1976 Jackson State Tigers football team

The 1976 Jackson State Tigers football team represented the Jackson State University during the 1976 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The Tigers were led by fifth-year head coach Robert Hill for the first seven games of the season, before he was fired and replaced by W. C. Gorden.^[1] Jackson State compiled an overall record of 5–4 with a mark of 3–3 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the SWAC.

1976 Jackson State Tigers football
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Record	5–4 (3–3 SWAC)
Head coach	Robert Hill (5th season; first 7 games) W. C. Gorden (1st season, final 2 games)
Home stadium	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1975 1977 →

1976 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. T–8 Alcorn State $	5	–	1	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
Southern	4	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Grambling State	4	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
Prairie View A&M	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Jackson State	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Mississippi Valley State	1	–	5	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Texas Southern	1	–	5	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
$ – Conference champion Rankings from Associated Press poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 4	at Alabama State*	Cramton Bowl Montgomery, AL	W 25–7		^[2]
September 11	at Tennessee State*	Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	L 20–23	18,106–18,601	^[3]^[4]
September 18	Prairie View A&M	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 14–3	20,000	^[5]^[6]
September 25	Mississippi Valley State	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 13–12	21,000	^[7]^[8]
October 9	Nebraska–Omaha*	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 35–27	12,000	^[9]
October 16	at No. 3 Southern	University Stadium Baton Rouge, LA (rivalry)	L 6–20		^[10]
October 23	at Grambling State	Grambling Stadium Grambling, LA	L 6–28	31,625	^[11]
November 6	Texas Southern	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 16–12	26,000	^[12]^[13]
November 20	No. T–8 Alcorn State*	Henderson Stadium Lorman, MS (rivalry)	L 7–19	11,000	^[14]^[15]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "Jackson State coach relieved of duties". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Greenwood, Mississippi. United Press International. October 31, 1976. p. 14. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com  .
2. Heitholt, Kent (September 5, 1976). "JSU Gets Off To Fast Start". Clarion-Ledger – via Newspapers.com.  
3. "TSU avenges humiliation, tops Jackson". The Tennessean. September 12, 1976. Retrieved August 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Tennessee State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
5. "Tillman's passing brings JSU 14–3 win". The Clarion-Ledger. September 19, 1976. Retrieved August 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Prairie View A&M)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
7. "JSU's Harris passes way to 13–12 win". The Delta Democrat-Times. September 26, 1976. Retrieved August 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Mississippi Valley State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
9. "Plucky Mavs lose 35–27 to Jackson". Omaha World-Herald. October 10, 1976. Retrieved August 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Southern wins SAC contest". The Daily Advertiser. October 17, 1976. Retrieved August 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Grambling explodes for 28–6 victory". Alexanderia Daily Town Talk. October 24, 1976. Retrieved March 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "JSU just barely gives Gorden his first victory". The Clarion-Ledger. November 7, 1976. Retrieved June 22, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Texas Southern)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
14. "Alcorn clinches tie for SWAC title". Sun Herald. November 21, 1976. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Final 1976 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Alcorn State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved April 18, 2023.