From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
1976 California Golden Bears football team
| 1976 California Golden Bears football |
|---|
| Pacific-8 Conference |
| 5–6 (3–4 Pac-8) |
| Mike White (5th season) |
| California Memorial Stadium |
The 1976 California Golden Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of California, Berkeley in the Pacific-8 Conference during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Under fifth-year head coach Mike White, the Golden Bears compiled an overall record of 5–6 and 3–4 in conference.
The leader of the previous season's team was quarterback Joe Roth, a junior college transfer, who was a Heisman Trophy candidate as a senior in 1976. Roth had a great start, however halfway through it his performance started to drop. Unknown to almost everyone, he was diagnosed with melanoma the most dangerous form of skin cancer; only head coach White and his closest friends knew about it. With Roth continuing to play, he still had a strong season and was named an All-American. His last game was in January 1977 at an all-star game in Japan and he died several weeks later in Berkeley. His former locker is dedicated in his honor and the annual home game against UCLA or USC is known as the Joe Roth game.
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 11 | at No. 16 Georgia* | No. 15 | Sanford StadiumAthens, GA | L 24–36 | 47,000 | |
| September 18 | at No. 4 Oklahoma* | Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK | L 17–28 | 71,286 | ||
| September 25 | at Arizona State* | Sun Devil StadiumTempe, AZ | W 31–22 | 50,876 | ||
| October 2 | San Jose State* | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA | W 43–16 | 42,120 | ||
| October 9 | Oregon | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA | W 27–10 | 37,950 | ||
| October 16 | at Oregon State | Parker StadiumCorvallis, OR | L 9–10 | 23,963 | ||
| October 23 | No. 4 UCLA | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA (rivalry) | L 19–35 | 62,228 | ||
| October 30 | at No. 4 USC | Los Angeles Memorial ColiseumLos Angeles, CA | L 6–20 | 60,323 | ||
| November 6 | at Washington | Husky StadiumSeattle, WA | W 7–0 | 39,086 | ||
| November 13 | Washington State | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA | W 23–22 | 30,000 | ||
| November 20 | Stanford | California Memorial StadiumBerkeley, CA (Big Game) | L 24–27 | 76,780 | ||
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game |
- OT Ted Albrecht
- LB Jeff Barnes
- QB Fred Besana
- PK Jim Breech
- TE George Freitas
- DB Anthony Green
- LB Phil Heck
- DB Ken McAllister
- OG Greg Peters
- LB James Reed
- QB Joe Roth
- LB Burl Toler
- WR Wesley Walker
Six Golden Bears were selected in the 1977 NFL draft.
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Albrecht | Offensive tackle | 1 | 15 | Chicago Bears |
| Wesley Walker | Wide receiver | 2 | 33 | New York Jets |
| Fred Besana | Quarterback | 5 | 115 | Buffalo Bills |
| Jeff Barnes | Linebacker | 5 | 139 | Oakland Raiders |
| Phil Heck | Linebacker | 11 | 297 | Denver Broncos |
| Greg Peters | Offensive guard | 12 | 332 | Dallas Cowboys |
Ask Mako anything about 1976 California Golden Bears football team — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report