| Year: | 1976 |
| Team: | Houston Cougars |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southwest Conference |
| Short Conf: | SWC |
| Coachrank: | 4 |
| Aprank: | 4 |
| Record: | 10–2 |
| Conf Record: | 7–1 |
| Head Coach: | Bill Yeoman |
| Hc Year: | 15th |
| Off Scheme: | Houston Veer |
| Def Coach: | Don Todd |
| Dc Year: | 5th |
| Stadium: | Houston Astrodome |
| Champion: | SWC co-champion Cotton Bowl Classic champion |
| Bowl: | Cotton Bowl Classic |
| Bowl Result: | W 30–21 vs. Maryland |
The 1976 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. It was the 31st year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by fifteenth-year head football coach, Bill Yeoman. The team played its home games at the Astrodome, a 53,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston. It was Houston's first year of season play as a full member of the Southwest Conference eligible as champions. Upon winning the conference as co-champions, the Cougars competed against the Maryland Terrapins in the Cotton Bowl Classic, and finished the post-season at an all-time highest national ranking in the history of the program. Senior defensive tackle Wilson Whitley received the Lombardi Award following the season. Future UH and Baylor head coach Art Briles played on the team.
| Name | Position | Alma mater (Year) | Year at Houston | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army (1948) | 15th | |||
| Hardin–Simmons (1964) | 5th | |||
| Melvin Brown | Offensive backs coach | Oklahoma (1954) | 15th | |
| Clarence Daniel | Huron (1955) | 5th | ||
| Ronny Peacock | Defensive backs coach | Houston (1972) | 3rd | |
| Billy Willingham | TCU (1951) | 10th | ||
| Elmer Redd | Offensive backfield coach | Prairie View A&M (1950) | 7th | |
| Gary Mullins | Houston (1972) | 2nd | ||
| Nebraska-Omaha (1951) | 14th |