Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1976 UK football team.

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

At that time, the 1st team in 25 years at UK to reach a bowl game . The players have the college football player look. The 1976 Wildcats tallied their first winning season in 13 years. Love the helmets.
Schedule
Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result
September 11 Oregon State* Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 38-13
September 18 at No. 13 Kansas Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, KS L 16-37
September 25 West Virginia* Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 14-10
October 2 No. 20 Penn State Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 22-6
October 9 at Mississippi State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS (Rivalry) L 7-14
October 16 No. 16 LSU Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 21-7
October 23 No. 10 Georgia Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY L 7-31
October 30 at No. 5 Maryland* Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD L 14-24
November 6 at Vanderbilt Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 14-0
November 13 No. 15 Florida Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 28-9
November 20 at Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN (Battle for the Barrel) W 7-0
December 31 vs. No. 19 North Carolina Fulton County Stadium • Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) W 21-0

Here are two vids:





Many said the game was a changer for UK football. For the next year it was true.

Beat Louisville!

 

[gojvc]

Look at the non-conference schedule. Boy has college football changed. But congrats to the 76 Cats. Man, am I old.

 

[mikeinpikeville]

Well. I must be old to, I was there that day.

 

[rmattox]

Yep. Curci was big on scheduling tough opponents. It got even tougher later, but it came back to bite him. Had he just scheduled a normal schedule, he would have been to more than one bowl game. In other seasons, he played the likes of Clemson, South Carolina (when they had a Heisman trophy winner), North Carolina, Oklahoma

 

[CondorCat]

Yep. Curci was big on scheduling tough opponents. It got even tougher later, but it came back to bite him. Had he just scheduled a normal schedule, he would have been to more than one bowl game. In other seasons, he played the likes of Clemson, South Carolina (when they had a Heisman trophy winner), North Carolina, Oklahoma

Not to mention the home-and-home with Penn State. We beat 'em both times!

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

40 years to the day of the 1976 Peach Bowl win, if UK plays in the TaxSlayer bowl this year.

Peach Bowl 21-0 win over UNC happened on Dec 31, 1976.
The TaxSlayer bowl is on Dec. 31, 2016.
UK went 10-1 the following year but was serving a one year bowl ban.

 

[docholiday51]

40 years to the day of the 1976 Peach Bowl win, if UK plays in the TaxSlayer bowl this year.

Peach Bowl 21-0 win over UNC happened on Dec 31, 1976.
The TaxSlayer bowl is on Dec. 31, 2016.
UK went 10-1 the following year but was serving a one year bowl ban.

The following year would have been 11-0 except for a 120 degree day on the field at Baylor.We were the favorite but were upset due to a couple of costly fumbles.Just going from memory I don't think Baylor even had a winning record that year.

1977 was a magical year for UK in football,the defense was probably one of the best in school history,the offense was good enough to put sufficient points on the board to win

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

Let's wish for our defense to put egg shell score on the other team in the bowl game this year just like in 1976.

It could be a good omen about UK football in 2017.

 

[John Henry]

As I recall UK could have turned down the Peach Bowl and taken their one year bowl ban in 1976. This would have made them eligible for a bowl the next year, 1977. But we had not been to a bowl game in 25 years so we decided to get what we were offered. Not really a bad decision because you never know what the future holds. But the next season the Cats went undefeated in the SEC and probably had the SEC's top bowl, the Sugar. Alabama was also undefeated in the SEC and who knows, maybe they would have matched them up in the Sugar Bowl since they did not play in the regular season. That was not uncommon in those days. .

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

As I recall UK could have turned down the Peach Bowl and taken their one year bowl ban in 1976. This would have made them eligible for a bowl the next year, 1977. But we had not been to a bowl game in 25 years so we decided to get what we were offered.

That is true UK football history.

 

[John Henry]

Thank you UKvisitor for that great video. I have not seen it and it was 7 minutes of great memories. Anyone who says UK can not and does not have football fans is ignorant. Give us a team like 1976-77 and we will blow the roof off of the place. Boy it was cold that day. Mike Martin was a beast at linebacker. The defense had 3 shutouts in their last 4 games. Now that is playing defense. And thank you Coach Curci for some great football teams. Let's make it happen again

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

There was no Big Blue mist in ATL the day b4. It was bitterly cold. I went out to find fast food from the hotel and the streets were deserted.
Entering the game it was still bitterly cold but UK Blue was every where.

 

[docholiday51]

As I recall UK could have turned down the Peach Bowl and taken their one year bowl ban in 1976. This would have made them eligible for a bowl the next year, 1977. But we had not been to a bowl game in 25 years so we decided to get what we were offered. Not really a bad decision because you never know what the future holds. But the next season the Cats went undefeated in the SEC and probably had the SEC's top bowl, the Sugar. Alabama was also undefeated in the SEC and who knows, maybe they would have matched them up in the Sugar Bowl since they did not play in the regular season. That was not uncommon in those days. .

Remember that well,hindsight is always 20/20 but it would have been interesting to see what would have happened the next season.I think we were ranked 6th in one poll at the end of the season.We almost had to take the sure thing (peach bowl) at the time and it was the correct decision(there probably could not have been a wrong decision between the two options.)

Time makes us forget just how good that team was,other teams just couldn't move the ball on them on a regular basis.When the opposing QB went back to pass it was about even money that he would end up on his backside due to Still, Ramey or Blanton.

 

[docholiday51]

There was no Big Blue mist in ATL the day b4. It was bitterly cold. I went out to find fast food from the hotel and the streets were deserted.
Entering the game it was still bitterly cold but UK Blue was every where.

Seems like it was between 0 and 10 degrees but I'm sure it was a bit warmer than that,anyway Rod Stewart had "hot legs" that day

 

[John Henry]

I remember when Coach Curci coached at Tampa University, a small school about 20 miles from where I lived. His team was very exciting and very good. He had a TV show and the moderator made a comment "Coach Curci, you are not going to be around here very long." The next year he went to Miami and not long after that ended up at UK. Even though things turned out not so good for us in the end, I will always love and respect Coach Curci for those years he made us a football powerhouse. Some of the best, if not the best, players in UK football history played during that period. The defense in particular was spectacular. I once heard a Florida player say playing Kentucky was like getting kicked by a mule. They had the reputation of knocking the hell out of you.

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

I think we were ranked 6th in one poll at the end of the season.

When the opposing QB went back to pass it was about even money that he would end up on his backside due to Still, Ramey or Blanton.

Still went on to be one of greatest DE's in the NFL, Ramsey the AD at Kentucky State, and Blanton a a criminal investigator with the Kansas City District Attorney's Office.

It was Kovach who went on to be a doctor. Jim "Kovach played at UK from 1974-78 and still ranks as the leading tackler in UK history with 521 tackles. He was on the team that won a share of the 1976 Southeastern Conference championship and shut out North Carolina in the 1976 Peach Bowl. A three-time All-SEC selection, he became the first player in modern NCAA history to attend medical school while playing major-college football. "

 

[docholiday51]

I remember when Coach Curci coached at Tampa University, a small school about 20 miles from where I lived. His team was very exciting and very good. He had a TV show and the moderator made a comment "Coach Curci, you are not going to be around here very long." The next year he went to Miami and not long after that ended up at UK. Even though things turned out not so good for us in the end, I will always love and respect Coach Curci for those years he made us a football powerhouse. Some of the best, if not the best, players in UK football history played during that period. The defense in particular was spectacular. I once heard a Florida player say playing Kentucky was like getting kicked by a mule. They had the reputation of knocking the hell out of you.

I was a junior at WKU when Curci was hired and an RA at PF Tower.The asst dorm director had been a trainer on staff at Miami or Tampa(don't remember which) so I ask him about Curci.I will never forget his reply "Oh he will win at Kentucky until the NCAA catches up with him." Those were fun years,we could actually compete with just about anyone(particularly 75'thru 77'

 

[docholiday51]

Still went on to be one of greatest DE's in the NFL, Ramsey the AD at Kentucky State, and Blanton a highly successful surgeon.

Several successful folks on that team,James Ramey (sp) was a DT on that team,decent on the pass rush but very good against the run if I remember correctly

 

[John Henry]

Several successful folks on that team,James Ramey (sp) was a DT on that team,decent on the pass rush but very good against the run if I remember correctly

Right and another one was Jim Kovach, tough linebacker who played pro ball with the Saints. . Per this article Kovach became a physician and a lawyer. He may have gone to medical school his "senior year" at UK. He was also married. He was quite the student - athlete. Brains and athletic ability and able to do it all

http://www.research.uky.edu/odyssey/spring99/kovach.html

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

Kovach became a physician and a lawyer.

I was wrong in saying in a previous post it was another player who became the doctor.

 

[Nuke99m.]

Ramsey had a 9 year career in the NFL as a tight end. I always thought it was so cool that a QB could switch and play TE in the NFL.

Had 66 catches and 7 TD's for New England one year.

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

Name the UK QB who walked on to UK basketball team and played in 2 games in 1976.
Ramsey.

Background: http://www.bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Ramsey_Derrick.html

 

[vhcat70]

Ramsey had a 9 year career in the NFL as a tight end. I always thought it was so cool that a QB could switch and play TE in the NFL.

Had 66 catches and 7 TD's for New England one year.

Actually he always was a TE who played QB for UK. Him sliding right behind our line and plowing forward for at least a couple yards was an even better sight to me than BSJ plowing thru this year. To my knowledge we weren't stopped on 3rd/4th & 2 all year - '77. D's knew what was coming & could do nothing with it. Amazing stuff.

 

[John Henry]

Actually he always was a TE who played QB for UK. Him sliding right behind our line and plowing forward for at least a couple yards was an even better sight to me than BSJ plowing thru this year. To my knowledge we weren't stopped on 3rd/4th & 2 all year - '77. D's knew what was coming & could do nothing with it. Amazing stuff.

Can you imagine Derrick Ramsey running the Wildcat? His passing game was not the best but UK ran a veer offense and it was full speed ahead. The O line was top notch too.

 

[TeoJ]

Kovach was my all time favorite Cat.Ramsey was the walk on right.

 

[Nuke99m.]

found this for 1977.

 

[childe]

Interesting story, at least to me. Fran Curci and Bobby Allison attended the same Catholic high school in Miami. Fran was a year younger.

Bobby began racing at this time with the same Chevy that he drove to school. When he decided that it was time to buy his first dedicated race car, Allison bought a '38 Chevy coupe from Curci. Bobby Allison was the football equipment manager. Fran Curci was the team's star player.

 

[gojvc]

Interesting story, at least to me. Fran Curci and Bobby Allison attended the same Catholic high school in Miami. Fran was a year younger.

Bobby began racing at this time with the same Chevy that he drove to school. When he decided that it was time to buy his first dedicated race car, Allison bought a '38 Chevy coupe from Curci. Bobby Allison was the football equipment manager. Fran Curci was the team's star player.

Small world out there!

 

[Cawood86_rivals]

Right and another one was Jim Kovach, tough linebacker who played pro ball with the Saints. . Per this article Kovach became a physician and a lawyer. He may have gone to medical school his "senior year" at UK. He was also married. He was quite the student - athlete. Brains and athletic ability and able to do it all

http://www.research.uky.edu/odyssey/spring99/kovach.html

Kovach was my first favorite player at UK. I remember getting his autograph as kid. Those 2 years '76-'77, the best defensive teams I've ever seen. Still, Blanton, Siganos, Mike Martin, Jaffe, Owens, etc. They hit so hard and played so hard. Curci was building something special.

 

[mtn cat1]

Thank you Cawood for that reminder and the "stroll down memory lane"!!! What we could do with a dozen or so members from that team!

 

[John Henry]

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread. My favorite couple of years in UK football history. I will never forget the game in the Swamp when we beat the Gators in 77'. It was the high light of my fandom. LOL. I was the only UK fan in a group I was with and they went bonkers when we won. The actually wanted to lynch the Florida coach. Kid you not. I may have lost a few friends that day but hey that's football.

 

[mtn cat1]

At that time, the 1st team in 25 years at UK to reach a bowl game . The players have the college football player look. The 1976 Wildcats tallied their first winning season in 13 years. Love the helmets.
Schedule
Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result
September 11 Oregon State* Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 38-13
September 18 at No. 13 Kansas Memorial Stadium • Lawrence, KS L 16-37
September 25 West Virginia* Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 14-10
October 2 No. 20 Penn State Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 22-6
October 9 at Mississippi State Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium • Jackson, MS (Rivalry) L 7-14
October 16 No. 16 LSU Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 21-7
October 23 No. 10 Georgia Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY L 7-31
October 30 at No. 5 Maryland* Byrd Stadium • College Park, MD L 14-24
November 6 at Vanderbilt Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 14-0
November 13 No. 15 Florida Commonwealth Stadium • Lexington, KY W 28-9
November 20 at Tennessee Neyland Stadium • Knoxville, TN (Battle for the Barrel) W 7-0
December 31 vs. No. 19 North Carolina Fulton County Stadium • Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) W 21-0

Here are two vids:





Many said the game was a changer for UK football. For the next year it was true.

Beat Louisville!

For fans old enough to know and remember, weren't there some outstanding players on that UK Team? With the defense of that team we would be playing for the SEC Championship without a doubt! The offense also had some good players, but in my view they weren't on par with the defensive stars!

 

[mtn cat1]

Before someone calls me on my iish, I'm confusing two different teams. My comments were referencing the Outback Bowl Team vs Penn State rather than the 1976, Peach Bowl Team vs North Carolina, (game that UK won 21 to o)!
UK led Penn St at the half in The Outback Bowl only to have Penn St to come storming back in the 2nd. half to defeat us!!!

Sorry For The Confusion!!!

 

[SanAntonioCat_rivals376502]

The following year would have been 11-0 except for a 120 degree day on the field at Baylor.We were the favorite but were upset due to a couple of costly fumbles.Just going from memory I don't think Baylor even had a winning record that year.

1977 was a magical year for UK in football,the defense was probably one of the best in school history,the offense was good enough to put sufficient points on the board to win

I was there. Working in Dallas at the time, a friend and I
drove to Waco for a 4 PM kickoff at old Floyd Casey Stadium. It was 97 degrees and 125 degrees on the artificial turf. We had to wear our dark blue home jerseys.

Our guys were worn out by halftime. By the fourth quarter, we were done. Be mindful, this was before fans and cold sprays were available. Potassium rich hydration drinks were years away.

This was the Cats only loss in 1977. Shortly after the old Southwest Conference ruled September games could not begin until 6:30 PM at the earliest.

 

[UKvisitor_rivals101449]

found this for 1977.

Same person (Jeff Bailey) posted this on youtube: Really good work with both vids.



Notice the tear away jersey on Ramsey at ~5:10 min mark in the vid above and ~6 min mark in the vid below with Cawood with the call: "somebody got his jersey but that is all they got". NCAA banned them not long after.


Something else I remember about Ramsey. He would sometimes lead the Marching band on to the field high stepping. He also high stepped into the end zone many times.

 

[rmattox]

As I recall UK could have turned down the Peach Bowl and taken their one year bowl ban in 1976. This would have made them eligible for a bowl the next year, 1977. But we had not been to a bowl game in 25 years so we decided to get what we were offered. Not really a bad decision because you never know what the future holds. But the next season the Cats went undefeated in the SEC and probably had the SEC's top bowl, the Sugar. Alabama was also undefeated in the SEC and who knows, maybe they would have matched them up in the Sugar Bowl since they did not play in the regular season. That was not uncommon in those days. .

Back in the day, the in the event of a tie in the SEC, the team that had been in the Sugar Bowl most recently was passed over for the other team. Thus, had Ky been eligible, they would have been in the Sugar Bowl. Talk shows were few in that day, but I recall one discussion I heard around Christmas where Kentucky was mentioned as a "could have been" for national championship consideration. It was all a vote by coaches and sportswriters then.

 

[gobgblu37]

I've had the opportunity to see several games at Commonwealth Stadium through the years and one of those was the 76 game against Penn St., I still believe that was the loudest the crowd has ever been! As mentioned before lots of great players on those teams (76 & 77) but one of my favorites was Jerry Blanton. He played DT for the Cats at 230 lbs, when he got drafted by Kansas City they switched him to middle linebacker and he became an All Pro for several years. Hopefully Coach Stoops can return us to those glory years and the Cats can be feared as they were back then!!!