1976 San Diego State Aztecs football team

The 1976 San Diego State Aztecs football team represented San Diego State University during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season as an independent. They had been a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association[note 1] for the previous seven years.

1976 San Diego State Aztecs football
ConferenceIndependent
Record10–1
Head coach
Home stadiumSan Diego Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
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 team was led by head coach Claude Gilbert, in his fourth year, and played home games at San Diego Stadium[note 2] in San Diego, California. They finished the season with a record of ten wins and one loss (10–1).

Schedule edit

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12Arkansas StateW 24–1436,791[2]
September 18Fresno State
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA (rivalry)
W 7–340,768[3][4]
September 25at Bowling GreenW 27–1511,673[5]
October 2BYU
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
L 0–841,786[6]
October 16Pacific (CA)
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 21–1531,045[7]
October 23Cal State Fullerton
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 27–1431,225[8][9]
October 30at UTEPW 27–169,500[10]
November 6San Jose State 
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 30–1740,710[11]
November 13Utah State
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 7–629,037[12]
November 20at Long Beach StateW 10–314,900[13][14]
November 27New Mexico
  • San Diego Stadium
  • San Diego, CA
W 17–1427,526[15]
  •  Homecoming

[16][17]

Team players in the NFL edit

The following were selected in the 1977 NFL Draft.[18]

Player Position Round Overall NFL Team
Bill Helms Tight End 11 284 New York Giants

The following finished their college career in 1976, were not drafted, but played in the NFL.[19]

Player Position First NFL Team
Herm Edwards Defensive Back 1977 Philadelphia Eagles

Team awards edit

Award Player
Most Valuable Player
(John Simcox Memorial Trophy)
Travis Hitt
Outstanding Offensive & Defensive Linemen
(Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy)
Mike Solari, Off
Dave Johnston
Ed Imo, Def
Team captains
Dr. R. Hardy / C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy
Tom Craft, Off
Travis Hitt, Def
Most Inspirational Player Tim Delaney,
Herm Edwards

[17]

Notes edit

  1. ^ The Big West Conference was known as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association from its founding in 1969 through 1987.
  2. ^ San Diego County Credit Union Stadium (SDCCU Stadium) was known as San Diego Stadium from its opening in 1967 through 1980.

References edit

  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
  2. ^ "Turner Propels San Diego State". Santa Ana Register. Santa Ana, California. September 13, 1976. p. C7. Retrieved January 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  3. ^ "Fresno State 2016 Media Guide" (PDF). Retrieved December 8, 2016.
  4. ^ "Long Beach State Wins Again, 32-10". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. September 19, 1976. p. III-16. Retrieved February 23, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  5. ^ "Aztecs' Turner Gains 209 Yards". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. September 26, 1976. p. III-16. Retrieved January 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  6. ^ Steve Wilson (October 3, 1976). "Cougars Stun Aztecs, 8-0, In Rugged Defensive Clash". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. p. 2D. Retrieved January 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  7. ^ "Aztecs edge UOP, 15-14". Independent Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. October 17, 1976. p. S-2. Retrieved January 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  8. ^ "Aztecs Overcome Titans, Injuries in 27-14 Win". The San Diego Union. San Diego, California. October 24, 1976. p. H-1. Retrieved January 26, 2017.
  9. ^ "Long Beach State Beats Lamar". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 24, 1976. p. III-14. Retrieved March 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  10. ^ "Texas El Paso 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  11. ^ "San Diego St. upends San Jose St., 30-17". Independent Press-Telegram. Long Beach, California. November 7, 1976. p. S-2. Retrieved January 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  12. ^ "Utah State 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 28, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  13. ^ Forty-Niners '77;Football Media Guide (pamphlet). Long Beach, California: CSULB Athletic Department. 1977.
  14. ^ "Aztecs Beat Long Beach, 10-3". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. November 21, 1976. p. III-12. Retrieved February 23, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  15. ^ Bart Ripp (November 28, 1976). "Aztecs Edge New Mexico". Albuquerque Journal. Albuquerque, New Mexico. p. F-1. Retrieved January 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  16. ^ "San Diego State 1976 Schedule". Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  17. ^ a b "San Diego State 2016 Football Media Guide". Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  18. ^ "1977 NFL Draft". Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  19. ^ "San Diego St. Players/Alumni". Retrieved December 8, 2016.