CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1976 Notre Dame

9–⁠3, coached by Dan Devine, finished No. 12 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Notre Dame in 1976, game by game: lost vs. No. 9 Pittsburgh 10–31; won vs. Purdue 23–0; won at Northwestern 48–0; won at Michigan State 24–6; won vs. Oregon 41–0; won at No. 19 South Carolina 13–6; won vs. Navy 27–21; lost at Georgia Tech 14–23; won vs. No. 10 Alabama 21–18; won vs. Miami 40–27; lost at No. 3 USC 13–17; won vs. No. 20 Penn State 20–9+48−21Lost 10–31 vs. No. 9 Pittsburgh-21No. 9 PittsburghWon 23–0 vs. Purdue+23PurdueWon 48–0 at Northwestern+48NorthwesternWon 24–6 at Michigan State+18Michigan StateWon 41–0 vs. Oregon+41OregonWon 13–6 at No. 19 South Carolina+7No. 19 South CarolinaWon 27–21 vs. Navy+6NavyLost 14–23 at Georgia Tech-9Georgia TechWon 21–18 vs. No. 10 Alabama+3No. 10 AlabamaWon 40–27 vs. Miami+13MiamiLost 13–17 at No. 3 USC-4No. 3 USCWon 20–9 vs. No. 20 Penn State+11No. 20 Penn State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 11vs9PittsburghL 10–⁠3160%
Sep 18vsPurdueW 23–⁠070%
Sep 25atNorthwesternW 48–⁠073%
Oct 2atMichigan StateW 24–⁠651%
Oct 16vsOregonW 41–⁠082%
Oct 23at19South CarolinaW 13–⁠655%
Oct 30vsNavyW 27–⁠2182%
Nov 6atGeorgia TechL 14–⁠2369%
Nov 13vs10AlabamaW 21–⁠1845%
Nov 20vsMiamiW 40–⁠2783%
Nov 27at3USCL 13–⁠1732%
Dec 27Bowls & playoffvs20Penn StateGator BowlW 20–⁠950%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Penn State 20–⁠9 in the Gator Bowl; No. 12 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 56th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 131 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 11
  2. Wk 4: 18
  3. Wk 5: 14
  4. Wk 6: 14
  5. Wk 7: 12
  6. Wk 8: 11
  7. Wk 9: 11
  8. Wk 10: 18
  9. Wk 11: 13
  10. Wk 12: 13
  11. Wk 13: 15
  12. Final: 12

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1976.

Outland TrophyRoss Browner, DE

2 consensus All-AmericansKen MacAfee, TE; Ross Browner, DE

Record
9–⁠3
Conference
—
AP final
No. 12 peak No. 11
Points
294–⁠158
Coach
Dan Devine
Elo
1685 +69 this season
SP+ rating
20.7 No. 15 of 132; offense No. 25, defense No. 13
SRS
18.0 No. 12 of 137 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Merv Johnson
Captains
Willie Fry and Mark McLane