CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1976 Wisconsin

5–⁠6 (3–⁠5 Big Ten), coached by John Jardine.

Schedule and results

Wisconsin in 1976, game by game: lost at No. 2 Michigan 27–40; won vs. North Dakota 45–9; won vs. Washington State 35–26; lost at No. 9 Kansas 24–34; lost vs. Purdue 16–18; lost vs. No. 9 Ohio State 20–30; won at Northwestern 28–25; lost at Illinois 25–31; won vs. Iowa 38–21; lost at Indiana 14–15; won vs. Minnesota 26–17+36−13Lost 27–40 at No. 2 Michigan-13No. 2 MichiganWon 45–9 vs. North Dakota+36North DakotaWon 35–26 vs. Washington State+9Washington StateLost 24–34 at No. 9 Kansas-10No. 9 KansasLost 16–18 vs. Purdue-2PurdueLost 20–30 vs. No. 9 Ohio State-10No. 9 Ohio StateWon 28–25 at Northwestern+3NorthwesternLost 25–31 at Illinois-6IllinoisWon 38–21 vs. Iowa+17IowaLost 14–15 at Indiana-1IndianaWon 26–17 vs. Minnesota+9Minnesota
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 11at2MichiganL 27–⁠4020%
Sep 18vsNorth DakotaW 45–⁠990%
Sep 25vsWashington StateW 35–⁠2668%
Oct 2at9KansasL 24–⁠3425%
Oct 9vsPurdueL 16–⁠1855%
Oct 16vs9Ohio StateL 20–⁠3022%
Oct 23atNorthwesternW 28–⁠2560%
Oct 30atIllinoisL 25–⁠3138%
Nov 6vsIowaW 38–⁠2157%
Nov 13atIndianaL 14–⁠1554%
Nov 20vsMinnesotaW 26–⁠1751%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Minnesota 26–⁠17; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 7th in the Big Ten.

In program history: The 101st-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 135 on file).

Led the nationIra Matthews: kickoff return average (29.6)

Record
5–⁠6
Conference
3–⁠5 tied for 7th in Big Ten
AP final
Unranked
Points
298–⁠266
Coach
John Jardine
Elo
1474 +14 this season
SP+ rating
0.4 No. 76 of 132; offense No. 27, defense No. 114
SRS
6.8 No. 39 of 137 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Mike Stock
Defensive coordinator
Charlie McBride
Captains
Mike Carroll, Andy Michuda, Ron Pollard and John Rasmussen
Most valuable player
Mike Carroll
Offense
Multiple T
Defense
5–⁠2

All-Big Ten

2 second team

Second team

  • David CharlesWRUPI-2
  • Dave CrossenLBAP-2

From Wikipedia’s 1976 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1976 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Michigan7–⁠110–⁠23
Ohio State7–⁠19–⁠2–⁠16
Minnesota4–⁠46–⁠5
Illinois4–⁠45–⁠6
Purdue4–⁠45–⁠6
Indiana4–⁠45–⁠6
Iowa3–⁠55–⁠6
Wisconsin3–⁠55–⁠6
Michigan State3–⁠54–⁠6–⁠1
Northwestern1–⁠71–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.