1976 Utah Utes football team

1976 Utah Utes football
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
Record	3–8 (3–3 WAC)
Head coach	Tom Lovat (3rd season)
Home stadium	Robert Rice Stadium

1976 Western Athletic Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
BYU +	6	–	1	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Wyoming +	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Arizona State	4	–	3	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Utah	3	–	3	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Arizona	3	–	4	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
New Mexico	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Colorado State	2	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
UTEP	0	–	7	–	0			1	–	11	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions

The 1976 Utah Utes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Utah as a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their third and final season under head coach Tom Lovat, the Utes compiled an overall record of 3–8 with a mark of 3–3 against conference opponents, placing fourth in the WAC. Home games were played on campus at Robert Rice Stadium in Salt Lake City.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 18	6:30 pm	at Rice*	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	L 22–43	17,000
September 25	7:30 pm	Oregon*	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	L 13–21	25,617
October 2	7:30 pm	UTEP	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	W 38–14	20,111
October 9	11:30 am	at Iowa State*	Cyclone Stadium Ames, IA	L 14–44	36,457
October 16	1:30 pm	at Utah State*	Romney Stadium Logan, UT (rivalry)	L 17–28	18,322
October 23	1:30 pm	at Wyoming	War Memorial Stadium Laramie, WY	L 22–45	20,609
October 30	1:30 pm	Arizona	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	L 35–38	18,231
November 6	1:30 pm	New Mexico	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT	W 34–31	19,231
November 13	7:30 pm	at Arizona State	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ	W 31–28	40,076
November 20	1:30 pm	BYU	Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT (rivalry)	L 12–34	30,503
November 27	5:30 pm	at LSU*	Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	L 7–35	48,455
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Mountain time

Personnel

1976 Utah Utes football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB Patrick Degnan	Defense Pos. # Name Class	Special teams Pos. # Name Class K Thomas McNamara	Head coach Tom Lovat Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

Game summaries

BYU

BYU Cougars (8–2) at Utah Utes (3–6)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
BYU	7	13	14	0	34
Utah	0	6	0	6	12

at Rice Stadium, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Date: November 20, 1976
• Game weather: Clear, 56 °F (13 °C)
• Game attendance: 30,503
• Box Score

Game information

First quarter BYU – Gifford Nielsen 6-yard run (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 7–0. Second quarter BYU – Mike Chronister 3-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (). BYU 13–0. UTAH – Steve Peake 3-yard run. BYU 13–6. BYU – George Harris 25-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 20–6. Third quarter BYU – Jeff Blanc 19-yard pass from Gifford Nielsen (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 27–6. BYU – Dave Lowry 2-yard run (Dave Taylor kick). BYU 34–6. Fourth quarter UTAH – Richard Graham 3-yard pass from Patrick Degnan. BYU 34–13. Top passers BYU – Gifford Nielsen – 25/35, 415 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT UTAH – Patrick Degnan – 19/42, 270 yards, TD, INT Top rushers BYU – Todd Christensen – 8 rushes, 53 yards UTAH – Steve Peake – 13 rushes, 46 yards, TD Top receivers BYU – George Harris – 6 receptions, 134 yards, TD UTAH – Michael Cordy – 6 receptions, 117 yards

External videos
Game highlights