21 49 14 14 0 14 | NR 17 BYU 0 14 7 | |
The 1976 Tangerine Bowl was held on December 18, 1976, featuring the BYU Cougars and Oklahoma State Cowboys at the Citrus Bowl. BYU represented the Western Athletic Conference in only their second bowl game as a program, and Oklahoma State represented the Big 8 Conference. The game pitted the two schools in the postseason for the second time in three years. Oklahoma State's running back Terry Miller broke the Tangerine Bowl records for total net yards run and longest run from scrimmage as well as tying another with four touchdowns scored as OSU defeated BYU, 49–21.
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Background
BYU was champion of the Western Athletic Conference for the third time in 11 years. The Cowboys went 3-1 against ranked opponents (beating #8 Kansas, #5 Oklahoma, and #14 Iowa State while losing to #9 Nebraska) while finishing in a three-way tie (the first and only time this occurred in conference history) in the Big Eight Conference with Oklahoma and Colorado, with the former going to the Fiesta Bowl and the latter (who beat Oklahoma State) going to the Orange Bowl. The Cowboys were invited to the Tangerine Bowl, their second bowl appearance in three seasons. The two teams had met previously in the Fiesta Bowl two years earlier.
Game summary
Terry Miller rushed for 173 yards on 23 carries for the Cowboys, who scored 21 straight points in the third quarter to pull away from the Cougars.
Aftermath
The Cougars returned to the Tangerine Bowl in 1985, while the Cowboys have not returned since this game.