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1976 Houston Cougars football team

American college football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1976 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. It was the 31st year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by 15th-year head football coach, Bill Yeoman.

ConferenceSouthwest Conference
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 4
Record10–2 (7–1 SWC)
Quick facts Houston Cougars football, SWC co-championCotton Bowl Classic champion ...
1976 Houston Cougars football
Houston's 1976 Southwest Conference championship trophy
SWC co-champion
Cotton Bowl Classic champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 4
Record10–2 (7–1 SWC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeHouston Veer
Defensive coordinatorDon Todd (5th season)
Captains
Home stadiumHouston Astrodome
Rice Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
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More information Conf., Overall ...
1976 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Houston +7–1–010–2–0
No. 13 Texas Tech +7–1–010–2–0
No. 7 Texas A&M6–2–010–2–0
Baylor4–3–17–3–1
Texas4–4–05–5–1
Arkansas3–4–15–5–1
Rice2–6–03–8–0
SMU2–6–03–8–0
TCU0–8–00–11–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll
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The team played its home games at the Astrodome, a 53,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston, although the home games vs. Texas A&M and Arkansas were moved to Rice Stadium. It was Houston's first year of season play as a full member of the Southwest Conference eligible as champions. Upon winning the conference as co-champions, the Cougars competed against the Maryland Terrapins in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and finished the post-season at an all-time highest national ranking in the history of the program. Senior defensive tackle Wilson Whitley received the Lombardi Award following the season. Future UH and Baylor head coach Art Briles played on the team.

Schedule

More information Date, Opponent ...
DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 11at Baylor
ABCW 23–537,500[1]
September 18at Florida*
L 14–4949,820[2]
September 25No. 9 Texas A&M
W 21–1070,001[3]
October 9West Texas State*
W 50–723,498[4]
October 16at SMUNo. 19
W 29–628,204[5]
October 23No. 15 ArkansasNo. 14
  • Rice Stadium
  • Houston, TX
L 7–1447,192[6]
October 30TCUdagger
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
W 49–2118,263[7]
November 6at No. 20 TexasNo. 19
W 30–077,809[8]
November 20at No. 5 Texas TechNo. 9
ABCW 27–1945,102[9]
November 27at RiceNo. 7
W 42–2032,212[10]
December 4Miami (FL)*No. 6
  • Houston Astrodome
  • Houston, TX
W 21–1620,849[11]
January 1vs. No. 4 Maryland*No. 6
CBSW 30–2158,500[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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Rankings

More information Poll, Pre ...
Week-to-Week Rankings
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. ██ Not ranked the previous week.
PollPreWk 1Wk 2Wk 3Wk 4Wk 5Wk 6Wk 7Wk 8Wk 9Wk 10Wk 11Wk 12Final
AP NR NR NR NR NR 19 14 NR 19 12 9 7 6 4
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Game summaries

at Baylor

See also: 1976 Baylor Bears football team and Baylor–Houston football rivalry
Game One – Houston Cougars (0–0) at Baylor Bears (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cougars 0 0 61723
Bears 5 0 005
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at Baylor Stadium • Waco, Texas

More information Game information ...
Game information
First Quarter
  • (0:00) BAY –
  • (0:00) BAY –
Second Quarter

No scoring plays

Third Quarter
  • (0:00) HOU –
Fourth Quarter
  • (0:00) HOU –
  • (0:00) HOU –
  • (0:00) HOU –
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More information Statistics, HOU ...
StatisticsHOUBAY
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
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More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
HoustonPassing
Rushing
Receiving
BaylorPassing
Rushing
Receiving
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at Florida

See also: 1976 Florida Gators football team
Game Two – Houston Cougars (1–0) at Florida Gators (0–1) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cougars 0 7 7014
Gators 14 14 14749
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at Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida

  • Date: September 18, 1976
  • Game time: 6:30 p.m. CDT
  • Game attendance: 49,820
More information Game information ...
Game information
First Quarter
  • (0:00) FLA –
  • (0:00) FLA –
Second Quarter
  • (0:00) FLA –
  • (0:00) FLA –
  • (0:00) HOU –
Third Quarter
  • (0:00) FLA –
  • (0:00) HOU –
  • (0:00) FLA –
Fourth Quarter
  • (0:00) FLA –
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More information Statistics, HOU ...
StatisticsHOUFLA
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
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More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
HoustonPassing
Rushing
Receiving
FloridaPassing
Rushing
Receiving
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vs Texas A&M

vs West Texas State

at SMU

vs Arkansas

vs TCU

at Texas

See also: 1976 Texas Longhorns football team
Game Eight – No. 19 Houston Cougars (5–2) at No. 20 Texas Longhorns (3–2–1) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 19 Cougars 7 3 61430
No. 20 Longhorns 0 0 000
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at Memorial Stadium • Austin, Texas

  • Date: November 6, 1976
  • Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 77,809
More information Game information ...
Game information
First Quarter
  • (2:47) HOU –
Second Quarter
  • (0:36) HOU –
Third Quarter
  • (11:35) HOU –
  • (2:58) HOU –
Fourth Quarter
  • (11:28) HOU –
  • (3:51) HOU –
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More information Statistics, HOU ...
StatisticsHOUTEX
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
HoustonPassing
Rushing
Receiving
TexasPassing
Rushing
Receiving
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at Texas Tech

at Rice

vs Miami (FL)

vs Maryland (Cotton Bowl Classic)

See also: 1976 Maryland Terrapins football team and 1977 Cotton Bowl Classic
1977 Cotton Bowl Classic: No. 4 Maryland Terrapins (11–0) vs No. 6 Houston Cougars (9–2) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
No. 4 Terrapins 0 7 7721
No. 6 Cougars 21 6 0330
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at Cotton Bowl • Dallas, Texas

  • Date: January 1, 1977
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
  • Game attendance: 58,500
  • Referee: James Artley (SEC)
  • TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson (play-by-play) and Paul Hornung (color commentator)
More information Game information ...
Game information
First quarter
  • (6:27) HOU – Dyral Thomas 11-yard run, (Lennard Coplin kick) (Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 0:00; Houston 7–0)
  • (3:13) HOU – Alois Blackwell 33-yard run, (Lennard Coplin kick) (Drive: 3 plays, 38 yards, 0:00; Houston 14–0)
  • (0:51) HOU – Alois Blackwell 1-yard run, (Lennard Coplin kick) (Drive: 5 plays, 24 yards, 0:00; Houston 21–0)
Second quarter
  • (9:36) MD – Mark Manges 6-yard run, (Ed Loncak kick) (Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 0:00; Houston 21–7)
  • (0:55) HOU – Don Bass 33-yard pass from Danny Davis, (Lennard Coplin kick fail) (Drive: 8 plays, 35 yards, 0:00; Houston 27–7)
Third quarter
  • (1:41) MD – Eric Sievers 11-yard pass from Mark Manges, (Mike Sochko kick) (Drive: 7 plays, 97 yards, 0:00; Houston 27–14)
Fourth quarter
  • (8:46) MD – Tim Wilson 1-yard run, (Mike Sochko kick) (Drive: 6 plays, 30 yards, 0:00; Houston 27–21)
  • (0:18) HOU – Lennard Coplin 28-yard field goal (Drive: 14 plays, 81 yards, 0:00; Houston 30–21)
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More information Statistics, MD ...
StatisticsMDHOU
First downs1720
Total yards299428
Rushing yards120320
Passing yards179108
Passing: Comp–Att–Int17–32–05–8–0
Time of possession
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More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
MarylandPassing
Rushing
Receiving
HoustonPassing
Rushing
Receiving
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Coaching staff

More information Name, Position ...
NamePositionAlma mater (Year)Year at Houston
Bill YeomanHead coach/offensive coordinatorArmy (1948)15th
Don ToddDefensive coordinatorHardin–Simmons (1964)5th
Melvin BrownOffensive backs coachOklahoma (1954)15th
Clarence DanielDefensive backs coachHuron (1955)5th
Ronny PeacockDefensive backs coachHouston (1972)3rd
Billy WillinghamOffensive line coachTCU (1951)10th
Elmer ReddOffensive backfield coachPrairie View A&M (1950)7th
Gary MullinsLinebackers coachHouston (1972)2nd
Joe ArenasWide receivers coachNebraska-Omaha (1951)14th
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References

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