1976 Ball State Cardinals football team

The 1976 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In its sixth season under head coach Dave McClain, the team compiled an 8–3 record (4–1 against conference opponents) and won the school's first MAC championship.[1][2] The team played its home games at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana.

1976 Ball State Cardinals football
MAC champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record8–3 (4–1 MAC)
Head coach
CaptainArt Yaroch, Mike Lecklider
Home stadiumBall State Stadium
1976 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Ball State $ 4 –1 –08 –3 –0
Kent State 6 –2 –08 –4 –0
Ohio 6 –2 –07 –4 –0
Western Michigan 6 –3 –07 –4 –0
Central Michigan 4 –3 –07 –4 –0
Bowling Green 4 –3 –06 –5 –0
Miami (OH) 2 –4 –03 –8 –0
Toledo 2 –6 –03 –8 –0
Eastern Michigan 1 –5 –02 –9 –0
Northern Illinois 0 –6 –01 –10 –0
  • $ – Conference champion

The team set a school record with 2,704 rushing yards, a total that was later eclipsed by the 1987 team.[3]

Running back Earl Taylor set the school's single-game record with 260 rushing yards against Eastern Michigan.[4] He led the team with 1,017 rushing yards for the season.[5] Other statistical leaders included Mike Andress with 551 receiving yards and quarterback Art Yaroch with 1,088 passing yards.[6] Yaroch received the John Magnabosco Award as the team's most valuable player.[7]

Five players received first-team honors on the 1976 All-MAC team: quarterback Art Yaroch; offensive guard Mitch Hoban; split end Rick Morrison; defensive back Maurice Harvey; and punter Mark O'Connell.[8]

Art Yaroch and Mike Lecklider were the team captains.[9]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 11Louisiana Tech*
W 41–2816,172[10]
September 18at Miami (OH)
W 23–6
September 25at Toledo
W 27–14
October 2at Dayton*
W 20–13
October 9at Illinois State*
L 7–10
October 16Akron*
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
L 0–318,323
October 23Appalachian State*
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
W 20–73,325[11]
October 30at Northern Illinois
W 33–7
November 6Indiana State*
W 24–9
November 13Western Michigan
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
L 10–24
November 20at Eastern Michigan
W 52–3
  • *Non-conference game

References
  1. "2007 Ball State Football Media Guide". Ball State University. 2007. p. 98. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  2. "1976 Ball State Cardinals Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. Media Guide, p. 72.
  4. Media Guide, p. 74.
  5. Media Guide, pp. 74, 79.
  6. "1976 Ball State Cardinals Statistics". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  7. Media Guide, p. 86.
  8. Media Guide, p. 88.
  9. Media Guide, p. 89.
  10. "Yaroch pilots Cardinals by Tech". The Star Press. September 12, 1976. Retrieved June 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Cardinals recover missing offense". Anderson Herald. October 24, 1976. Retrieved December 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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