1976 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

1976 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Gator Bowl champion
Gator Bowl, W 20–9 vs. Penn State
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 12
APNo. 12
Record9–3
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMerv Johnson (2nd season)
Captains
Home stadiumNotre Dame Stadium
1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW 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 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their second year under head coach Dan Devine, the Irish compiled a 9–3 record, outscored opponents by a total of 274 to 149, and were ranked No. 12 in the final AP and UPI polls. In five games against ranked opponents, they lost to No. 9 Pittsburgh and No. 3 USC, and defeated No. 19 South Carolina, No. 10 Alabama, and No. 20 Penn State, the latter in the Gator Bowl.[2][3]

Defensive end Ross Browner won the Outland Trophy as the best interior lineman in college football. Browner and tight end Ken McAfee were consensus first-team picks on the 1976 All-America college football team.[4] Defensive back Luther Bradley also received first-team All-America honors from the Football News and Walter Camp Football Foundation. Quarterback Joe Montana separated his shoulder before the season began and did not play.[5] The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Rick Slager (1,281 passing yards), running back Al Hunter (1,058 rushing yards), and Dan Kelleher (24 receptions for 522 yards).[6]

The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 114:20 p.m.No. 9 PittsburghNo. 11
ABCL 10–3159,075[7]
September 182:30 p.m.Purdue
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 23–059,075[8]
September 252:30 p.m.at Northwestern
W 48–044,396[9]
October 21:30 p.m.at Michigan StateNo. 18
W 24–677,081[10]
October 162:30 p.m.OregonNo. 14
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
W 41–059,075[11]
October 231:10 p.m.at No. 19 South CarolinaNo. 12
W 13–656,721[12]
October 301:00 p.m.vs. NavyNo. 11
W 27–2161,172[13]
November 61:30 p.m.at Georgia TechNo. 11
L 14–2350,079[14]
November 1312:50 p.m.No. 10 AlabamaNo. 18
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
ABCW 21–1859,075[15][16]
November 201:30 p.m.Miami (FL)No. 13
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)
W 40–2759,075[17]
November 274:00 p.m.at No. 3 USCNo. 13
ABCL 13–1776,561[18]
December 279:00 p.m.vs. No. 20 Penn StateNo. 15
ABCW 20–967,827[19]

[20]

Game summaries

Pittsburgh

Purdue

Purdue Boilermakers (1–0) at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Purdue 0 0 000
Notre Dame 3 7 7623

at Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana

  • Date: September 18
  • Game attendance: 59,075
  • Recap/Box
Game information

[21]

At Northwestern

At Michigan State

Oregon

At South Carolina

Vs. Navy

Navy Midshipmen (1–6) vs. #11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Notre Dame 3 21 0327
Navy 0 14 0721

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Game information

[22]

At Georgia Tech

Alabama

Miami (FL)

At USC

#13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8–2) at #3 USC Trojans (9–1)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Notre Dame 0 0 01313
USC 0 7 7317

at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California

Game information

Rick Slager started the game but was replaced by Rusty Lisch after Slagler injured his shoulder.[23]

Penn State—Gator Bowl

Roster

1976 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
RB Willard Browner
TE 83 Doug Buth Sr
OL Mike Carney
RB Tom Domin
TE 87 John Driscoll Jr
RB 40 Terry Eurick Jr
RB Vagas Ferguson
QB Gary Forystek
WR 82 Kris Haines So
WR Speedy Hart
RB 30 Jerome Heavens So
OL Ted Horansky
RB 25 Al Hunter Jr
OT 62 Dave Huffman So
G 65 Ernie Hughes Jr
WR 80 Dan Kelleher Sr
RB 21 Dan Knott Jr
QB Rusty Lisch  Fr
TE 81 Ken MacAfee Jr
OT 71 Steve McDaniel Jr
RB Mark McLane (C)
G 60 Howard Meyer So
QB 3 Joe Montana So
G 57 Elton Moore Sr
RB 14 Steve Orsini Jr
RB Steve Schmitz
QB 11 Rick Slager
OT 50 Bob Tull Jr
OL Harry Woebkenberg
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB Doug Becker
S 20 Luther Bradley Jr
S 33 Jim Browner So
DE 89 Ross Browner Jr
DB Ted Burgmeier
DL Mike Calhoun
S 28 Ross Christensen Jr
LB 24 Nick DeCicco Jr
DT 72 Ken Dike Jr
S 41 John Dubenetzky Sr
LB 42 Tom Eastman Sr
DE 94 Willie Fry (C) Jr
LB 55 Bob Golic So
S 10 Randy Harrison Jr
LB 58 Steve Heimkreiter So
LB 51 Pete Johnson Jr
LB 54 Marv Russell Sr
DB Dave Waymer Fr
DT 74 Jeff Weston Jr
  Tony Zappala
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
K Dave Reeve
P 7 Joe Restic So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster
Last update: 2021-Jan-07

References

  1. ↑ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
  2. ↑ "1976 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  3. ↑ "1976 Notre Dame Football Review" (PDF). The Notre Dame Scholastic. February 7, 1977 – via Notre Dame Archives.
  4. ↑ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 10. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  5. ↑ Somogyi, Lou (September 21, 2012). "The Right Combination". Notre Dame Fighting Irish Athletics. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
  6. ↑ "1976 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 23, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Pitt, Dorsett crush Notre Dame, 31–10". Staten Island Advance. September 12, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Burgmeier's stellar defense play helps Irish spill Purdue, 23–0". The Des Moines Register. September 19, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Slager, Irish bomb Wildcats". The Vincennes Sun-Commercial. September 26, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Notre Dame too tough for State 24–6". Battle Creek Enquirer & News. October 3, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Notre Dame head hunters drop flock of lame Ducks". The Indianapolis Star. October 17, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "3 brothers, Irish stop Gamecocks". The Charlotte Observer. October 24, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Notre Dame edges gallant Middies". The Plain Dealer. October 31, 1976. Retrieved September 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Georgia Tech stuns Irish". The Lynchburg News. November 7, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Martin, Steve (November 13, 1976). "Tide rally falls short, Irish win". The Tuscaloosa News. p. 1A. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Notre Dame air attack too much for Alabama". The Ledger. Associated Press. November 13, 1976. p. 5C. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Irish scalp Miami". The Pensacola News-Journal. November 21, 1976. Retrieved September 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "USC trips Irish 17–13". The Times Recorder. November 28, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Notre Dame upends Nittany Lions". The Bradenton Herald. December 28, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "1976 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results".
  21. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Sept 19. Pg. 14B. Retrieved 2021-Jan-11.
  22. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Oct 31.
  23. ↑ Notre Dame Football Review - USC. Retrieved 2021-Jan-07.
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