 30
| time =
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 3
| opponent = Marshall
| site_stadium = Fairfield Stadium
| site_cityst = Huntington, WV
| tv =
| score = 0–13
| attend = 7,191
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 6
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = T–8
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Western Illinois Leathernecks|title=Western Illinois}}
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Hanson Field
| site_cityst = Macomb, IL
| tv =
| score = 21–14
| attend = 13,743
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 13
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 5
| opponent = Western Kentucky
| site_stadium = L. T. Smith Stadium
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, KY
| tv =
| score = 29–16
| attend = 11,200
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 27
| time =
| w/l = w
| rank = 3
| opponent = UNLV
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Rubber Bowl
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| gamename = NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
| tv =
| score = 27–6
| attend = 6,562
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 4
| time =
| w/l = w
| rank = 3
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Northern Michigan Wildcats|title=Northern Michigan}}
| opprank = 2
| site_stadium = Rubber Bowl
| site_cityst = Akron, OH
| gamename = NCAA Division II Semifinal–Knute Rockne Bowl
| tv =
| score = 29–26
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 11
| time =
| w/l = l
| neutral = y
| rank = 3
| opponent = Montana State
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Lake Wichita Park
| site_cityst = Wichita Falls, TX
| gamename = NCAA Division II Championship Game—Pioneer Bowl
| tv =
| score = 13–24
| attend = 13,200
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/5/stats/13330 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 9, 2021 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/college/teams/teamyear.htm?TeamID=2&Season=1976 |title=Akron Season Schedule - databaseFootball.com/NCAA |access-date=December 30, 2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130160400/http://www.databasefootball.com/College/teams/teamyear.htm?TeamID=2&Season=1976 |archive-date=November 30, 2015 }} Akron Team Schedule 1976
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Akron Zips football navbox}}
Category:Akron Zips football seasons
{{collegefootball-1976-season-stub}}