The 1976 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team represented Texas Tech University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. Led by second-year head coach Steve Sloan, the Red Raiders compiled an overall record of 10âÂÂ2 with a mark of 7âÂÂ1 in conference playing sharing the SWC title with Houston. Texas Tech was invited to the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, where they lost to Nebraska. The team outscored opponents 336 to 206 and finished the season with the 38th toughest schedule in NCAA Division I.
Despite losing the game, Texas Tech quarterback Rodney Allison was named the game's MVP. Nebraska trailed by ten in the second half, coming back to win 27âÂÂ24. The Red Raiders looked to take the lead back late in the fourth quarter, but lost a fumble that was recovered by Nebraska's Reg Gast to seal the Cornhuskers' victory.