The 1996 Cal Poly Mustangs football team represented California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo as an independent during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season.
Led by Andre Patterson in his third and final season as head coach, Cal Poly compiled a record of 5–6.
[1] The team was outscored by its opponents 356 to 308 for the season.
The Mustangs played home games at Mustang Stadium in San Luis Obispo, California.
Patterson finished his three-year tenure as head coach with a record of 17–16, for a .515 winning percentage.