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1976 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

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1976 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Gator Bowl, L 9–20 vs. Notre Dame
ConferenceIndependent
Record7–5
Head coach
Offensive schemeI formation
Defensive coordinatorJim O'Hora (11th season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumBeaver 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 1976 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions compiled a record of 7–5 with a loss to Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl. Penn State played home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 11StanfordNo. 10
W 15–1261,645[2]
September 18No. 2 Ohio StateNo. 7
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
ABCL 7–1262,503[3]
September 25IowaNo. 11
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
L 6–761,268[4]
October 2at KentuckyNo. 20
L 6–2257,723[5]
October 9Army
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 38–1660,436[6]
October 16Syracusedagger
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
W 27–361,474[7]
October 23at West Virginia
W 33–037,762[8]
October 30at Temple
W 31–3042,005[9]
November 6NC State
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 41–2060,426[10]
November 13at Miami (FL)
W 21–719,627[11]
November 26at No. 1 PittsburghNo. 16
ABCL 7–2450,360[12]
December 27vs. No. 15 Notre DameNo. 20
ABCL 9–2067,827[13]
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

[edit]
1976 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OT 71 Brad Benson Sr
WR 44 Jimmy Cefalo Jr
OT 68 Eric Cummingham So
OT 71 Keith Dorney So
WR 46 Scott Fitzkee So
QB 14 Chuck Fusina So
OT 68 George Reihner Sr
TE 82 Mickey Shuler Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 53 Kurt Allerman Sr
DB 25 Tom Bradley So
DE 64 Ron Crosby Sr
LB 95 Tom DePaso Jr
DE 28 Rich Milot So
DT 78 Randy Sidler Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

NFL draft

[edit]

Four Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1977 NFL draft.

Round Pick Overall Name Position Team
2nd 10 38 George Reihner Offensive guard Houston Oilers
3rd 22 78 Kurt Allerman Linebacker St. Louis Cardinals
5th 2 114 Ron Crosby Linebacker Detroit Lions
8th 24 219 Brad Benson Offensive tackle New England Patriots

References

[edit]
  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
  2. ^ "Nittany Lions edge Stanford". Arizona Daily Star. September 12, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Ohio State nips Nittany Lions, 12–7". Kingsport Times-News. September 19, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Iowa surprises Penn State". The Times-Mail. September 26, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Penn State loses 3rd straight, 22–6". The Pittsburgh Press. October 3, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Lions crush Army, 38–16, Geise, Guman sparkle". The Pittsburgh Press. October 10, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "State tops Syracuse 27–3; Guman scores two TDs". The Sunday Call-Chronicle. October 17, 1976. Retrieved September 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Fusina riddles West Virginia". Asbury Park Press. October 24, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Two-point failure saves Lions". The Morning News. October 31, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Penn State tames Wolfpack, 41–20". The Pittsburgh Press. November 7, 1976. Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Penn State puts clamp on UM". The Miami Herald. November 14, 1976. Retrieved September 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Dorsett, Pitt roll over Penn State". The Daily Item. November 27, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Notre Dame upends Nittany Lions". The Bradenton Herald. December 28, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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