1976 Montana State Bobcats football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1976 Montana State Bobcats football Big Sky Conference Big Sky 12–1 6–0 Sonny Holland 6th Don Christensen 6th Sonny Lubick 6th Reno H. Sales Stadium NCAA Division II championBig Sky champion NCAA Division II Championship—Pioneer Bowl W 24–13 vs. Akron The 1976 Montana State Bobcats football team represented the Montana State University in the 1976 NCAA Division II football season. The team was led by sixth-year head coach Sonny Holland and won the Division II national championship.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kSFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6476%2C5442864 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Dennehy leads Montana State's bowl win December 12, 1976 D1 The Bobcats played their home games on campus in Bozeman at Reno H. Sales Stadium. Entering August practices, the Bobcats were expected to finish in the middle of the conference standings.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gZVfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3312%2C109386 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Emerson Paul ISU picked as Big Sky grid favorite August 1, 1976 1B Led on the field by southpaw sophomore quarterback Paul Dennehy,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yk9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4_gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6710%2C1490462 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Idaho, Montana (State) fight for lead October 22, 1976 16https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZyFOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n-0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6099%2C3866304 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Payne Bob Dennehy inspires Bobcats October 24, 1976 D1 Montana State went undefeated in the Big Sky and against all Division II opponents, falling only to Fresno State of Division I. Montana State finished their schedule with a 28–7 victory at Hawaii to end the regular season at 9–1. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ebtaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H1ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5731%2C2042060 Prescott Courier Arizona Associated Press Clemens Dave Montana State looks for postseason berth November 15, 1976 7 In the Division II playoffs, the Bobcats hosted New Hampshire in Bozeman in the quarterfinals and won by a point, 17–16.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RvVLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3818%2C5144194 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Bobcats survive UNH aerials November 28, 1976 D1 In the semifinals at Fargo, MSU defeated North Dakota State for a second time in 1976, by a much closer 10–3 score in the Grantland Rice Bowl.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HahfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5345%2C1747537 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Bobcat defense keys victory December 5, 1976 4Bhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uu5XAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JOgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1694%2C1248718 Eugene Register-Guard Oregon wire services Montana St., 10-3 December 5, 1976 9E In the Pioneer Bowl for the Division II title in Wichita Falls, Texas, the Bobcats defeated Akron 24–13 and became the first Big Sky team to win a national title in football.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JKhfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2817%2C4171751 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Montana State wins title December 12, 1976 4B the Bobcats went undefeated in the Big Sky and won the Division II national championship. Schedule 1976 NCAA Division II AP September 11 w y y 1976 North Dakota Fighting Sioux North Dakota Memorial Stadium Grand Forks, ND 18–14 12,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-forum-montana-state-nips-sioux-1814/161107864/ The Forum Montana State nips Sioux 18–14 September 12, 1976 December 17, 2024 Newspapers.com September 18 w y North Dakota State Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 34–7 2,300 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42927232/ The Billings Gazette MSU's Dennehy no robot September 19, 1976 October 5, 2021 Newspapers.com September 25 l y y 3 Fresno State Ratcliffe Stadium Fresno, CA 10–24 11,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-billings-gazette-bobcats-fall-to-fre/161107937/ The Billings Gazette Bobcats fall to Fresno September 26, 1976 December 17, 2024 Newspapers.com October 2 w Boise State Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 24–20 7,800 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EPQjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6677%2C1627569 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Bobcats hold off Broncos October 3, 1976 D3https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-MESAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4fgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5349%2C492640 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington English Sue Big Sky race has surprise October 4, 1976 17 October 9 w y Weber State Wildcat Stadium Ogden, UT 44–0 7,422 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3s5SAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZH8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7054%2C2597397 Deseret News Salt Lake City, Utah Ewer Bill No hope for Weber October 11, 1976 B6https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9lVOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4fgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6411%2C2294630 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington English Sue Big Sky test due for Idaho October 11, 1976 19 October 16 w 8 Idaho State Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 28–7 9,600 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aakSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4_gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4991%2C223518 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington English Sue No surprises likely in next Vandal game October 18, 1976 15 October 23 w 7 Idaho Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 29–14 5,400 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zE9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4_gDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5567%2C1855456 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington English Sue Vandals play Bengals next October 25, 1976 13 October 30 w y 4 Montana Dornblaser Field Missoula, MT rivalry 21–12 12,500 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GVZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5PgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4955%2C131457 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Idaho on road again after slim triumph November 1, 1976 27 November 6 w 3 Northern Arizona 6 Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT 33–0 9,400 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HlZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5PgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6349%2C1739687 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington Idaho goes up despite loss November 8, 1976 15 November 13 w y y 3 Hawaii Aloha Stadium Halawa, HI 28–7 20,515 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JFZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5PgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5493%2C3677898 Spokane Daily Chronicle Washington English Sue Undisputed 2nd goal for Idaho November 15, 1976 19 November 27 w y 1 New Hampshire T–8 Reno H. Sales Stadium Bozeman, MT NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 17–16 6,900 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RvVLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qO0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3818%2C5144194 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Bobcats survive UNH aerials November 28, 1976 D1 December 4 w y y 1 North Dakota State T–8 Dacotah Field Fargo, ND Grantland Rice Bowl—NCAA Division II Semifinal 10–3 6,100 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86533248/bobcats-advance-to-title-game/ The Independent-Record Bobcats advance to title game December 5, 1976 October 5, 2021 Newspapers.comhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HahfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XzIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5345%2C1747537 Lewiston Morning Tribune Idaho Associated Press Bobcat defense keys victory December 5, 1976 4B December 11 w y y 1 Akron 3 Memorial Stadium Wichita Falls, TX Pioneer Bowl—NCAA Division II Championship 24–13 13,200 Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Montana State) https://stats.ncaa.org/team/440/stats/13330 National Collegiate Athletic Association December 21, 2022 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/msubobcats.com/documents/2015/8/28/FB_Guide_2015_Records.pdf Montana State University Athletics 2015 football media guide 2015 July 2026 InternetArchiveBot References 2 Montana State Category:Montana State Bobcats football seasons Category:NCAA Division II Football Champions Category:Big Sky Conference football champion seasons Category:Grantland Rice Bowl champion seasons Montana State Bobcats football