1976 Virginia Cavaliers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1976
| team = Virginia Cavaliers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Atlantic Coast Conference
| short_conf = ACC
| record = 2–9
| conf_record = 1–3
| head_coach = Dick Bestwick
| hc_year = 1st
| off_coach =
| oc_year =
| off_scheme =
| def_coach =
| dc_year =
| def_scheme =
| captain = Mike Ozdowski
| captain2 = James Wicks
| stadium = Scott Stadium
}}
{{1976 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings}}
The 1976 Virginia Cavaliers football team represented the University of Virginia during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. The Cavaliers were led by first-year head coach Dick Bestwick and played their home games at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia. They competed as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, finishing in sixth.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1976
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 11
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Washington
| site_stadium = Husky Stadium
| site_cityst = Seattle, WA
| score = 17–38
| attend = 37,500–40,412
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review-rowland-earl-pace/139627800/|work=The Spokesman-Review|title=Rowland, Earl pace UW romp|date=September 12, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 18
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = William & Mary
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 0–14
| attend = 26,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-leader-kruis-fimian-team/139620411/|newspaper=The Daily News Leader|title=Kruis, Fimian team to lead William & Mary by Virginia|date=September 19, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 25
| w/l = l
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Duke
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 6–21
| attend = 20,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-blue-devils-hold-o/139626148/|newspaper=Winston-Salem Journal|title=Blue Devils hold off scrappy Cavs 27–6|date=September 26, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 2
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Georgia Tech
| site_stadium = Grant Field
| site_cityst = Atlanta, GA
| score = 14–35
| attend = 38,119
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/danville-register-and-bee-ga-tech-routs/139627911/|work=The Danville Register|title=Ga. Tech routs hapless Virginia 35–14|date=October 3, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 9
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = South Carolina
| site_stadium = Williams–Brice Stadium
| site_cityst = Columbia, SC
| score = 7–35
| attend = 47,239
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun-roosters-rip-virginia-35/139628015/|work=Durham Sunday Herald|title=Roosters rip Virginia, 35–7|date=October 10, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 16
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Virginia Tech
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 10–14
| attend = 32,618
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90592813/gobblers-fight-off-u-vas-cavaliers/|work=The Daily News Leader|title=Gobblers fight off U. Va.'s Cavaliers|date=October 17, 1976|accessdate=December 14, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 23
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Wake Forest
| site_stadium = Groves Stadium
| site_cityst = Winston-Salem, NC
| score = 18–17
| attend = 18,300
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/richmond-times-dispatch-u-va-snaps-los/139625000/|work=Richmond Times-Dispatch|title=U. Va. snaps loss streak amid gloom|date=October 24, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 30
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| neutral = y
| opponent = VMI
| site_stadium = Foreman Field
| site_cityst = Norfolk, VA
| gamename = Oyster Bowl
| score = 7–13
| attend = 22,500
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94069981/keydets-capture-137-decision-over-virgi/|work=The Herald-Sun|title=Keydets capture 13–7 decision over Virginia|date=October 31, 1976|accessdate=February 2, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 6
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Lehigh
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| score = 21–20
| attend = 16,743
| source = {{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/ }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 13
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = North Carolina
| site_stadium = Kenan Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Chapel Hill, NC
| gamename = South's Oldest Rivalry
| score = 6–31
| attend = 48,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-robesonian-unc-routs-virginia-look/139623744/|newspaper=The Robesonian|title=UNC routs Virginia, look for bid to bowl|date=November 14, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 20
| w/l = l
| opponent = Maryland
| opprank = 6
| site_stadium = Scott Stadium
| site_cityst = Charlottesville, VA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 0–28
| attend = 23,100
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-maryland-tops-virg/139622498/|work=The News and Observer|title=Maryland tops Virginia, accepts Cotton Bowl bid|date=November 21, 1976|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/virginia/1976-schedule.html |title=1976 Virginia Cavaliers Schedule and Results |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=June 11, 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://virginiasports.com/all-time-virginia-box-score-game-statistics/ |title=All-Time Virginia Box Score Game Statistics |publisher=Virginia Cavaliers Official Athletic Site |access-date=June 5, 2021}}