1976 Florida State Seminoles football team

1976 Florida State Seminoles football
1976 Florida State Seminoles football
Conference	Independent
Record	5–6
Head coach	Bobby Bowden (1st season);
Offensive coordinator	George Haffner (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Jack Stanton (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Doak Campbell Stadium
	Seasons ← 1975 1977 →

1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
v t e	Conf			Overall
Team	W	L	T	W		L		T
No. 1 Pittsburgh		–		12	–	0	–	0
No. 17 Rutgers		–		11	–	0	–	0
San Diego State		–		10	–	1	–	0
No. 12 Notre Dame		–		9	–	3	–	0
Colgate		–		8	–	2	–	0
Boston College		–		8	–	3	–	0
Cincinnati		–		8	–	3	–	0
Memphis State		–		7	–	4	–	0
North Texas State *		–		7	–	4	–	0
Southern Illinois		–		7	–	4	–	0
Penn State		–		7	–	5	–	0
Villanova		–		6	–	4	–	1
South Carolina		–		6	–	5	–	0
Virginia Tech		–		6	–	5	–	0
Army		–		5	–	6	–	0
Florida State		–		5	–	6	–	0
Illinois State		–		5	–	6	–	0
Richmond		–		5	–	6	–	0
West Virginia		–		5	–	6	–	0
Georgia Tech		–		4	–	6	–	1
Temple		–		4	–	6	–	0
Air Force		–		4	–	7	–	0
Dayton		–		4	–	7	–	0
Louisville		–		4	–	7	–	0
Marshall		–		4	–	7	–	0
Navy		–		4	–	7	–	0
Indiana State		–		3	–	7	–	0
Hawaii		–		3	–	8	–	0
Holy Cross		–		3	–	8	–	0
Miami (FL)		–		3	–	8	–	0
Syracuse		–		3	–	8	–	0
Utah State		–		3	–	8	–	0
Northeast Louisiana		–		2	–	9	–	0
Southern Miss		–		2	–	9	–	0
Tulane		–		2	–	9	–	0

North Texas State (originally 6–5) was awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.^[1] Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles compiled a record of 5–6. Florida State played home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 11	at Memphis State	Memphis Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	L 12–21	30,194
September 18	at Miami (FL)	Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL (rivalry)	L 0–47	22,710
September 25	at No. 4 Oklahoma	Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK	L 9–24	71,184
October 2	Kansas State	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 20–10	30,353
October 9	at No. 13 Boston College	Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA	W 28–9	22,866
October 16	No. 12 Florida	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL (rivalry)	L 26–33	42,803	^[2]
October 23	at Auburn	Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, AL	L 19–31	58,500	^[3]
October 30	Clemson	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL (rivalry)	L 12–15	27,473	^[4]
November 6	Southern Miss	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 30–27	29,173	^[5]
November 13	at North Texas State	Fouts Field Denton, TX	W 21–20	3,850
November 20	Virginia Tech	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	W 28–21	16,148	^[6]
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[7]

Personnel

1976 Florida State Seminoles football team roster

Players

Coaches

Offense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
WR		Mike Barnes
TE		Ed Beckman
QB		Jimmy Black
WR		Jackie Flowers
OL		Mike Good
OL		Wade Johnson
QB		Jimmy Jordan
RB		Larry Key
OL		Mike Kissner
TE		Greg Lazzaro
RB		Jeff Leggett
RB		Mark Lyles
OL		Mark Meseroll
OL		Alan Risk
OL		Vic Rivas
OL		Tom Rushing
OL		Bill Sawyer
OL		Jon Thomas
RB		Rudy Thomas
WR		Kurt Unglaub

Defense

Pos.	#	Name	Class
DB		Joe Camps
LB		Aaron Carter
DL		Walter Carter
DL		Jimmy Heggins
DB		Ivory Joe Hunter
DB		Bobby Jackson
DL		Willie Jones
DB		Joe Joyner
DB		Mike Kincaid
DL		Rudy Maloy
LB		Detroit Reynolds
DB		Jeff Ridings
DL		Gary Rose
DL		Abe Smith
LB		Mike Stewart
DB		Nat Terry
DL		Scott Warren
DB		Gary Woolford

Special teams

Pos.	#	Name	Class
K		Dave Cappelen

Head coach

Bobby Bowden

Coordinators/assistant coaches

George Haffner (Offensive coordinator)
Kent Schoolfield (Wide receivers)

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

Game summaries

Florida

#12 Florida Gators at Florida State Seminoles

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Florida	10	10	7	6	33
Florida St	0	17	6	3	26

at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida

Date: October 17
Game attendance: 42,803
Recap/Box

Game information

First quarter

FLA – David Posey 27-yard field goal, 11:05. Florida 3–0. Drive: 77 yards.
FLA – Larry Brinson 15-yard run (David Posey kick), 5:50. Florida 10–0. Drive:

Second quarter

FSU – Dave Cappelen 21-yard field goal, 13:41. Florida 10–3. Drive: 82 yards.
FLA – David Posey 54-yard field goal, 11:20. Florida 13–3. Drive:
FSU – Rudy Thomas 10-yard run (Dave Cappelen kick), 8:10. Florida 13–10. Drive: 70 yards.
FSU – Kurt Unglaub 26-yard pass from Jimmy Black (Dave Cappelen kick), 0:47. Florida St 17–13. Drive: 80 yards.
FLA – Wes Chandler 23-yard pass from Jimmy Fisher (David Posey kick), 0:10. Florida 20–17. Drive: 93 yards.

Third quarter

FSU – Jimmy Black 2-yard run (kick blocked), 6:25. Florida St 23–20. Drive: 80 yards.
FLA – Willie Wilder 5-yard run (David Posey kick), 3:14. Florida 27–23. Drive: 69 yards.

Fourth quarter

FLA - 2-yard run (kick failed), 7:44. Florida 33–23. Drive:
FSU – Dave Cappelen 27-yard field goal, 5:19. Florida 33–26. Drive:

Top passers

FLA – Jimmy Fisher – 9/12, 139 yards, TD
FSU – Jimmy Black – 14/17, 211 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

FLA – Willie Wilder – 98 yards, TD
FSU – Jeff Leggett – 15 rushes, 76 yards

Top receivers

FLA – Wes Chandler/Jimmy Stephens – 4 receptions
FSU – Ed Beckman – 6 receptions, 113 yards

References

^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
^ "FSU's respect is at expense of Gator win". The Pensacola News-Journal. October 17, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Gargis paces Auburn over Florida State". Panama City News-Herald. October 24, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Clemson tops FSU; No winning season". The Miami Herald. October 31, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "FSU rallies, downs Southern Mississippi". The Miami Herald. November 7, 1976. Retrieved March 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "FSU ends on high note". Pensacola News Journal. November 21, 1976. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^ NoleFan.Org - 1976 season.

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[1] ttps://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html

[2] "FSU's respect is at expense of Gator win". The Pensacola News-Journal. October 17, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

[3] "Gargis paces Auburn over Florida State". Panama City News-Herald. October 24, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "Clemson tops FSU; No winning season". The Miami Herald. October 31, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.

[1976USM1-5] "FSU rallies, downs Southern Mississippi". The Miami Herald. November 7, 1976. Retrieved March 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] "FSU ends on high note". Pensacola News Journal. November 21, 1976. Retrieved December 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.

[7] NoleFan.Org - 1976 season.

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v t e Florida State Seminoles football
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Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Florida Cup Clemson Florida Miami Virginia
Culture & lore	Osceola and Renegade The War Chant Marching Chiefs FSU Hymns Sod Cemetery Wide Right I Wide Right II 1993 'Game of the Century' Choke at Doak 2015 Georgia Tech game Bob Crenshaw Award Tomahawk chop
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National championship seasons in bold