The 1996 Bucknell Bison football team was an American football team that represented Bucknell University during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The team won the Patriot League championship, its first.

Bucknell played its home games at Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium on the university campus in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

In its second year under head coach Tom Gadd, the Bison compiled a 6–5 record.^[1] George Howanitz, Rich Lemon and Brandon Little were the team captains.^[2]

The Bison outscored opponents 234 to 223. Their 4–1 conference record topped the six-team Patriot League standings.^[3]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 14	Towson State*	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	W 44–7	6,466	[4]
September 21	No. 22 William & Mary*	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	L 0–47	5,108	[5]
September 28	Harvard*	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	L 7–30	6,064	[6]
October 5	Penn^*	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	L 21–30 OT	9,166	[7]
October 12	at Yale*	Yale Bowl New Haven, CT	L 21–23	14,502	[8]
October 19	Princeton*	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	W 10–6	2,166	[9]
October 26	at Holy Cross*	Fitton Field Worcester, MA	W 38–7	10,671	[10]
November 2	at Lehigh	Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, PA	W 7–6	10,271	[11]
November 9	at Lafayette	Fisher Field Easton, PA	L 7–23		[1]
November 16	Fordham	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	W 51–17	3,166	[12]
November 23	Colgate	Christy Mathewson–Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA	W 28–27 OT	5,467	[13]
*Non-conference game Homecoming ^ Parents Weekend Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game