1976 Ohio State Buckeyes football team

1976 Ohio State Buckeyes football
Big Ten co-champion
Orange Bowl champion
Orange Bowl, W 27–10 vs. Colorado
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 5
APNo. 6
Record9–2–1 (7–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorAlex Gibbs (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorGeorge Hill (6th season)
MVPBob Brudzinski
Captains
Home stadiumOhio Stadium
1976 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Michigan + 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
No. 6 Ohio State + 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 1
Minnesota 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Illinois 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Indiana 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Purdue 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Iowa 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Michigan State 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 1
Northwestern 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1976 Big Ten season. In their 26th year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Buckeyes compiled a 9–2–1 record (7–1 in conference games), tied with Michigan for the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 278 to 139. They lost to Michigan in the final game of the regular season and concluded the season with a 27–10 victory over Colorado in the 1977 Orange Bowl. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 6 in the final AP poll.[1]

The Buckeyes gained an average of 235.8 rushing yards and 52.8 passing yards per game. On defense, they held opponents to 144.3 rushing yards and 118.0 passing yards per game.[2] The team's individual statistical leaders included quarterback Jim Pacenta (404 passing yards, 52.8% completion percentage), running back Jeff Logan (1,169 rushing yards, 5.7 yards per carry), and Jim Harrell (12 receptions for 229 yards).[2] Offensive tackle Chris Ward and defensive end Bob Brudzinski won consensus All-America honors.[3] Punter Tom Skladany won first-team All-America honors from College Football News and The Sporting News.[4]

The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 111:30 p.m.Michigan StateNo. 4
W 49–2186,509[5]
September 183:30 p.m.at No. 7 Penn State*No. 2
ABCW 12–762,503[6]
September 251:30 p.m.Missouri*No. 2
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
L 21–2287,936[7]
October 21:30 p.m.No. 4 UCLA*No. 8
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
ABCT 10–1087,969[8]
October 92:30 p.m.at IowaNo. 10
W 34–1459,170[9]
October 162:30 p.m.at WisconsinNo. 9
W 30–2079,579[10]
October 231:30 p.m.PurdueNo. 9
  • Ohio Stadium
  • Columbus, OH
W 24–387,898[11]
October 302:30 p.m.at IndianaNo. 8
W 47–739,663–49,254[12][13]
November 61:30 p.m.IllinoisNo. 8
W 42–1087,654[14]
November 132:00 p.m.at MinnesotaNo. 8
W 9–353,190[15]
November 2012:30 p.m.No. 4 MichiganNo. 8
ABCL 0–2288,250[16]
January 1, 19777:30 p.m.vs. No. 12 Colorado*No. 11
NBCW 27–1065,537[17]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Game summaries

Michigan State

At Penn State

Missouri

Missouri Tigers (1–1) at #2 Ohio State Buckeyes (2–0)
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Missouri 0 7 7822
Ohio St 0 21 0021

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: September 25, 1976
  • Game time: 1:30 p.m.
  • Game weather: Sunny, 70 °F (21 °C)
  • Game attendance: 87,936
Game information

The loss snapped 25-game home win streak

External videos
Game highlights (part 1)
Game highlights (part 2)
Game highlights (part 3)
Game film (silent)

UCLA

Team 1 234Total
UCLA 0 037 10
Ohio St 0 703 10
Scoring summary
2OSUJohnson 4-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 7-0
3UCLACorral 47-yard field goalOSU 7-3
4UCLADankworth 1-yard run (Corral kick)UCLA 10-7
4OSUSkladany 25-yard field goalTied 10-10

[18]

At Iowa

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio State 21 3100 34
Iowa 0 0014 14
Scoring summary
1OSUGerald 17-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 7-0
1OSUJohnson 1-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 14-0
1OSUJohnson 1-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 21-0
2OSUSkaladany 26-yard field goalOSU 24-0
3OSUSkladany 46-yard field goalOSU 27-0
3OSUJohnson 3-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 34-0
4IOWASheeler 5-yard run (Quartaro kick)OSU 34-7
4IOWACaldwell 3-yard run (Quartaro kick)OSU 34-14

[19]

At Wisconsin

Purdue

At Indiana

Illinois

At Minnesota

Team 1 234Total
• Ohio St 3 600 9
Minnesota 0 300 3
Scoring summary
1OHSTSkladany 39-yard field goalOhio St 3-0
2MINNRogind 49-yard field goalTie 3-3
2OHSTPacenta 4-yard run (kick blocked)Ohio St 9-3

Ohio State clinches at least a share of Big Ten title for record fifth straight year.[20]

Michigan

Orange Bowl (vs Colorado)

Team 1 234Total
Colorado 10 000 10
• Ohio State 7 1037 27
Scoring summary
1CUZetterberg 26-yard field goalCU 3-0
1CUMorehead 11-yard pass from Knapple (Zetterberg kick)CU 10-0
1OSULogan 36-yard run (Skladany kick)CU 10-7
2OSUSkaldany 28-yard field goalTied 10-10
2OSUJohnson 3-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 17-10
3OSUSkladany 20-yard field goalOSU 20-10
4OSURod Gerald 4-yard run (Skladany kick)OSU 27-10

[21]

Personnel

Roster

1976 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
G 69 Ernest Andria So
QB 19 Mickey Archer So
TE 82 Ronald Barwig Fr
FB 29 Thomas Blinco Fr
OT 76 Tim Burke So
G 63 Scott Burris Fr
QB 7 Greg Castignola Fr
OT 78 Garth Cox Jr
SE 88 Marc Cox Fr
C 50 Michael Datish Sr
RB 89 Bryan Ferguson Fr
G 56 Kenneth Fritz Fr
QB 8 Rod Gerald So
TB 42 Lester Gordon So
RB 11 James Harrell Sr
FB 24 Charles Hunter Fr
RB 35 Robert Hyatt Sr
TB 47 Matthew Jackson Fr
OT 77 William Jaco So
FB 33 Pete Johnson Sr
TB 48 Ricky Johnson Fr
SE 49 Herman Jones Jr
C 51 Mark Lang Jr
G 92 Joel Laser So
FB 25 James Laughlin Fr
TE 91 Robert Lillie Jr
TB 34 Jeff Logan Jr
G 64 William Lukens (C) Sr
OT 73 Douglas Mackie Fr
FB 2 Larry Molls Sr
TE 99 Jimmy Moore So
QB 15 James Pacenta Sr
OT 74 Louis Pietrini Sr
C 53 Douglas Porter Jr
G 65 Barney Renard Sr
OT 70 Joseph Robinson So
G 57 James Savoca Jr
FB 37 Michael Schneider Fr
TB 23 Ron Springs So
TE 80 Grgeory Storer Jr
QB 6 Michael Strahine Jr
C 52 Tim Vogler So
FB 18 Ric Volley Fr
OT 79 Chris Ward Jr
G 58 Thomas Waugh So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 94 David Adkins Jr
S 22 Joseph Allegro Jr
DT 67 Eddie Beamon Jr
DE 81 Farley Bell So
MG 55 Aaron Brown Jr
LB 27 Richard Brown So
DE 84 Robert Brudzinski Sr
DT 75 Nicholas Buonamici Sr
LB 38 Paul Campbell Fr
MG 71 Byron Cato So
LB 36 Tom Cousineau So
DE 96 Martin Cusick Jr
DE 32 Kelton Dansler So
DE 86 Joseph Dixon Jr
LB 60 Gary Dulin Fr
DB 4 Jeff Ferrelli Jr
LB 52 John Fisher So
S 46 Duncan Griffin So
S 44 Ray Griffin Jr
DB 12 Mike Guess Fr
LB 90 Davis Hall Fr
DT 66 Tyrone Harris Jr
DE 83 Joseph Hornik So
DE 98 Paul Jones Jr
DB 21 Max Midlam Sr
LB 95 Brian Lewis Jr
DT 62 Ed Mills Fr
DB 20 Leonard Mills So
DB 26 Thomas Roche Jr
LB 16 Paul Ross Jr
DB 43 Bruce Ruhl Sr
MG 68 Tim Sawicki Fr
DB 14 Brian Schwartz Fr
LB 30 Charles Simon Jr
DT 72 Mark Sullivan So
LB 9 Ed Thompson (C) Sr
LB 97 Terry Vogler So
S 5 Scott Wolery Sr
DT 61 Douglas Wymer Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P 3 David Budd Fr
K 1 Tom Skladany (C) Sr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Depth chart

[22]

1977 NFL draftees

Player Round Pick Position NFL club
Bob Brudzinski 1 23 Linebacker Los Angeles Rams
Tom Skladany 2 46 Punter Cleveland Browns
Pete Johnson 2 49 Running back Cincinnati Bengals
Ed Thompson 8 210 Linebacker New York Jets
Nick Buonamici 9 238 Defensive tackle Chicago Bears

References

  1. ^ "1976 Ohio State Buckeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "1976 Ohio State Buckeyes Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  3. ^ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. pp. 3, 11. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
  4. ^ "Sporting News Picks Three in Big Eight". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 12, 1976. p. 2G.
  5. ^ "Woody shows Spartans no mercy". The Des Moines Register. September 12, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Ohio State nips Nittany Lions, 12–7". Kingsport Times-News. September 19, 1976. Retrieved September 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Mizzou: never thought tie". The Rock Island Argus. September 26, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Hayes praises Bruins after tie". The Bakersfield Californian. October 3, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Hawks comeback too little, too late". The Rock Island Argus. October 10, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Ninth-ranked Buckeyes rap Badgers behind tailback Logan's 113 yards". The Marion Star. October 17, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Buckeyes blast Boilermakers, 24–3". Evansville Courier and Press. October 24, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Herman, Steve (October 31, 1976). "Bucks' 2nd Half Caves In On Indiana". The Marion Star. Marion, Ohio. p. 1B. Retrieved December 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com .
  13. ^ "Indiana Football 2023 Record Book" (PDF). Indiana University. p. 15. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  14. ^ "Johnson leads Buckeyes past Illini". The Post-Crescent. November 7, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Ohio State edges Gophers". The Winona Daily News. November 14, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "U–M ends frustration, gains Rose Bowl berth". The Bay City Times. November 21, 1976. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "QB Gerald's return lifts Buckeyes, 27–10". The Miami Herald. January 2, 1977. Retrieved September 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1976 Oct 3.
  19. ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Oct 10.
  20. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1976 Nov 14.
  21. ^ "My Favorite Bowl Games. Retrieved 04-May-2012". Archived from the original on March 4, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  22. ^ 1977 Ohio State Football Media Guide
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.