2016 New Hampshire Wildcats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
| mode = football
| year = 2016
| team=New Hampshire Wildcats
| image= UNH Wildcats.png
| image_size= 150
| conference= Colonial Athletic Association
| division=
| short_conf= CAA
| STATSRank = 17
| FCSCoachRank = 17
| record = 8–5
| conf_record = 6–2
| head_coach= Sean McDonnell
| hc_year = 18th
| off_coach=Ryan Carty
| oc_year = 9th
| def_coach=John Lyons
| dc_year = 5th
| off_scheme=
| def_scheme=
| stadium= Wildcat Stadium
| champion =
| bowl = FCS Playoffs Second Round
| bowl_result = L 22–55 vs. James Madison
}}
{{2016 CAA football standings}}
The 2016 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2016 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 18th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Wildcat Stadium. They competed as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
The team's stadium went through major renovations during the offseason.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/09/16/university-to-buy-1-million-football-scoreboard-with-thrifty-librarians-money-outraging-critics/ |title=University to buy $1 million football scoreboard with thrifty librarian's money, outraging critics |newspaper=Washington Post |url-access=limited |first= Ben |last=Guarino |date=September 16, 2016 |access-date=16 September 2016}} Renamed as Wildcat Stadium, the facility hosted its first game under that name on September 10,{{cite web |url=https://unhwildcats.com/sports/2016/8/10/wildcat-stadium |title=Wildcat Stadium |website=unhwildcats.com |date=August 10, 2016 |accessdate=November 24, 2024}} with the Wildcats defeating Holy Cross.
The Wildcats finished their regular season with a record of 8–5, 6–2 in CAA play, to finish in a tie for second place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Lehigh in the first round before losing in the second round to James Madison.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2016
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FCS
| poll = STATS
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 1
| time = 8:30 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 22
| opponent = San Diego State
| site_stadium = Qualcomm Stadium
| site_cityst = San Diego, CA
| tv =
| score = 0–31
| attend = 46,486
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 10
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 24
| opponent = Holy Cross
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = ASN
| score = 39–28
| attend = 13,242
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 17
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 22
| opponent = Dartmouth
| site_stadium = Memorial Field
| site_cityst = Hanover, NH
| gamename = rivalry
| tv = FCS
| score = 21–22
| attend = 8,296
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 24
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Rhode Island
| site_stadium = Meade Stadium
| site_cityst = Kingston, RI
| tv = {{URL|1=http://www.atlantic10.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?catid=0&id=1743977&db_oem_id=31600|2=A10 Network}}
| score = 39–17
| attend = 3,626
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 1
| time = 3:30 pm
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| rank =
| opponent = William & Mary
| opprank = 19
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = {{URL|1=https://www.youtube.com/user/UNHAthletics/Live|2=UNHAthletics}}
| score = 21–12
| attend = 21,943
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 7
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Elon
| site_stadium = Rhodes Stadium
| site_cityst = Elon, NC
| tv = {{URL|1=http://portal.stretchinternet.com/elon/|2=PAA}}
| score = 13–10
| attend = 4,416
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 15
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = l
| rank =
| opponent = James Madison
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = ASN
| score = 39–42
| attend = 8,316
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 22
| time = 3:30 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Towson
| site_stadium = Johnny Unitas Stadium
| site_cityst = Towson, MD
| tv = CSN
| score = 21–7
| attend = 5,023
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 29
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = w
| rank =
| opponent = Stony Brook
| opprank = 22
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = UNHAthletics
| score = 43–14
| attend = 5,029
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 12
| time = 12:00 pm
| w/l = l
| rank = 21
| opponent = Albany
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = UNHAthletics
| score = 25–36
| attend = 7,012
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 19
| time = 1:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank =
| opponent = Maine
| site_stadium = Alfond Stadium
| site_cityst = Orono, ME
| gamename = Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket
| tv = {{URL|1=http://goblackbears.com/watch/?Live=1098|2=MAA}}
| score = 24–21
| attend = 6,401
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 26
| time = 2:00 pm
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 22
| opponent = Lehigh
| opprank = 18
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| gamename = NCAA Division I First Round
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 64–21
| attend = 2,240
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 3
| time = 2:00 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 22
| opponent = James Madison
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Bridgeforth Stadium
| site_cityst = Harrisonburg, VA
| gamename = NCAA Division I Second Round
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 22–55
| attend = 13,231
}}
}}
Game summaries
=At San Diego State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#22 Wildcats
|R1=0
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=0
|Home=Aztecs
|H1=14
|H2=7
|H3=3
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2016 San Diego State Aztecs football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Holy Cross=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Crusaders
|R1=14
|R2=7
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=#24 Wildcats
|H1=6
|H2=7
|H3=19
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2016 Holy Cross Crusaders football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Dartmouth=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#22 Wildcats
|R1=0
|R2=14
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=Big Green
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=0
|H4=15
}}
{{see also|2016 Dartmouth Big Green football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Rhode Island=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=8
|R3=7
|R4=17
|Home=Rams
|H1=7
|H2=0
|H3=3
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2016 Rhode Island Rams football team}}
{{Clear}}
=William & Mary=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#19 Tribe
|R1=6
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=6
|Home=Wildcats
|H1=0
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2016 William & Mary Tribe football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Elon=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R3=0
|R4=6
|Home=Phoenix
|H1=0
|H2=3
|H3=7
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2016 Elon Phoenix football team}}
{{Clear}}
=James Madison=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#7 Dukes
|R1=7
|R2=14
|R3=7
|R4=14
|Home=Wildcats
|H1=0
|H2=9
|H3=3
|H4=27
}}
{{see also|2016 James Madison Dukes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Towson=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=7
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=Tigers
|H1=0
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2016 Towson Tigers football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Stony Brook=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#22 Seawolves
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=Wildcats
|H1=15
|H2=0
|H3=21
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2016 Stony Brook Seawolves football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Albany=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Great Danes
|R1=0
|R2=7
|R3=15
|R4=14
|Home=#21 Wildcats
|H1=8
|H2=14
|H3=3
|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2016 Albany Great Danes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Maine=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R3=7
|R4=10
|Home=Black Bears
|H1=7
|H2=7
|H3=0
|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2016 Maine Black Bears football team|Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket}}
{{Clear}}
=Lehigh—NCAA Division I First Round=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#18 Mountain Hawks
|R1=0
|R2=14
|R3=7
|R4=0
|Home=#22 Wildcats
|H1=15
|H2=21
|H3=14
|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2016 Lehigh Mountain Hawks football team}}
{{Clear}}
=James Madison–NCAA Division I Second Round=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=#22 Wildcats
|R1=7
|R2=0
|R3=8
|R4=7
|Home=#5 Dukes
|H1=3
|H2=28
|H3=21
|H4=3
}}
{{Clear}}
Ranking movements
{{Ranking movements
| poll1title = STATS FCS
| poll1firstweek = 0
| poll1lastweek = 13
| poll1_0=22
| poll1_1=24
| poll1_2=22
| poll1_3=RV
| poll1_4=RV
| poll1_5=RV
| poll1_6=RV
| poll1_7=RV
| poll1_8=RV
| poll1_9=22
| poll1_10=21
| poll1_11=RV
| poll1_12=22
| poll1_13=17
| poll1_14=
| poll1_15=
| poll1_16=
| poll1_17=
| poll1_18=
| poll1_19=
| poll1_20=
| poll2title = Coaches
| poll2firstweek = 0
| poll2lastweek = 13
| poll2_0=RV
| poll2_1=RV
| poll2_2=RV
| poll2_3=RV
| poll2_4=NR
| poll2_5=RV
| poll2_6=25
| poll2_7=RV
| poll2_8=RV
| poll2_9=23
| poll2_10=23
| poll2_11=RV
| poll2_12=21
| poll2_13=17
| poll2_14=
| poll2_15=
| poll2_16=
| poll2_17=
| poll2_18=
| poll2_19=
| poll2_20=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{New Hampshire Wildcats football navbox}}