1976 Utah Utes football team

1976 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
Record	3–8 (3–3 WAC)
Head coach	Tom Lovat (3rd season)
Home stadium	Robert Rice Stadium

1976 Western Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	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

The 1976 Utah Utes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Utah as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their third and final season under head coach Tom Lovat, the Utes compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 3–3 against conference opponents, placing fourth in the WAC. Home games were played on campus at Robert Rice Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 18	6:30 pm	at Rice*	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	L 22–43	17,000	[1]
September 25	7:30 pm	Oregon*	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	L 13–21	25,617	[2]
October 2	7:30 pm	UTEP	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	W 38–14	20,111	[3]
October 9	11:30 am	at Iowa State*	Cyclone Stadium Ames, IA	L 14–44	36,457	[4]
October 16	1:30 pm	at Utah State*	Romney Stadium Logan, UT (rivalry)	L 17–28	18,322	[5]
October 23	1:30 pm	at Wyoming	War Memorial Stadium Laramie, WY	L 22–45	20,609	[6]
October 30	1:30 pm	Arizona	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	L 35–38	18,231	[7]
November 6	1:30 pm	New Mexico	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	W 34–31	19,231	[8]
November 13	7:30 pm	at Arizona State	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ	W 31–28	40,076	[9]
November 20	1:30 pm	BYU	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT (rivalry)	L 12–34	30,503	[10]
November 27	5:30 pm	at LSU*	Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	L 7–35	48,455	[11]
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Mountain time

[12][13][14]

Game summaries

BYU

BYU Cougars (8–2) at Utah Utes (3–6)

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
BYU	7	13	14	0	34
Utah	0	6	0	6	12

at Rice Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Date: November 20, 1976
• Game weather: Clear, 56 °F (13 °C)
• Game attendance: 30,503
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter BYU – Gifford Nielsen 6-yard run (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 7–0. Second quarter BYU – Mike Chronister 3-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (). BYU 13–0. UTAH – Steve Peake 3-yard run. BYU 13–6. BYU – George Harris 25-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 20–6. Third quarter BYU – Jeff Blanc 19-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 27–6. BYU – Dave Lowry 2-yard run (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 34–6. Fourth quarter UTAH – Richard Graham 3-yard pass from Patrick Degnan. BYU 34–13. Top passers BYU – Gifford Nielsen – 25/35, 415 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT UTAH – Patrick Degnan – 19/42, 270 yards, TD, INT Top rushers BYU – Todd Christensen – 8 rushes, 53 yards UTAH – Steve Peake – 13 rushes, 46 yards, TD Top receivers BYU – George Harris – 6 receptions, 134 yards, TD UTAH – Michael Cordy – 6 receptions, 117 yards

External videos
Game highlights

Personnel

1976 Utah Utes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB Patrick Degnan	Defense Pos. # Name Class	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K Thomas McNamara	Head coach Tom Lovat Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

References

1. "Rice Owls rip Utah, 43–22". The Odessa American. September 19, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Ducks defeat Utah". Tri-City Herald. September 26, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Utah drubs UTEP by 24". Alamogordo Daily News. October 3, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Cyclones blow down Utah". The Dispatch. October 10, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Utah State captures intra-state win, 28–17". The Idaho Statesman. October 17, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Cowboys top Utah, WAC". The Montana Standard. October 24, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Arizona edges Utes 38–35". The Ogden Standard-Examiner. October 31, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Late field goal lifts Utah by New Mexico". South Idaho Press. November 7, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Utah trips up Arizona State". Fort Collins Coloradoan. November 14, 1976. Retrieved October 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "BYU finishes 9–2". Rapid City Journal. November 21, 1976. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "LSU has easy time with Utah, 35–7". Arizona Republic. November 28, 1976. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "1977 Utah Football Media Guide". University of Utah Athletic Department. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
13. "Ute Record Book" (PDF). University of Utah. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
14. "1976 Utah Utes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 18, 2024.