| Year: | 1976 |
| Team: | Stanford Cardinals |
| Conference: | Pacific-8 Conference |
| Short Conf: | Pac-8 |
| Record: | 6–5 |
| Conf Record: | 5–2 |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Stadium: | Stanford Stadium (Capacity: 85,500) |
The 1976 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-8 Conference during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Jack Christiansen, the Cardinals were 6–5 overall (5–2 in Pac-8, third) and played home games on campus at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California
After a disappointing season that started at 1–4,[1] [2] Christiansen was fired the day before the last game of the season, the Big Game at Cal;[3] he coached that final game, which Stanford rallied to win in the final two minutes.[4] [5]
With two seasons remaining on a five-year contract (at $27,500 annually),[3] Christiansen did not have a losing season at Stanford, was overall, and in conference. The Cardinals had five Pac-8 wins in each of his last four seasons, finishing no lower than third. Bill Walsh, the offensive coordinator of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, was hired as head coach in December,[6] [7] [8] and led Stanford for the next two seasons, both ending with bowl wins.
Five Cardinals were selected in the 1977 NFL draft.
| Tony Hill | WR | 3 | 62 | Dallas Cowboys | |
| Duncan McColl | DE | 4 | 97 | Washington Redskins | |
| Mike Michel | K | 5 | 113 | Miami Dolphins | |
| Gary Anderson | OL | 10 | 263 | Detroit Lions | |
| Mike Cordova | QB | 11 | 286 | Philadelphia Eagles |