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1976 NCAA Division II football season

American college football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1976 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1976 and concluded with the championship game on December 11 at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Montana State Bobcats defeated the Akron Zips 24–13 in the Pioneer Bowl to win their only Division II national title.[1][2][3]

Regular seasonAugust – November 1976
PlayoffsNovember 27 –
December 11, 1976
National ChampionshipPioneer Bowl
Memorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, TX
ChampionMontana State
Quick facts Regular season, Playoffs ...
1976 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonAugust – November 1976
PlayoffsNovember 27 –
December 11, 1976
National ChampionshipPioneer Bowl
Memorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, TX
ChampionMontana State
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Conference changes and new programs

More information School, 1975 Conference ...
School1975 Conference1976 Conference
Alabama StateSIACD-II Independent
Cal State Los AngelesCCAAIndependent
Eastern MichiganIndependentMAC (D-I)
Illinois StateD-II IndependentD-I Independent
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Conference standings

More information Conf., Overall ...
1976 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Montana State $^6–0–012–1–0
Idaho5–1–07–4–0
Northern Arizona4–2–08–3–0
Montana3–3–04–6–0
Boise State2–4–05–5–1
Weber State1–5–02–9–0
Idaho State0–6–01–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll
1976 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Cal Poly $2–0–07–1–1
Cal Poly Pomona1–1–04–5–1
Cal State Northridge1–2–08–3–0
Cal State Los Angeles0–1–05–3–1
  • $ – Conference champion
1976 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Norfolk State $7–1–08–3–0
Hampton6–2–07–4–0
Fayetteville State5–3–07–3–0
Virginia Union5–3–07–4–0
Livingstone4–4–06–5–0
Winston-Salem State4–4–04–6–0
Johnson C. Smith3–5–04–7–0
Virginia State3–5–04–7–0
Elizabeth City State3–5–03–7–0
Saint Paul's (VA)1–7–03–8–0
Shaw1–7–02–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
1976 Far Western Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
UC Davis $5–0–08–2–0
Humboldt State4–1–05–5–0
Chico State2–3–05–6–0
San Francisco State2–3–04–7–0
Sacramento State2–3–02–8–0
Cal State Hayward0–5–01–8–1
  • $ – Conference champion
1976 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 15 Northwood $4–1–05–2–1
No. 7 Grand Valley State3–2–08–2–0
Wayne State (MI)3–2–06–2–0
Ferris State3–2–05–5–0
Hillsdale2–3–05–5–0
Saginaw Valley State0–5–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1976 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Troy State $7–1–08–1–1
Southeastern Louisiana6–1–19–1–1
Jacksonville State6–2–06–4–0
Tennessee–Martin5–3–08–3–0
Livingston5–3–05–5–0
North Alabama3–4–14–5–1
Delta State2–5–14–6–1
Nicholls State2–5–14–6–1
Mississippi College0–8–02–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Troy State's and Livingston's games against Alabama State, Jacksonville State's game against Alabama A&M, Tennessee–Martin's games against Austin Peay and Murray State, and Mississippi College's game against Ouachita Baptist were designated as conference games and counted in the Gulf South standings.
Rankings from AP Poll
1976 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Saint Joseph's (IN) +4–1–06–3–0
Evansville +4–1–04–6–0
Indiana Central3–2–06–4–0
Butler2–3–06–4–0
Valparaiso2–3–02–7–1
DePauw0–5–02–8–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1976 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–8 South Carolina State +5–1–010–1–0
Morgan State +5–1–06–4–0
North Carolina A&T3–2–16–4–1
Howard3–2–15–5–1
North Carolina Central2–4–06–5–0
Delaware State1–5–03–7–1
Maryland Eastern Shore1–5–02–9–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1976 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
SE Missouri State +4–1–17–3–1
NE Missouri State +4–1–15–3–1
NW Missouri State4–2–08–2–0
SW Missouri State4–2–05–6–0
Missouri–Rolla2–4–04–6–1
Central Missouri State2–4–03–8–0
Lincoln (MO)0–6–00–11–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1976 North Central Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–8 North Dakota State $^6–0–09–3–0
South Dakota State4–1–15–4–1
Northern Iowa4–2–08–3–0
South Dakota3–2–14–5–1
North Dakota1–4–11–7–1
Augustana (SD)1–5–04–6–0
Morningside0–5–11–7–1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from AP Poll
1976 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 10 Minnesota Morris $7–0–08–1–1
Michigan Tech5–2–07–3–0
Minnesota Duluth5–2–06–4–0
St. Cloud State4–3–08–3–0
Bemidji State3–4–06–4–0
Moorhead State3–4–05–5–0
Winona State1–6–01–9–0
Southwest State (MN)0–7–00–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • St. Cloud State forfeited a conference win over Minnesota Duluth and three non-conference wins; NCAA, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and St. Cloud State records do not reflect the forfeits in the team's overall record.
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1976 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Eastern Kentucky $^6–1–08–3–0
Tennessee Tech5–2–08–3–0
Murray State4–3–05–6–0
Austin Peay3–4–05–6–0
Western Kentucky3–4–04–5–1
East Tennessee State3–4–03–7–0
Middle Tennessee2–5–04–7–0
Morehead State2–5–02–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • Morehead State record adjusted for forfeit to Marshall
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1976 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
East Division
East Stroudsburg xy+6–0–09–0–1
West Chester4–1–05–4–0
Millersville4–2–06–3–0
Kutztown3–3–05–5–0
Bloomsburg2–4–02–7–0
Cheyney1–5–01–7–0
Mansfield0–5–02–7–1
West Division
Shippensburg xy+5–1–08–2–1
Slippery Rock x5–1–07–3–0
Edinboro4–2–06–4–0
Clarion3–3–07–3–0
Indiana (PA)3–3–04–5–0
California (PA)1–5–02–7–0
Lock Haven0–6–02–8–0
Championship: East Stroudsburg 14, Shippensburg 14
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
1976 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–8 Alcorn State $5–1–08–2–0
Southern4–2–08–3–0
Grambling State4–2–08–4–0
Prairie View A&M3–3–06–5–0
Jackson State3–3–05–4–0
Mississippi Valley State1–5–04–6–0
Texas Southern1–5–02–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1976 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Division I
Bethune–Cookman x4–1–08–3–0
Tuskegee3–1–16–3–1
Florida A&M3–1–16–3–2
Morris Brown3–2–05–4–1
Alabama A&M2–3–03–8–0
Albany State1–4–05–5–0
Division II
Fort Valley State x5–0–08–2–0
Knoxville3–2–08–2–0
Lane3–2–05–4–0
Morehouse3–2–04–5–0
Clark (GA)2–3–03–6–0
Miles2–3–02–8–0
Fisk1–4–02–7–0
Savannah State0–5–00–9–0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
1976 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 5 Shepherd xy4–0–010–2–0
No. 11 Salem3–1–08–1–1
West Liberty State2–2–05–5–0
Fairmont State1–3–04–6–0
West Virginia Wesleyan0–4–02–8–0
Southern Division
No. T–19 Concord xy$4–0–08–3–0
West Virginia State2–2–04–4–1
Bluefield State2–2–04–6–0
West Virginia Tech1–3–02–7–0
Glenville State1–3–03–7–0
Championship: Concord 21, Shepherd 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference standings based on power ratings
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll for Salem and Shepherd and NAIA Division II poll for Concord
1976 Yankee Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. T–8 New Hampshire $^4–1–08–3–0
UMass3–2–05–5–0
Maine2–3–06–5–0
Rhode Island2–3–03–5–0
Boston University2–3–03–7–0
Connecticut2–3–02–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll
1976 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Northern Michigan ^ – 11–2–0
No. 3 Akron ^ – 10–3–0
No. 7 UNLV ^ – 9–3–0
No. 4 Delaware ^ – 8–3–1
Nevada – 8–3–0
Portland State – 8–3–0
Tennessee State – 7–2–1
American International – 6–3–0
Northern Colorado – 6–3–0
Madison – 7–4–0
Santa Clara – 7–4–0
Western Carolina – 6–4–0
Chattanooga – 6–4–1
Southern Connecticut State – 5–4–0
Central State (OH) – 6–5–0
Lehigh – 6–5–0
Arkansas–Pine Bluff – 5–5–0
Central Connecticut – 5–5–0
Lafayette – 5–5–0
Eastern Illinois – 5–6–0
Bucknell – 4–5–0
Youngstown State – 4–6–0
Kentucky State – 3–7–1
Nebraska–Omaha – 3–8–0
Northeastern – 2–7–0
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from Associated Press poll
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Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons
More information Conference Champions ...
Conference Champions

Big Sky Conference – Montana State
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Norfolk State
Far Western Football Conference – UC Davis
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Northwood
Gulf South Conference – Troy State
Indiana Collegiate Conference - Evansville and St. Joseph's
Lone Star Conference – Texas A&I
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Northeast Missouri State and Southeast Missouri State
North Central Conference – North Dakota State
Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Morris
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – East Stroudsburg
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Western State (CO)
South Atlantic Conference – Elon
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II) – Bethune-Cookman
Yankee Conference – New Hampshire

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Postseason

Quick facts II Football Championship, Teams ...
1976 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams8
Finals Site
Champion
Runner-up
Semifinalists
Winning coach
Attendance13,200
(Pioneer Bowl)
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The 1976 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the fourth single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's Division II college football. The championship game (Pioneer Bowl) was held at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas for the first time.

Playoff bracket

First round
Campus sites

November 27 		Semifinals
Campus sites
Knute Rockne Bowl
Grantland Rice Bowl
December 4 		Championship
Pioneer Bowl
Memorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, TX
December 11
         
Akron* 27
UNLV 6
Akron* 29
Northern Michigan 26
Northern Michigan 28
Delaware* 17
Akron 13
Montana State 24
North Dakota State 10
Eastern Kentucky* 7
North Dakota State* 3
Montana State 10
Montana State* 17
New Hampshire 16

* Denotes host institution

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