1976 Holy Cross Crusaders football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1976
| team = Holy Cross Crusaders
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 3–8
| head_coach = Neil Wheelwright
| hc_year = 1st
| captain = Bill Campbell
| captain2 = Mark Vollman
| stadium = Fitton Field
}}
{{1976 NCAA Division I independents football records}}
The 1976 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Neil Wheelwright joined the team for his first year as head coach. The team compiled a record of 3–8.{{cite web|title=2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book|publisher=College of the Holy Cross|accessdate=June 15, 2020|page=123|url=https://goholycross.com/documents/2019/7/19/19-hc-fb-fb.pdf |location=Worcester, Mass.}}
All home games were played at Fitton Field on the Holy Cross campus in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1976
| poll = AP
| attend = y
| source = y
| other-event = ^ Family Weekend
| September 11 | | New Hampshire
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 3-17
| 12,551 | {{cite news |title=UNH, Burnham Feast on Holy Cross Wishbone, 17-3 |first=Dan |last=Shaughnessy |date=September 12, 1976 |page=102 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71820190/1976-holy-cross-unh/ }}
| September 18 | @ | Army
| Michie Stadium | West Point, NY | L 24-26
| 24,176 | {{cite news |title=Army's Last-Period Rally Defeats Holy Cross |first=Deane |last=McGowen |newspaper=The New York Times |location=New York, N.Y. |date=September 19, 1976 |page=S6}}
| October 2 | | Dartmouth
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 7-45
| 14,416 | {{cite news |title=Dartmouth Sics Case, Obert on Holy Cross, 45-7 |first=Ernie |last=Roberts |date=October 3, 1976 |page=86 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56222429/1976-dartmouth-holy-cross}}
| October 9 | @ | Colgate
| Andy Kerr Stadium | Hamilton, NY | L 6-10
| 3,000 | {{cite news |title=Colgate Outlucks Holy Cross, 10-6 |first=Roy |last=Mumpton |date=October 10, 1976 |page=67 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56223470/1976-colgate-hc}}
| October 15 | @ | Boston University
| Nickerson Field | Boston, MA | W 31-11
| 5,103 | {{cite news |title=Holy Cross Wins No. 1 at BU, 31-11 |first=Will |last=McDonough |date=October 16, 1976 |page=23 |newspaper=The Boston Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56224324/1976-holy-cross-bu}}
| October 23 | @ | Brown
| Brown Stadium | Providence, RI | L 18-28
| 11,500 | {{cite news |title=Brown Convinces HC, 28-18 |first=Roy |last=Mumpton |date=October 24, 1976 |page=89 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56224818/1976-brown-hc}}
| October 30 | | Rhode Island^
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | W 33-14
| 11,951 | {{cite news |title=Cannon Big Gun as Holy Cross Blasts Rhode Island, 33-14 |first=Roy |last=Mumpton |date=October 31, 1976 |page=77 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71828234/1976-holy-cross-uri/ }}
| November 6 | | UMass
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | L 14-24
| 10,011 | {{cite news |title=Minutemen Tackle HC, 21-14 |first=Roy |last=Mumpton |date=November 7, 1976 |page=81 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56225754/1976-holy-cross-umass}}
| November 13 | @ | Villanova
| Villanova Stadium | Villanova, PA | L 21-56
| 5,782 | {{cite news |title=Villanova Mangles Holy Cross, 56-21 |first=Skip |last=Myslenski |date=November 14, 1976 |page=1E |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |location=Philadelphia, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71831994/1976-villanova-hc/ }}
| November 20 | | Connecticut
| Fitton Field | Worcester, MA | W 41-40
| 8,179 | {{cite news |title=Frustration Follows UConn to the Bitter (41-40) End |first=Terry |last=Price |date=November 21, 1976 |page=1C |newspaper=The Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Conn.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71833909/1976-uconn-hc/ }}
| November 27 | @ | Boston College (rivalry)
| Alumni Stadium | Chestnut Hill, MA | L 6-59
| 25,988 | {{cite news |title=HC Can't Cope with Capriola |first=Ernie |last=Roberts |date=November 28, 1976 |page=75 |newspaper=Boston Sunday Globe |location=Boston, Mass.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71834737/1976-boston-hc/ }}
}}
Statistical leaders
Statistical leaders for the 1976 Crusaders included:{{cite web|title=2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book|publisher=College of the Holy Cross|accessdate=June 15, 2020|pages=68–73|url=https://goholycross.com/documents/2019/7/19/19-hc-fb-fb.pdf |location=Worcester, Mass.}}
- Rushing: Brian Doherty, 660 yards and 7 touchdowns on 106 attempts
- Passing: Bob Morton, 797 yards, 68 completions and 2 touchdowns on 161 attempts
- Receiving: Craig Cerretani, 445 yards and 1 touchdown on 39 receptions
- Scoring: Brian Doherty, 50 points from 8 touchdowns and 1 two-point conversion
- Total offense: Bob Morton, 1,256 yards (797 passing, 459 rushing)
- All-purpose yards: Brian Doherty, 796 yards (660 rushing, 102 returning, 34 receiving)
- Interceptions: Mark Cannon, 3 interceptions for 43 yards