1976 Stanford Cardinals football team

1976 Stanford Cardinals football
ConferencePacific-8 Conference
Record6–5 (5–2 Pac-8)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorNorb Hecker (5th season)
Home stadiumStanford Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 USC $ 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
No. 15 UCLA 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 1
Stanford 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
California 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Washington 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Washington State 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Oregon 1 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Oregon State 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-8 Conference during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Jack Christiansen, the Cardinals were 6–5 overall (5–2 in Pac-8, third) and played home games on campus at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California

After a disappointing season that started at 1–4,[1][2] Christiansen was fired the day before the last game of the season, the Big Game at Cal;[3] he coached that final game, which Stanford rallied to win in the final two minutes.[4][5]

With two seasons remaining on a five-year contract (at $27,500 annually),[3] Christiansen did not have a losing season at Stanford, was 30–22–3 (.573) overall, and 22–12–1 (.643) in conference. The Cardinals had five Pac-8 wins in each of his last four seasons, finishing no lower than third.

Bill Walsh, the offensive coordinator of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, was hired as head coach in December,[6][7][8] and led Stanford for the next two seasons, both ending with bowl wins.

  1. ^ "Pacific-8 Conference". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (standings). October 10, 1976. p. 1C.
  2. ^ "Bruins intercept Cards, 38-20". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. October 10, 1976. p. 6C.
  3. ^ a b "'Chris' is sacked; a Card first". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. November 20, 1976. p. 1B.
  4. ^ "Late fumble produces Card win". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 21, 1976. p. D2.
  5. ^ "Late Stanford touchdown beats California, 27-24". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 21, 1976. p. 6C.
  6. ^ "Bill Walsh named Card grid mentor". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. December 13, 1976. p. 14.
  7. ^ "Stanford hires Walsh". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 13, 1976. p. 3C.
  8. ^ "Walsh ready to go". Lodi News-Sentinel. (California). UPI. December 14, 1976. p. 6.