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1976 Kentucky Wildcats football
1976 Kentucky Wildcats football
Peach Bowl champion
Peach Bowl, W 21–0 vs. North Carolina
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 19
AP	No. 18
Record	8–4 (4–2 SEC)
Head coach	Fran Curci (4th season);
Offensive coordinator	Jon Mirilovich (4th season)
Defensive coordinator	Charlie Bailey (2nd season)
Home stadium	Commonwealth Stadium
	Seasons ← 1975 1977 →

1976 Southeastern Conference football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
No. 10 Georgia $	5	–	1	–	0	10	–	2	–	0
No. 11 Alabama	5	–	2	–	0	9	–	3	–	0
No. 20 Mississippi State	4	–	2	–	0	9	–	2	–	0
Florida	4	–	2	–	0	8	–	4	–	0
No. 18 Kentucky	4	–	2	–	0	8	–	4	–	0
LSU	3	–	3	–	0	6	–	4	–	1
Auburn	3	–	3	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
Ole Miss	3	–	4	–	0	5	–	6	–	0
Tennessee	2	–	4	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Vanderbilt	0	–	6	–	0	2	–	9	–	0

$ – Conference champion Mississippi State later forfeited all 1976 wins due to NCAA violations. Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. The Wildcats beat four different ranked teams during the season, scoring 209 points while allowing 151 points. Kentucky won the 1976 Peach Bowl and finished the season 8–4 and ranked #19 in the country.

Kentucky opened the season with a 38–13 victory over Oregon State. Next was a 16–37 loss at Kansas. The following week, Kentucky defeated West Virginia 14–10.^[1]

On October 10,^[1] Kentucky hosted #20 ranked Penn State.^[2] The 57,733 in attendance was the largest crowd ever for a football game in the state of Kentucky up to that time.^[2] Kentucky quarterback Derrick Ramsey ran for 95 yards and a touchdown; running back Chris Hill added 106 yards and a touchdown, and safety Rick Hayden had two interceptions.^[2] Kentucky held Penn State to 212 yards of total offense and won 22–6.^[1] Penn State coach Joe Paterno commented after the game, "That was a good football team we played. What can you say after you get the devil kicked out of you?"^[2]

That victory was followed by a 7–14 loss at Mississippi State, a team that would finish the season with a 9–2 record.^[1] The following week, Kentucky defeated LSU 21–7.^[1] A 7–31 loss to Georgia was next, followed by a 14–24 loss at Maryland.^[1]

Kentucky went undefeated in November, defeating Vanderbilt 14–0 and Florida 28–9, and beating Tennessee 7–0 in Knoxville.^[1]

Kentucky finished the season in the 1976 Peach Bowl against 9–2 North Carolina,^[1] ranked #18.^[3] Kentucky outgained North Carolina 334 yards to 109; the Wildcat defense held the Tar Heels to a total of five first downs and the Wildcats forced five turnovers.^[4] Kentucky won 21–0 and ended the season ranked #19 in the AP poll.^[1]^[3]^[4]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 11	Oregon State*	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	W 38–13	56,723	^[5]
September 18	at No. 13 Kansas*	Memorial Stadium Lawrence, KS	L 16–37	42,615–50,170	^[6]
September 25	West Virginia*	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	W 14–10	57,703	^[7]
October 2	No. 20 Penn State*	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	W 22–6	57,733	^[8]
October 9	at Mississippi State	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 7–14 (forfeit)	31,500	^[9]^[10]
October 16	No. 16 LSU	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	W 21–7	57,695	^[11]
October 23	No. 10 Georgia	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY	L 7–31	57,733	^[12]
October 30	at No. 5 Maryland*	Byrd Stadium College Park, MD	L 14–24	43,013	^[13]
November 6	Vanderbilt	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY (rivalry)	W 14–0	57,269	^[14]
November 13	No. 15 Florida	Commonwealth Stadium Lexington, KY (rivalry)	W 28–9	55,000	^[15]
November 20	at Tennessee	Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry)	W 7–0	80,336	^[16]
December 31	vs. No. 19 North Carolina*	Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl)	W 21–0	54,132	^[17]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game