1976 Florida State Seminoles football team

1976 Florida State Seminoles football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–6
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGeorge Haffner (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple
Defensive coordinatorJack Stanton (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumDoak Campbell Stadium
1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Pittsburgh    12 0 0
No. 17 Rutgers    11 0 0
San Diego State    10 1 0
No. 12 Notre Dame    9 3 0
Colgate    8 2 0
Boston College    8 3 0
Cincinnati    8 3 0
Memphis State    7 4 0
North Texas State *    7 4 0
Southern Illinois    7 4 0
Penn State    7 5 0
Villanova    6 4 1
South Carolina    6 5 0
Virginia Tech    6 5 0
Army    5 6 0
Florida State    5 6 0
Illinois State    5 6 0
Richmond    5 6 0
West Virginia    5 6 0
Georgia Tech    4 6 1
Temple    4 6 0
Air Force    4 7 0
Dayton    4 7 0
Louisville    4 7 0
Marshall    4 7 0
Navy    4 7 0
Indiana State    3 7 0
Hawaii    3 8 0
Holy Cross    3 8 0
Miami (FL)    3 8 0
Syracuse    3 8 0
Utah State    3 8 0
Northeast Louisiana    2 9 0
Southern Miss    2 9 0
Tulane    2 9 0
  • North Texas State (originally 6–5) was awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1976 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University as an independent during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles compiled a record of 5–6. Florida State played home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

This would be the last time the Seminoles would finish with a losing record until 2018. Despite the 5-6 record, this season would be the start of a turning point for the program, with the hiring of Bobby Bowden, who would turn around the program, as well as capture multiple national championships during his 34-year tenure that lasted until 2009.