| Game Name: | Independence Bowl |
| Date Game Played: | December 13 |
| Year Game Played: | 1976 |
| Football Season: | 1976 |
| Stadium: | State Fair Stadium |
| City: | Shreveport, Louisiana |
| Visitor School: | Tulsa University |
| Visitor Name Short: | Tulsa |
| Visitor Nickname: | Golden Hurricane |
| Visitor Record: | 7–3–1 |
| Visitor Conference: | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Visitor Coach: | F. A. Dry |
| Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 6 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 3 |
| Home School: | McNeese State University |
| Home Name Short: | McNeese State |
| Home Nickname: | Cowboys |
| Home Record: | 9–2 |
| Home Conference: | Southland Conference |
| Home Coach: | Jack Doland |
| Home 1Q: | 3 |
| Home 2Q: | 3 |
| Home 3Q: | 8 |
| Home 4Q: | 6 |
| Mvp: | Terry McFarland (offense) Terry Clark (defense) |
| Attendance: | 19,164 |
| First Game Ever Played: | yes |
The 1976 Independence Bowl was a post-season college football bowl game between the Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the McNeese State Cowboys on December 13, 1976, at State Fair Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. McNeese State upset a heavily favored Tulsa 20 - 16. This was the first-ever edition of the Independence Bowl, which drew its name from the ongoing celebrations of the United States Bicentennial.[1] [2]
Between 1976 - 1980 the Independence Bowl featured the Southland Conference champion against an at-large opponent, with the Southland team playing host.[3] McNeese State clinched the championship and spot in the bowl game after defeating 20 - 19 on November 20.[4] For the at-large opponent the bowl organizers initially pursued Rutgers, which was then 10 - 0 and would finish the season undefeated. Rutgers declined the invitation, feeling snubbed by more prestigious bowls.[5] Rebuffed, the organizers considered Tulsa, Cincinnati, Memphis State, Boston College, and Ball State before selecting Tulsa, co-champion of the Missouri Valley Conference.[6]
Prior to the game, coverage favored Tulsa over McNeese State due in large part to sixteen of McNeese State's players being unable to play in the bowl.[7] Ten players were declared ineligible because they had redshirted in their freshman year and were thus fifth-year seniors. At the time, NCAA rules prohibited such players from participating in postseason play. Six more players were suspended from the team for violating team and school rules.[8] The players were accused of having a girl in their dormitory room, which McNeese State then prohibited. Some newspaper accounts alleged that "sexual molestation" had occurred.[9] Even before the game was played F. A. Dry, Tulsa's head coach, had accepted the head coaching job at TCU, though he stayed on at Tulsa for the bowl game.[10]