# 1976 NCAA Division II football season

The 1976 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1976 and concluded with the championship game on December 11 at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Montana State Bobcats defeated the Akron Zips 24–13 in the Pioneer Bowl to win their only Division II national title.

## Conference changes and new programs

| School | 1975 Conference | 1976 Conference |
| Alabama State | SIAC | D-II Independent |
| Cal State Los Angeles | CCAA | Independent |
| Eastern Michigan | Independent | MAC (D-I) |
| Illinois State | D-II Independent | D-I Independent |

## Conference standings

1976 Big Sky Conference football standings :
| 1976 Big Sky Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 1 Montana State $^ 6 –0 –012 –1 –0 Idaho 5 –1 –07 –4 –0 Northern Arizona 4 –2 –08 –3 –0 Montana 3 –3 –04 –6 –0 Boise State 2 –4 –05 –5 –1 Weber State 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 Idaho State 0 –6 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from NCAA Division II AP Poll | 1976 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Cal Poly $ 2 –0 –07 –1 –1 Cal Poly Pomona 1 –1 –04 –5 –1 Cal State Northridge 0 –2 –08 –3 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1976 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Norfolk State $ 7 –1 –08 –3 –0 Hampton 6 –2 –07 –4 –0 Fayetteville State 5 –3 –07 –3 –0 Virginia Union 5 –3 –07 –4 –0 Livingstone 4 –4 –06 –5 –0 Winston-Salem State 4 –4 –04 –6 –0 Johnson C. Smith 3 –5 –04 –7 –0 Virginia State 3 –5 –04 –7 –0 Elizabeth City State 3 –5 –03 –7 –0 Saint Paul's (VA) 1 –7 –03 –8 –0 Shaw 1 –7 –02 –7 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1976 Far Western Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T UC Davis $ 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 Humboldt State 4 –1 –05 –5 –0 Chico State 2 –3 –05 –6 –0 San Francisco State 2 –3 –04 –7 –0 Sacramento State 2 –3 –02 –8 –0 Cal State Hayward 0 –5 –01 –8 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1976 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 15 Northwood $ 4 –1 –05 –2 –1 No. 7 Grand Valley State 3 –2 –08 –2 –0 Wayne State (MI) 3 –2 –06 –2 –0 Ferris State 3 –2 –05 –5 –0 Hillsdale 2 –3 –05 –5 –0 Saginaw Valley State 0 –5 –03 –7 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1976 Gulf South Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 6 Troy State $ 7 –1 –08 –1 –1 Southeastern Louisiana 6 –1 –19 –1 –1 Jacksonville State 6 –2 –06 –4 –0 Tennessee–Martin 5 –3 –08 –3 –0 Livingston 5 –3 –05 –5 –0 North Alabama 3 –4 –14 –5 –1 Delta State 2 –5 –14 –6 –1 Nicholls State 2 –5 –14 –6 –1 Mississippi College 0 –8 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from AP Poll |
| 1976 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Saint Joseph's (IN) + 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 Evansville + 4 –1 –04 –6 –0 Indiana Central 3 –2 –06 –4 –0 Butler 2 –3 –06 –4 –0 Valparaiso 2 –3 –02 –7 –1 DePauw 0 –5 –02 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1976 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–8 South Carolina State + 5 –1 –010 –1 –0 Morgan State + 5 –1 –06 –4 –0 North Carolina A&T 3 –2 –16 –4 –1 Howard 3 –2 –15 –5 –1 North Carolina Central 2 –4 –06 –5 –0 Delaware State 1 –5 –03 –7 –1 Maryland Eastern Shore 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 + – Conference co-championsRankings from Associated Press poll | 1976 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T SE Missouri State + 4 –1 –17 –3 –1 NE Missouri State + 4 –1 –15 –3 –1 NW Missouri State 4 –2 –08 –2 –0 SW Missouri State 4 –2 –05 –6 –0 Missouri–Rolla 2 –4 –04 –6 –1 Central Missouri State 2 –4 –03 –8 –0 Lincoln (MO) 0 –6 –00 –11 –0 + – Conference co-champions |
| 1976 North Central Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–8 North Dakota State $^ 6 –0 –09 –3 –0 South Dakota State 4 –1 –15 –4 –1 Northern Iowa 4 –2 –08 –3 –0 South Dakota 3 –2 –14 –5 –1 North Dakota 1 –4 –11 –7 –1 Augustana (SD) 1 –5 –04 –6 –0 Morningside 0 –5 –11 –7 –1 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from AP Poll | 1976 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 10 Minnesota Morris $ 7 –0 –08 –1 –1 Michigan Tech 5 –2 –07 –3 –0 Minnesota Duluth 5 –2 –06 –4 –0 St. Cloud State 4 –3 –08 –3 –0 Bemidji State 3 –4 –06 –4 –0 Moorhead State 3 –4 –05 –5 –0 Winona State 1 –6 –01 –9 –0 Southwest State (MN) 0 –7 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference championSt. Cloud State forfeited a conference win over Minnesota Duluth and three non-conference wins; NCAA, Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, and St. Cloud State records do not reflect the forfeits in the team's overall record.Rankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1976 Ohio Valley Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 5 Eastern Kentucky $^ 6 –1 –08 –3 –0 Tennessee Tech 5 –2 –08 –3 –0 Murray State 4 –3 –05 –6 –0 Austin Peay 3 –4 –05 –6 –0 Western Kentucky 3 –4 –04 –5 –1 East Tennessee State 3 –4 –03 –7 –0 Middle Tennessee 2 –5 –04 –7 –0 Morehead State 2 –5 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantMorehead State record adjusted for forfeit to MarshallRankings from Associated Press poll |
| 1976 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T East Division East Stroudsburg xy+ 6 –0 –09 –0 –1 West Chester 4 –1 –05 –4 –0 Millersville 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Kutztown 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Bloomsburg 2 –4 –02 –7 –0 Cheyney 1 –5 –01 –7 –0 Mansfield 0 –5 –02 –7 –1 West Division Shippensburg xy+ 5 –1 –08 –2 –1 Slippery Rock x 5 –1 –07 –3 –0 Edinboro 4 –2 –06 –4 –0 Clarion 3 –3 –07 –3 –0 Indiana (PA) 3 –3 –04 –5 –0 California (PA) 1 –5 –02 –7 –0 Lock Haven 0 –6 –02 –8 –0 Championship: East Stroudsburg 14, Shippensburg 14 + – Conference co-championsx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant | 1976 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–8 Alcorn State $ 5 –1 –08 –2 –0 Southern 4 –2 –08 –3 –0 Grambling State 4 –2 –08 –4 –0 Prairie View A&M 3 –3 –06 –5 –0 Jackson State 3 –3 –05 –4 –0 Mississippi Valley State 1 –5 –04 –6 –0 Texas Southern 1 –5 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference championRankings from Associated Press poll | 1976 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Division I Bethune–Cookman x 4 –1 –08 –3 –0 Tuskegee 3 –1 –16 –3 –1 Florida A&M 3 –1 –16 –3 –2 Morris Brown 3 –2 –05 –4 –1 Alabama A&M 2 –3 –03 –8 –0 Albany State 1 –4 –05 –5 –0 Division II Fort Valley State x 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 Knoxville 3 –2 –08 –2 –0 Lane 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Morehouse 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Clark (GA) 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Miles 2 –3 –02 –8 –0 Fisk 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 Savannah State 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 x – Division champion/co-champions |
| 1976 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Northern Division No. 5 Shepherd xy 4 –0 –010 –2 –0 No. 11 Salem 3 –1 –08 –1 –1 West Liberty State 2 –2 –05 –5 –0 Fairmont State 1 –3 –04 –6 –0 West Virginia Wesleyan 0 –4 –02 –8 –0 Southern Division No. T–19 Concord xy$ 4 –0 –08 –3 –0 West Virginia State 2 –2 –04 –4 –1 Bluefield State 2 –2 –04 –6 –0 West Virginia Tech 1 –3 –02 –7 –0 Glenville State 1 –3 –03 –7 –0 Championship: Concord 21, Shepherd 7 $ – Conference championConference standings based on power ratingsRankings from NAIA Division I poll for Salem and Shepherd and NAIA Division II poll for Concord | 1976 Yankee Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. T–8 New Hampshire $^ 4 –1 –08 –3 –0 UMass 3 –2 –05 –5 –0 Maine 2 –3 –06 –5 –0 Rhode Island 2 –3 –03 –5 –0 Boston University 2 –3 –03 –7 –0 Connecticut 2 –3 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from Associated Press poll | 1976 NCAA Division II independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 2 Northern Michigan ^   –  11 –2 –0 No. 3 Akron ^   –  10 –3 –0 No. 7 UNLV ^   –  9 –3 –0 No. 4 Delaware ^   –  8 –3 –1 Nevada   –  8 –3 –0 Portland State   –  8 –3 –0 Tennessee State   –  7 –2 –1 American International   –  6 –3 –0 Northern Colorado   –  6 –3 –0 Madison   –  7 –4 –0 Santa Clara   –  7 –4 –0 Western Carolina   –  6 –4 –0 Chattanooga   –  6 –4 –1 Southern Connecticut State   –  5 –4 –0 Central State (OH)   –  6 –5 –0 Lehigh   –  6 –5 –0 Cal State Los Angeles   –  5 –3 –1 Arkansas–Pine Bluff   –  5 –5 –0 Central Connecticut   –  5 –5 –0 Lafayette   –  5 –5 –0 Eastern Illinois   –  5 –6 –0 Bucknell   –  4 –5 –0 Youngstown State   –  4 –6 –0 Kentucky State   –  3 –7 –1 Nebraska–Omaha   –  3 –8 –0 Northeastern   –  2 –7 –0 ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participantRankings from Associated Press poll |

## Conference summaries

* Conference Champions
* Big Sky Conference – Montana State
* Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Norfolk State
* Far Western Football Conference – UC Davis
* Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Northwood
* Gulf South Conference – Troy State
* Indiana Collegiate Conference - Evansville and St. Joseph's
* Lone Star Conference – Texas A&I
* Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Northeast Missouri State and Southeast Missouri State
* North Central Conference – North Dakota State
* Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Minnesota–Morris
* Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – East Stroudsburg
* Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Western State (CO)
* South Atlantic Conference – Elon
* Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division II) – Bethune-Cookman
* Yankee Conference – New Hampshire

## Postseason

The 1976 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the fourth single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's Division II college football. The championship game (Pioneer Bowl) was held at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas for the first time.

### Playoff bracket

| First round Campus sites November 27 | First round Campus sites November 27 | First round Campus sites November 27 | Semifinals Campus sites Knute Rockne Bowl Grantland Rice Bowl December 4 | Semifinals Campus sites Knute Rockne Bowl Grantland Rice Bowl December 4 | Semifinals Campus sites Knute Rockne Bowl Grantland Rice Bowl December 4 | Championship Pioneer Bowl Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX December 11 | Championship Pioneer Bowl Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX December 11 | Championship Pioneer Bowl Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX December 11 |
| Akron* | Akron* | 27 | | | | | | |
| UNLV | UNLV | 6 | | | | | | |
| UNLV | UNLV | 6 | Akron* | Akron* | 29 | | | |
| | | | Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 26 | | | |
| Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 28 | Northern Michigan | Northern Michigan | 26 | | | |
| Delaware* | Delaware* | 17 | | | | | | |
| Delaware* | Delaware* | 17 | | | | Akron | Akron | 13 |
| | | | | | | Montana State | Montana State | 24 |
| North Dakota State | North Dakota State | 10 | | | | | | | Montana State | Montana State | 24 |
| Eastern Kentucky* | Eastern Kentucky* | 7 | | | | | | |
| Eastern Kentucky* | Eastern Kentucky* | 7 | North Dakota State* | North Dakota State* | 3 | | | |
| | | | Montana State | Montana State | 10 | | | |
| Montana State* | Montana State* | 17 | Montana State | Montana State | 10 | | | |
| New Hampshire | New Hampshire | 16 | | | | | | |
* Denotes host institution