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

Coaching staff

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
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