Only three starters returned from the 1975 team's offense and Archie Griffin was not one of them. Woody Hayes faced one of the largest rebuilding tasks of his tenure.
The head coach tabbed sophomore Rod Gerald to replace Cornelius Green at quarterback. As much as the coaching staff, teams and fans did not want to admit it, 1976 was a rebuilding year.
| The 1976 Buckeyes | |
|---|---|
| Record | 9–2–1 |
| B1G Record | 7–1, 1st |
| Coach | Woody Hayes (26th year, 189–54–9) |
| CaptainS | Bill Lukens, Tom Skladany, Ed Thompson September 18th • #7 Penn State • Beaver Stadium |