The 1976 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a public land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky, the university is one of the state's ...

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 The 1976 Peach Bowl was a postseason college football match between the Kentucky Wildcats and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on December 30, 1976. This game started at 2:30pm ET with at the ti ...

and finished the season 8–4 and ranked #19 in the country.

Season

Kentucky opened the season with a 38–13 victory over Oregon State. Next was a 16–37 loss at

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...

. The following week, Kentucky defeated West Virginia 14–10.1976 Kentucky Wildcats games and scores
On October 10, Kentucky hosted #20 ranked

Penn State #Redirect Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a public state-related land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvania. Founded in 1855 as the Farmers' High ...

.Story, Mark, UK football's greatest wins at Commonwealth, Lexington Herald-Leader, September 4, 2011
/ref> The 57,733 in attendance was the largest crowd ever for a football game in the state of Kentucky up to that time. Kentucky quarterback

Derrick Ramsey Derrick Kent Ramsey (born December 23, 1956) was the Kentucky Secretary of Education and Workforce Development, having been appointed by Governor Matt Bevin. He was the Deputy Secretary of Commerce under former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletche ...

ran for 95 yards and a touchdown; running back Chris Hill added 106 yards and a touchdown, and safety Rick Hayden had two interceptions. Kentucky held Penn State to 212 yards of total offense and won 22–6. Penn State coach

Joe Paterno Joseph Vincent Paterno (; December 21, 1926 – January 22, 2012), sometimes referred to as JoePa, was an American college football player, athletic director, and coach. He was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1966 to 20 ...

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?" That victory was followed by a 7-14 loss at Mississippi State, a team that would finish the season with a 9–2 record. The following week, Kentucky defeated LSU 21–7. A 7-31 loss to Georgia was next, followed by a 14–24 loss at Maryland. Kentucky went undefeated in November, defeating Vanderbilt 14-0 and Florida 28–9, and beating Tennessee 7–0 in

Knoxville Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state ...

. Kentucky finished the season in the

against 9-2

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...

, ranked #18. 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.2001 Kentucky Wildcats Football Media Guide, '1976 Peach Bowl', p. 166 Kentucky won 21-0 and ended the season ranked #19 in the AP poll.

Schedule

Team players in the 1977 NFL Draft

References

{{Kentucky Wildcats football navbox

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virgini ...

Kentucky Wildcats football seasons Peach Bowl champion seasons

Kentucky Wildcats football The Kentucky Wildcats football program represents the University of Kentucky in the sport of American football. The Wildcats compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern ...