1976 Independence Bowl

August 2023 March 2026 Independence Bowl December 13 1976 1976 State Fair Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana Tulsa University Tulsa Golden Hurricane 7–3–1 Missouri Valley Conference F. A. Dry 7 0 6 3 McNeese State University McNeese State Cowboys 9–2 Southland Conference Jack Doland 3 3 8 6 Terry McFarland (offense)Terry Clark (defense) 19,164 yes The 1976 Independence Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the McNeese State Cowboys on December 13, 1976, at State Fair Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. McNeese State upset a heavily favored Tulsa 20–16. This was the first-ever edition of the Independence Bowl, which drew its name from the ongoing celebrations of the United States Bicentennial.McNeese Upsets Tulsa In Independence Bowl https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=j0QiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=96sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4457,3791303 December 14, 1976 2012-12-01 Argus-PressInsiders' Guide to Shreveport David Otto https://books.google.com/books?id=ucerQCw9dLcC 2010 Globe Pequot140 Background Between 1976–1980 the Independence Bowl featured the Southland Conference champion against an at-large opponent, with the Southland team playing host.About the Southland http://www.southland.org/Conference/AbouttheSouthland.aspx 2012-01-12 https://web.archive.org/web/20120804163252/http://www.southland.org/Conference/AbouttheSouthland.aspx 2012-08-04 dead McNeese State clinched the championship and spot in the bowl game after defeating 1976 Southwestern Louisiana Rajun' Cajuns University of Southwestern Louisiana Southwestern Louisiana 20–19 on November 20.Four make claim: Most bowl bids settled, who's No. 1? https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eeQRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4301,2690792 Spokesman-Review November 22, 1976 2012-12-01 For the at-large opponent the bowl organizers initially pursued Rutgers, which was then 10–0 and would finish the season undefeated. Rutgers declined the invitation, feeling snubbed by more prestigious bowls."Rutgers Votes to Skip Independence Bowl" in The Washington Post (23 November 1976). Page D6. (No further authorship information available). Rebuffed, the organizers considered Tulsa, Cincinnati, Memphis State, Boston College, and Ball State before selecting Tulsa, co-champion of the Missouri Valley Conference.Rutgers win streak on line https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CeJeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tFMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=5789,5039447 St. Joseph News-Press November 24, 1976 2012-12-01 Prior to the game, coverage favored Tulsa over McNeese State due in large part to sixteen of McNeese State's players being unable to play in the bowl.McNeese wins despite problems https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tQdRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZcIMAAAAIBAJ&dq=mcneese-state%20independence%20bowl%20suspended&pg=1813%2C1870138 The Telegraph-Herald December 14, 1976 2012-12-02 Ten players were declared ineligible because they had redshirted in their freshman year and were thus fifth-year seniors. At the time, NCAA rules prohibited such players from participating in postseason play. Six more players were suspended from the team for violating team and school rules.Jim Murphy remembers the 1976 McNeese State football team Louis Bonnette http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/100606acs.html https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111739/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/100606acs.html dead March 4, 2016 CBS Sports Network October 6, 2006 2012-12-01 The players were accused of having a girl in their dormitory room, which McNeese State then prohibited. Some newspaper accounts alleged that "sexual molestation" had occurred.Six Gridders Accused of Molesting Girl https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OItJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=koQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3439,1222240 Youngstown Vindicator December 4, 1976 2012-12-01 Even before the game was played F. A. Dry, Tulsa's head coach, had accepted the head coaching job at TCU, though he stayed on at Tulsa for the bowl game.Dry Quits Tulsa Job https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xk9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5fgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4583,3664582 Spokane Daily Chronicle November 29, 1976 2012-12-01 Scoring summary Golden Hurricane Cowboys expand 1 Golden Hurricane RushTD Thomas Bailey 1 good Steve Cox 7 0 1 Cowboys FG 42 Jan Peebles 7 3 2 Cowboys FG 34 Jan Peebles 7 6 3 Cowboys RushTD Mike McArthur 1 run good 7 14 3 Golden Hurricane Other Mel McGowen 65-yard blocked field goal returned for touchdown, kick no good (blocked) 13 14 4 Golden Hurricane FG 38 Steve Cox 16 14 4 Cowboys RushTD Oliver Hadnot 25 pass incomplete 16 20 16 202010 Media Guide http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tuls/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/TulsaFootballHistory.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085825/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/tuls/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/TulsaFootballHistory.pdf dead March 4, 2016 Independence Bowl 2010 2012-12-01 References External links LI97QKaFloY 1976 - Inaugural Independence Bowl Independence Bowl, 1976 Category:Independence Bowl Category:McNeese Cowboys football bowl games Category:Tulsa Golden Hurricane football bowl games Category:December 1976 sports events in the United States Independence Bowl