| 1976 Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
 | |
Big Ten co-champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 3 |
| AP | No. 3 |
| Record | 10–2 (7–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| Defensive coordinator | Gary Moeller (4th season) |
| MVP | Rob Lytle |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Michigan + | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Ohio State + | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 3 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 1 | – | 10 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1976 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1976 Big Ten Conference football season. In their eighth year under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines finished the season with a 10–2 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, and played in the 1977 Rose Bowl. The Wolverines outscored their opponents 432 to 95 and ranked first in the country in total offense (448.1 yards per game), scoring offense (38.7 points per game), and scoring defense (7.2 points per game). In the final AP and UPI Polls, Michigan was ranked #3.[1]
Highlights of the season included a 51–0 victory over Stanford in which three Michigan running backs rushed for over 100 yards. Michigan's 70–14 victory over Navy was the worst defeat in the history of the Naval Academy's football program. Michigan spent most of the season ranked #1 in the polls, but a 16–14 loss to Purdue in the ninth game of the season dropped the Wolverines out of the top spot. In the final game of the regular season, Michigan defeated Ohio State, 22–0, to win the Big Ten championship. The game marked the first time the Buckeyes had been held scoreless since 1964. In the 1977 Rose Bowl, Michigan lost to USC, 14–6, as the Wolverines completed only four passes and were held to 155 rushing yards.
On offense, senior running back Rob Lytle was selected as the team's most valuable player, finished third in voting for the Heisman Trophy, and led the Wolverines with 1,469 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.[2] Lytle finished the season as Michigan's all-time career rushing leader with 3,307 rushing yards gained from 1974 to 1976. Quarterback Rick Leach passed for 973 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for another 638 yards and 10 touchdowns.[2][3] His 13 touchdown passes tied a team record set by Bob Chappuis in 1947. Harlan Huckleby added 912 rushing yards, and wing back Jim Smith caught 26 passes for 714 yards and six touchdowns.[2]
Lytle, Smith, offensive right guard Mark Donahue, and offensive right tackle Bill Dufek were selected as first-team All-Americans. On defense, Calvin O'Neal started all 12 games at middle linebacker, led the team with 139 tackles,[2] and was a consensus first-team All-American. Nine Michigan players were selected as first-team All-Big Ten Conference players. Twenty-one players from the 1976 team went on to play in the National Football League, and another (Rick Leach) was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the 1979 NFL draft, but opted instead to play Major League Baseball.
- ^ "1976 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on September 7, 2004. Retrieved December 2, 2012.(To retrieve team statistics, enter the applicable year in the "Enter Year" box under the heading "Games & Totals by Season." Press "Display Season." At the next prompt, click the icon for "Display Season Totals".)
- ^ "1976 Michigan Wolverines Stats". SR College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 2, 2012.