1976 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

The 1976 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. The team was led by head coach Bob Tyler, competed as a member of the Southeastern Conference and finished the season with an overall record of nine wins and two losses (9–2, 4–2 SEC). However, in May 1978, the NCAA ruled Mississippi State to forfeit all nine victories due to having played an ineligible player.[1]

1976 Mississippi State Bulldogs football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
APNo. 20
Record9–2, 9 wins forfeited (4–2 SEC, 4 wins forfeited)
Head coach
Home stadiumScott Field
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Georgia $ 5 1 0 10 2 0
No. 11 Alabama 5 2 0 9 3 0
No. 20 Mississippi State 4 2 0 9 2 0
Florida 4 2 0 8 4 0
No. 18 Kentucky 4 2 0 8 4 0
LSU 3 3 0 6 4 1
Auburn 3 3 0 4 7 0
Ole Miss 3 4 0 5 6 0
Tennessee 2 4 0 6 5 0
Vanderbilt 0 6 0 2 9 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Mississippi State later forfeited all 1976 wins due to NCAA violations.
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule edit

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 4North Texas State*L 7–0 (forfeit)29,000[2]
September 18Louisville*
  • Scott Field
  • Starkville, MS
L 30–21 (forfeit)27,000[3]
September 25at FloridaL 30–3449,117[4]
October 2Cal Poly Pomona* 
  • Scott Field
  • Starkville, MS
L 38–0 (forfeit)33,000[5]
October 9KentuckyL 14–7 (forfeit)31,500[6]
October 16at Memphis State*L 42–33 (forfeit)51,704[7]
October 23at Southern Miss*No. 20L 14–6 (forfeit)31,225[8]
October 30at No. 18 AlabamaNo. 17L 17–3453,617[9][10]
November 6Auburn
  • Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
  • Jackson, MS
L 28–19 (forfeit)37,000[11]
November 13LSU
  • Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
  • Jackson, MS (rivalry)
L 21–13 (forfeit)40,000[12]
November 20Ole Miss
  • Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
  • Jackson, MS (Egg Bowl)
L 28–11 (forfeit)46,000[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

Personnel edit

1976 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB Norman Joseph Sr
QB Bruce Threadgill Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

References edit

  1. ^ "Bulldogs forced to forfeit 19 football games". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. May 24, 1978. p. 19. Retrieved June 21, 2012.
  2. ^ "Rain-dampened North Texas offense sputters to 7–0 loss". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 5, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Bulldogs offense scores with more question marks". The Commercial Appeal. September 19, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Gators squeeze out first SEC win". The Palm Beach Post-Times. September 26, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Unbeaten 49ers Score Win Over Pacific". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 3, 1976. p. III-16. Retrieved February 23, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  6. ^ "UK's early bobbles are fatal in 14–7 loss to Miss. State". The Courier-Journal. October 10, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Memphis State streak ends". The Tennessean. October 17, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Luck rides with Bulldogs". The Clarion-Ledger. October 24, 1976. Retrieved March 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Martin, Steve (October 31, 1976). "Tide blows Bulldogs out, 34–17". The Tuscaloosa News. p. A1. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  10. ^ "Tide rolls past Mississippi St". The Ledger. Associated Press. October 31, 1976. p. 5C. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  11. ^ "Davison is 'big man' in Bulldogs' victory". The Commercial Appeal. November 7, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Late Bengal rally falls short". Daily World. November 14, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "State trounces Ole Miss Rebels 28–11". The Greenwood Commonwealth. November 21, 1976. Retrieved October 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "1976 Mississippi State Bulldogs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 29, 2023.