1976 Kentucky Wildcats football team

1976 Kentucky Wildcats football
Peach Bowl Champions
Conference Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches No. 19
AP No. 18
1976 record 8-4 (4-2 SEC)
Head coach Fran Curci
Home stadium Commonwealth Stadium
1976 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#10 Georgia $ 5 1 0     10 2 0
#11 Alabama 5 2 0     9 3 0
#20 Mississippi State 4 2 0     9 2 0
Florida 4 2 0     8 4 0
#18 Kentucky 4 2 0     8 4 0
Ole Miss 3 4 0     5 6 0
LSU 2 4 0     6 4 1
Tennessee 2 4 0     6 5 0
Auburn 2 4 0     3 8 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

The 1976 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. The Wildcats beat four different ranked teams during the season, scoring 209 points while allowing 151 points. Kentucky won the 1976 Peach Bowl and finished the season 8-4 and ranked #19 in the country.

Season

Kentucky opened the season with a 38-13 victory over Oregon State. Next was a 16-37 loss at Kansas. The following week, Kentucky defeated West Virginia 14-10.[1]

On October 10,[1] Kentucky hosted #20 ranked Penn State.[2] The 57,733 in attendance was the largest crowd ever for a football game in the state of Kentucky up to that time.[2] Kentucky quarterback Derrick Ramsey ran for 95 yards and a touchdown; running back Chris Hill added 106 yards and a touchdown, and safety Rick Hayden had two intereceptions.[2] Kentucky held Penn State to 212 yards of total offense and won 22-6.[1] Penn State coach Joe Paterno commented after the game, "That was a good football team we played. What can you say after you get the devil kicked out of you?"[2]

That victory was followed by a 7-14 loss at Mississippi State, a team that would finish the season with a 9-2 record.[1] The following week, Kentucky defeated LSU 21-7.[1] A 7-31 loss to Georgia was next, followed by a 14-24 loss at Maryland.[1]

Kentucky went undefeated in November, defeating Vanderbilt 14-0 and Florida 28-9, and beating Tennessee 7-0 in Knoxville.[1]

Kentucky finished the season in the 1976 Peach Bowl against 9-2 North Carolina,[1] ranked #18.[3] Kentucky outgained North Carolina 334 yards to 109; the Wildcat defense held the Tar Heels to a total of five first downs and the Wildcats forced five turnovers.[4] Kentucky won 21-0 and ended the season ranked #19 in the AP poll.[1][3][4]

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result
September 11 Oregon State* Commonwealth StadiumLexington, KY W 38-13  
September 18 at No. 13 Kansas* Memorial StadiumLawrence, KS L 16-37  
September 25 West Virginia* Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 14-10  
October 2 No. 20 Penn State* Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 22-6  
October 9 at Mississippi State Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS (Rivalry) L 7-14  
October 16 No. 16 LSU Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 21-7  
October 23 No. 10 Georgia Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY L 7-31  
October 30 at No. 5 Maryland* Byrd StadiumCollege Park, MD L 14-24  
November 6 at Vanderbilt Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 14-0  
November 13 No. 15 Florida Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 28-9  
November 20 at Tennessee Neyland StadiumKnoxville, TN (Battle for the Barrel) W 7-0  
December 31 vs. No. 19 North Carolina Fulton County StadiumAtlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) W 21-0  
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

Team players in the 1977 NFL Draft

Player Position Round Pick NFL Club
Warren BryantTackle1 6 Atlanta Falcons
Randy Burke Wide Receiver1 26 Baltimore Colts

[5]

References

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