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1976 Wyoming Cowboys football team

The 1976 Wyoming Cowboys football team was an American football team that represented the University of Wyoming as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their second and final season under head coach Fred Akers, the Cowboys compiled an 8–4 record (6–1 against conference opponents), tied for the WAC championship, lost to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, and outscored their opponents by a total of 278 to 250.[1][2]

1976 Wyoming Cowboys football
WAC co-champion
Fiesta Bowl, L 7–41 vs. Oklahoma
ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
Record8–4 (6–1 WAC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorLeon Fuller (2nd season)
CaptainRay Davies, Steve Edwards, Kevin McClain, Paul Nunu
Home stadiumWar Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 Western Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
BYU + 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Wyoming + 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Arizona State 4 – 3 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Utah 3 – 3 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Arizona 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
New Mexico 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Colorado State 2 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
UTEP 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 11 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

They played their home games on campus at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming.

The team's statistical leaders included Don Clayton with 409 passing yards, Robbie Wright with 718 rushing yards, Walter Howard with 305 receiving yards, and Dan Christopulos with 53 points scored.[3]

It was Wyoming's first winning season since 1969 and first bowl appearance since the Sugar Bowl in January 1968. Akers soon departed for the University of Texas and the Cowboys' next winning season was in 1980; the next bowl appearance was in December 1987.

Schedule

edit
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11South Dakota*
W 48–720,373[4]
September 18at Michigan State*
L 10–2157,183[5]
September 25Utah State*
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
W 20–319,574[6]
October 2Arizona State
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
W 13–1025,406[7]
October 9at BYU
W 34–2935,423[8]
October 16New Mexico
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
W 24–2323,649[9]
October 23Utah
  • War Memorial Stadium
  • Laramie, WY
W 45–2220,609[10]
October 30at Colorado State
L 16–1932,572[11]
November 6at Arizona
W 26–2452,809[12]
November 13at UTEP
W 14–104,200[13]
November 20at Air Force*
L 21–4125,736[14]
December 25vs. No. 8 Oklahoma*
L 7–4148,714[15]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

edit
  1. ^ "1976 Wyoming Cowboys Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  2. ^ "2018 Wyoming Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Wyoming. 2018. p. 213. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  3. ^ "1976 Wyoming Cowboys Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  4. ^ "Wyoming socks Coyotes". Argus-Leader. September 12, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "MSU plusses are negative to Wyoming". The Flint Journal. September 19, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Wyoming tops Utah State 20–3". The Idaho Statesman. September 26, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Wyoming chills Sun Devils". Albuquerque Journal. October 3, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Cowboys withstand Cougar charge". The Daily Herald. October 10, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Chuck Harkins (October 17, 1976). "Cowboys slip by Lobos, 24–23". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 20. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Cowboys top Utah, WAC". The Montana Standard. October 24, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Drake's four field goals subdue Wyoming, 19–16". The Arizona Republic. October 31, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Chuck Harkins (November 7, 1976). "Cowboys 26 Wildcats 24". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 20. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Wyoming win clinches tie for WAC title". The Sunday Oregonian. November 14, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Chuck Harkins (November 21, 1976). "Falcons upset Pokes". Casper Star-Tribune. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Sooners crush Wyoming". The Odessa American. December 26, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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