1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

The 1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their fourth season under head coach Frank R. Burns, the Scarlet Knights compiled a perfect 11–0 record while competing as an independent, outscored their opponents 287 to 81, and were ranked No. 17 in the final AP Poll. They were granted as national champions by the Dun Herm poll and it is Rutgers' second claimed National title to this day, after the national title in 1869.[2][3] The team's statistical leaders included Bret Kosup with 1,098 passing yards, Glen Kehler with 764 rushing yards, and Mark Twitty with 514 receiving yards.[4]

1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
Conference	Independent
Ranking
Coaches	No. 17
AP	No. 17
1976 record	11–0
Head coach	Frank R. Burns (4th season)
Home stadium	Rutgers Stadium

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

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 11	at Navy		Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, MD	W 13–3	17,501
September 18	at Bucknell		Lewisburg, PA	W 19–7	8,500
September 25	at Princeton		Princeton, NJ	W 17–0	29,500
October 2	Cornell		Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ	W 21–14	16,000
October 9	Connecticut		Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ	W 38–0	8,500
October 16	at Lehigh		Bethlehem, PA	W 28–21	15,000
October 23	vs. Columbia		Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ	W 47–0	42,328	[5]
October 30	UMass		Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ	W 24–7	20,400
November 6	Louisville		Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ	W 34–0	16,000
November 13	at Tulane		Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA	W 29–20	28,272
November 25	vs. Colgate	No. 17	Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ	W 17–9	33,405	[6]
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

1. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
2. "1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
3. "Rutgers Yearly Results (1975-1979)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
4. "1976 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
5. "Lassiter's 3 scores propel Scarlet, 47-0". The Sunday Register. October 24, 1976. p. C2 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Rutgers wins 18 in row". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 26, 1976. pp. D1, D2 – via Newspapers.com.