1976 Western Michigan Broncos football team

American college football season

1976 Western Michigan Broncos football

Conference| Mid-American Conference
Record| 7–4 (6–3 MAC)
Head coach|

* Elliot Uzelac (2nd season)

MVP| Jerome Persell
Captain| Dave Gapinski, Pepper Powers
Home stadium| Waldo Stadium

Seasons

<- 1975

1977 ->

1976 Mid-American Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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|
|
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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Ball State $  | 4  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Kent State | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Ohio | 6  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Western Michigan | 6  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Central Michigan | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Bowling Green | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Miami (OH) | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Toledo | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Eastern Michigan | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
Northern Illinois | 0  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 10  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

The 1976 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their second season under head coach Elliot Uzelac, the Broncos compiled a 7–4 record (6–3 against MAC opponents), finished in fourth place in the MAC, and outscored their opponents, 270 to 202.[1][2][3] The team played its home games at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[4]

The team's statistical leaders included Pepper Powers with 571 passing yards, Jerome Persell with 1,505 rushing yards, and Tom Henry with 225 receiving yards.[5] Defensive back Dave Gapinski and quarterback Pepper Powers were the team captains.[6] Tailback Jerome Persell received the team's most outstanding player award.[7]

Persell was also named MAC offensive player of the year for the first of what would be three consecutive years.[8] Elliot Uzelac was named the MAC coach of the year.[9]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 11| Eastern Michigan|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| W 31–13| |
September 18| at Northern Illinois|

* Huskie Stadium
* DeKalb, IL

| W 37–6| |
September 25| at Minnesota*|

* Memorial Stadium
* Minneapolis, MN

| L 10–21| 33,229|
October 2| Bowling Green|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 0–28| |
October 9| at Kent State|

* Dix Stadium
* Kent, OH

| L 12–24| |
October 16| Toledo|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| W 34–21| |
October 23| Marshall*|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| W 31–21| |
October 30| Ohio|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| W 21–20| |
November 6| at Miami (OH)|

* Miami Field
* Oxford, OH

| L 0–31| |
November 13| at Ball State|

* Ball State Stadium
* Muncie, IN

| W 24–10| |
November 20| Central Michigan |

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI (rivalry)

| W 42–14| |

* *Non-conference game

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Football Records: Annual Results". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
2. ^ "Football Records: Year-By-Year Results - 1970 - 79". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
3. ^ "1976 Western Michigan Broncos Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
4. ^ "Waldo Stadium". Western Michigan University. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
5. ^ "1976 Western Michigan Broncos Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
6. ^ "Football History: All-Time Captains". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
7. ^ "Football History: Team Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
8. ^ "Western's Persell, NIU's Petzke share MAC honors". Detroit Free Press. December 14, 1978. p. 2D.
9. ^ "Football History: Conference Awards". Western Michigan University. Retrieved July 6, 2016.

* v
* t
* e

Western Michigan Broncos football

Venues|

* Waldo Stadium (1939–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Central Michigan
* Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan: Michigan MAC Trophy

Culture & lore|

* Buster Bronco
* Bronco Marching Band

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
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* 2001
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* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

This college football 1970s season article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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*[v]: View this template
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*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties