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1976 Ball State Cardinals football
1976 Ball State Cardinals football
MAC champion
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Record	8–3 (4–1 MAC)
Head coach	Dave McClain (6th season);
Captain	Art Yaroch, Mike Lecklider
Home stadium	Ball State Stadium
	Seasons ← 1975 1977 →

1976 Mid-American Conference football standings
v t e	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
Ball State $	4	–	1	–	0	8	–	3	–	0
Kent State	6	–	2	–	0	8	–	4	–	0
Ohio	6	–	2	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Western Michigan	6	–	3	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Central Michigan	4	–	3	–	0	7	–	4	–	0
Bowling Green	4	–	3	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
Miami (OH)	2	–	4	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Toledo	2	–	6	–	0	3	–	8	–	0
Eastern Michigan	1	–	5	–	0	2	–	9	–	0
Northern Illinois	0	–	6	–	0	1	–	10	–	0

$ – Conference champion

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.

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

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 11	Louisiana Tech*	Ball State Stadium Muncie, IN	W 41–28	16,172	^[10]
September 18	at Miami (OH)	Miami Field Oxford, OH	W 23–6
September 25	at Toledo	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	W 27–14
October 2	at Dayton*	Welcome Stadium Dayton, OH	W 20–13
October 9	at Illinois State*	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	L 7–10
October 16	Akron*	Ball State Stadium Muncie, IN	L 0–3	18,323
October 23	Appalachian State*	Ball State Stadium Muncie, IN	W 20–7	3,325	^[11]
October 30	at Northern Illinois	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL (rivalry)	W 33–7
November 6	Indiana State*	Ball State Stadium Muncie, IN (Blue Key Victory Bell)	W 24–9
November 13	Western Michigan	Ball State Stadium Muncie, IN	L 10–24
November 20	at Eastern Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	W 52–3
*Non-conference game

References

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