# 1976 Florida State Seminoles football team

The 1976 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles compiled a record of 5–6. Florida State played home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
This would be the last time the Seminoles would finish with a losing record until 2018. Despite the 5-6 record, this season would be the start of a turning point for the program, with the hiring of Bobby Bowden, who would turn around the program, as well as capture multiple national championships during his 34-year tenure that lasted until 2009.

## Schedule

| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 11 | at Memphis State | Memphis Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN | L 12–21 | 30,194 |
| September 18 | at Miami (FL) | Miami Orange BowlMiami, FL (rivalry) | L 0–47 | 22,710 |
| September 25 | at No. 4 Oklahoma | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | L 9–24 | 71,184 |
| October 2 | Kansas State | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | W 20–10 | 30,353 |
| October 9 | at No. 13 Boston College | Alumni StadiumChestnut Hill, MA | W 28–9 | 22,866 |
| October 16 | No. 12 Florida | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL (rivalry) | L 26–33 | 42,803 |
| October 23 | at Auburn | Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | L 19–31 | 58,500 |
| October 30 | Clemson | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL (rivalry) | L 12–15 | 21,473 |
| November 6 | Southern Miss | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | W 30–27 | 29,173 |
| November 13 | at North Texas State | Fouts FieldDenton, TX | W 21–20 | 3,850 |
| November 20 | Virginia Tech | Doak Campbell StadiumTallahassee, FL | W 28–21 | 16,148 |
| Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

## Game summaries
### Florida

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Florida | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 33 |
| Florida St | 0 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 26 |
at Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, Florida
* Date: October 17
* Game attendance: 42,803
* Recap/Box
Game information :
First quarter
FLA – David Posey 27-yard field goal, 11:05. Florida 3–0. Drive: 77 yards.
FLA – Larry Brinson 15-yard run (David Posey kick), 5:50. Florida 10–0. Drive:
Second quarter
FSU – Dave Cappelen 21-yard field goal, 13:41. Florida 10–3. Drive: 82 yards.
FLA – David Posey 54-yard field goal, 11:20. Florida 13–3. Drive:
FSU – Rudy Thomas 10-yard run (Dave Cappelen kick), 8:10. Florida 13–10. Drive: 70 yards.
FSU – Kurt Unglaub 26-yard pass from Jimmy Black (Dave Cappelen kick), 0:47. Florida St 17–13. Drive: 80 yards.
FLA – Wes Chandler 23-yard pass from Jimmy Fisher (David Posey kick), 0:10. Florida 20–17. Drive: 93 yards.
Third quarter
FSU – Jimmy Black 2-yard run (kick blocked), 6:25. Florida St 23–20. Drive: 80 yards.
FLA – Willie Wilder 5-yard run (David Posey kick), 3:14. Florida 27–23. Drive: 69 yards.
Fourth quarter
FLA - 2-yard run (kick failed), 7:44. Florida 33–23. Drive:
FSU – Dave Cappelen 27-yard field goal, 5:19. Florida 33–26. Drive:
Top passers
FLA – Jimmy Fisher – 9/12, 139 yards, TD
FSU – Jimmy Black – 14/17, 211 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
FLA – Willie Wilder – 98 yards, TD
FSU – Jeff Leggett – 15 rushes, 76 yards
Top receivers
FLA – Wes Chandler/Jimmy Stephens – 4 receptions
FSU – Ed Beckman – 6 receptions, 113 yards :