The 1976 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. It was the 31st year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by 15th-year head football coach, Bill Yeoman.
The team played its home games at the Astrodome, a 53,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston, although the home games vs. Texas A&M and Arkansas were moved to Rice Stadium. It was Houston's first year of season play as a full member of the Southwest Conference eligible as champions. Upon winning the conference as co-champions, the Cougars competed against the Maryland Terrapins in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and finished the post-season at an all-time highest national ranking in the history of the program. Senior defensive tackle Wilson Whitley received the Lombardi Award following the season. Future UH and Baylor head coach Art Briles played on the team.
Schedule
Rankings + Week-to-Week RankingsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking. ██ Not ranked the previous week. Poll Pre Wk 1 Wk 2 Wk 3 Wk 4 Wk 5 Wk 6 Wk 7 Wk 8 Wk 9 Wk 10 Wk 11 Wk 12 Final APNRNRNRNRNR1914NR19129764
Game summaries at Baylor
Statistics HOU BAY First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Rushing Receiving Baylor Passing Rushing Receiving
at Florida
Statistics HOU FLA First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Rushing Receiving Florida Passing Rushing Receiving
vs Texas A&M
vs West Texas State
at SMU
vs Arkansas
vs TCU
at Texas
Statistics HOU TEX First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Rushing Receiving Texas Passing Rushing Receiving
at Texas Tech
at Rice
vs Miami (FL)
vs Maryland (Cotton Bowl Classic)
Statistics MD HOU First downs 17 20 Total yards 299 428 Rushing yards 120 320 Passing yards 179 108 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–32–0 5–8–0 Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsMaryland Passing Rushing Receiving Houston Passing Rushing Receiving
Coaching staff Name Position Alma mater (Year) Year at Houston Bill Yeoman Head coach/offensive coordinator Army (1948) 15th Don Todd Defensive coordinator Hardin–Simmons (1964) 5th Melvin Brown Offensive backs coach Oklahoma (1954) 15th Clarence Daniel Defensive backs coach Huron (1955) 5th Ronny Peacock Defensive backs coach Houston (1972) 3rd Billy Willingham Offensive line coach TCU (1951) 10th Elmer Redd Offensive backfield coach Prairie View A&M (1950) 7th Gary Mullins Linebackers coach Houston (1972) 2nd Joe Arenas Wide receivers coach Nebraska-Omaha (1951) 14th
References