Rutgers' 1976 Undefeated Football Team to Celebrate 30th Anniversary
Nov 24 | Football
PISCATAWAY, NJ - The undefeated Rutgers University football team that completed the 1976 season with an 11-0 record and a No. 17 national ranking will celebrate its 30th anniversary and will be honored at halftime of the Saturday, Nov. 25, contest when Rutgers hosts Syracuse in a BIG EAST Conference battle in the 2006 home finale.
"No one understands, unless you're on a team that's done it, how difficult it is to play an entire season and win them all," said Bert Kosup, who guided the Scarlet Knights through the undefeated season as the team's starting quarterback.
A number of members of the 1976 team are expected to be present when the team is honored at halftime of the Rutgers-Syracuse game, including Kosup, co-captain and starting center Dan Pfabe and standout defensive lineman John Alexander.
The Scarlet Knights boasted one of the nation's top defensive units, paced by All-America defensive end Nate Toran and standout defensive tackle John Alexander. Both have been inducted into the Rutgers Football Hall of Fame. The Rutgers defense was the first in 19 years and only the sixth in NCAA history to lead the nation in three defensive categories, finishing No. 1 in total defense, rushing defense and tying Michigan in scoring defense. The Scarlet Knights limited their opponents to 179.2 yards a game, just 83.9 rushing and allowed 7.4 points on the average.
Kosup and Alexander are among eight players who earned varsity letters on the 1976 team who were later enshrined in the Rutgers Football Hall of Fame. The other varsity letterwinners from 1976 that are in the RU Hall of Fame are DT Dan Gray, LB Jim Hughes, FB Glen Kehler, PK Kennan Startzell, Toran and WR Mark Twitty.
For the season, Kosup completed 69-of-141 passes for 1,098 yards and six TDs. and Kehler led the ground attack with 764 yards. Twitty was the team's leading receiver with 29 catches for 514 yards. Hughes led the defense with 113 tackles, while Toran finished the season with a whopping 17 sacks.
Under Frank Burns, the winningest head coach in Rutgers football history, the Scarlet Knights won 18 consecutive games (including the final nine of the 1975 season), before falling to Penn State in the 1977 season opener.
The 1976 Perfect Season (11-0)
September 11 Rutgers 13, NAVY 3
September 18 Rutgers 19, BUCKNELL 7
September 25 Rutgers 17, PRINCETON 0
October 2 RUTGERS 21, Cornell 14
October 9 RUTGERS 38, Connecticut 0
October 16 Rutgers 28, LEHIGH 21
October 23 RUTGERS 47, Columbia 0 (Giants Stadium)
October 30 RUTGERS 24, Massachusetts 7
November 6 RUTGERS 34, Louisville 0
November 13 Rutgers 29, TULANE 20
November 25 RUTGERS 17, Colgate 9 (Giants Stadium)
