1976 Lehigh Engineers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| mode = football
| year = 1976
| team = Lehigh Engineers
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = independent
| record = 6–5
| head_coach = John Whitehead
| hc_year = 1st
| captain = John Healy
| captain2 = Marc Orcutt
| stadium = Taylor Stadium
}}
{{1976 NCAA Division II independents football records}}
The 1976 Lehigh Engineers football team was an American football team that represented Lehigh University as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division II football season.
In their first year under head coach John Whitehead, the Engineers compiled a 6–5 record.{{cite book |title=Lehigh Football Record Book |chapter=Year-by-Year Results |publisher=Lehigh University |location=Bethlehem, Pa. |page=22 |accessdate=June 20, 2020 |url=https://static.lehighsports.com/custompages/Record%20Books/Football/Football%20Record%20Book%20060419.pdf}} John Healy and Marc Orcutt were the team captains.{{cite book |title=Lehigh Football Record Book |chapter=Lehigh Football Captains |publisher=Lehigh University |location=Bethlehem, Pa. |page=12 |accessdate=June 20, 2020 |url=https://static.lehighsports.com/custompages/Record%20Books/Football/Football%20Record%20Book%20060419.pdf}}
After starting the season with three wins, the Engineers briefly appeared in the national Division II coaches poll rankings, at No. 6. A loss to Division I opponent Yale dropped them to No. 9. Following a loss the next week to Division II rival Bucknell, they fell out of the top 20. Lehigh remained unranked the rest of the year.
Lehigh played its home games at Taylor Stadium on the university campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
| September 11 | | {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Kutztown Golden Bears|title=Kutztown}}
| Taylor Stadium | Bethlehem, PA | W 29 6
| 9,500 | {{cite news |title=Engineers Top KSC by 29-6 |first=Terry |last=Larimer |date=September 12, 1976 |page=C1 |newspaper=Sunday Call-Chronicle |location=Allentown, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71821613/1976-lehigh-kutztown/ }}
| September 18 | | {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets|title=Baldwin–Wallace}}
| Taylor Stadium | Bethlehem, PA | W 21-14
| September 24 | @ | Penn
| Franklin Field | Philadelphia, PA | W 24 20
| 9,300–9,305 | {{cite news |title=Lehigh Tips Penn in Last Minute |first=Bill |last=Livingston |date=September 25, 1976 |page=1C |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |location=Philadelphia, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56221875/1976-lehigh-penn}}
| October 2 | @ | Yale
| Yale Bowl | New Haven, CT | L 6 21
| 13,000–13,034 | {{cite news |title=Yale's Pagliaro Powers 21-6 Win |first=Ginny |last=Apple |date=October 3, 1976 |page=1C |newspaper=The Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Conn.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71823900/1976-lehigh-yale/ }}
| October 9 | @ | Bucknell
| Memorial Stadium | Lewisburg, PA | L 0 3
| October 16 | | Rutgers
| Taylor Stadium | Bethlehem, PA | L 21 28
| 15,000 | {{cite news |title=Rutgers' Streak Survives a Scare by Lehigh, 28-21 |first=Ron |last=Drogo |date=October 17, 1976 |page=C1 |newspaper=The Sunday Record |location=Hackensack, N.J.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71826800/1976-lehigh-rutgers/ }}
| October 23 | @ | Maine
| Alumni Stadium | Orono, ME | W 24 0
| 7,600 | {{cite news |title=Owls Next UMO Foe After Lehigh Loss |first=Bill |last=Warner |date=October 25, 1976 |page=15 |newspaper=Bangor Daily News |location=Bangor, Maine|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71827433/1976-lehigh-maine/ }}
| October 30 | | {{cfb link|year=1976|team=Gettysburg Bullets|title=Gettysburg}}
| Taylor Stadium | Bethlehem, PA | W 56 15
| 9,500 | {{cite news |title=Lehigh Coasts—56-15 |first=Terry |last=Larimer |date=October 31, 1976 |page=C1 |newspaper=Sunday Call-Chronicle |location=Allentown, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71829875/1976-lehigh-gettysburg/ }}
| November 6 | | Virginia
| Scott Stadium | Charlottesville, VA | L 20 21
| 16,743 | {{cite news |title=Bowden 'Saves' Virginia |first=Tommy |last=Seward |date=November 7, 1976 |page=D1 |newspaper=Daily Press |location=Newport News, Va.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71831423/1976-lehigh-virginia/ }}
| November 13 | | {{cfb link|year=1976|team=C.W. Post Pioneers|title=C.W. Post}}
| Taylor Stadium | Bethlehem, PA | W 17 10
| 7,000 | {{cite news |title=Lehigh Rallies—17-10 |first=Terry |last=Larimer |date=November 14, 1976 |page=C1 |newspaper=Sunday Call-Chronicle |location=Allentown, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71833429/1976-lehigh-post/ }}
| November 20 | @ | Lafayette
| Fisher Field | Easton, PA (The Rivalry) | L 17 21
| 15,000 | {{cite news |title=Lafayette in Upset; Lehigh Stunned—21-17 |first=Paul |last=Reinhard |date=November 21, 1976 |page=C1 |newspaper=Sunday Call-Chronicle |location=Allentown, Pa.|via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71834325/1976-lafayette-lehigh/ }}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Lehigh) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/352/stats/13330 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=August 16, 2024 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Lehigh Mountain Hawks football navbox}}