1973 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

SPLIT TITLE
AP CHAMPIONNotre Dame11–0 overall
COACHES CHAMPIONAlabama11–1 overall
HEISMANJohn CappellettiPenn State · RB
#1 PICKEd JonesTennessee State · Dallas Cowboys, 1974 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1974Orange BowlPenn State 16, LSU 9
Jan 1, 1974Rose BowlOhio State 42, USC 21
Jan 1, 1974Cotton BowlNebraska 19, Texas 3
Dec 31, 1973Sugar BowlNotre Dame 24, Alabama 23
Dec 28, 1973Peach BowlGeorgia 17, Maryland 16
Dec 21, 1973Fiesta BowlArizona State 28, Pittsburgh 7

1973 STANDINGS

13 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

NC State finished atop the 1973 ACC standings at 6–0 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
NC State6–09–3NCSU 31–18 KU
Maryland5–18–4UGA 17–16 MD
Clemson4–25–6–
Virginia3–34–7–
North Carolina1–54–7–
Duke1–4–12–8–1–
Wake Forest0–5–11–9–1–

BIG 8

Oklahoma finished atop the 1973 Big 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (10–0–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Oklahoma7–010–0–1–
Nebraska4–2–19–2–1NEB 19–3 TEX
Kansas4–2–17–4–1NCSU 31–18 KU
Missouri3–48–4MIZ 34–17 AUB
Colorado2–55–6–
Iowa State2–54–7–
Kansas State2–54–6–
Oklahoma State2–3–24–4–2–

BIG SKY

Boise State finished atop the 1973 Big Sky standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Boise State0–01–0

BIG TEN

Michigan and Ohio State finished atop the 1973 Big Ten standings at 7–0–1 in conference play (10–0–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan7–0–110–0–1–
Ohio State7–0–110–0–1OSU 42–21 USC
Minnesota6–27–4–
Purdue4–45–6–
Michigan State4–45–6–
Illinois4–45–6–
Northwestern4–44–7–
Wisconsin3–54–7–
Indiana0–82–9–
Iowa0–80–11–

MAC

Miami (OH) finished atop the 1973 MAC standings at 5–0 in conference play (11–0 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Miami (OH)5–011–0M-OH 16–7 FLA
Kent State4–19–2–
Bowling Green2–37–3–
Ohio2–35–5–
Western Michigan1–45–4–
Toledo1–43–6–
Ball State0–00–3–1–

OVC

Western Kentucky finished atop the 1973 OVC standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Western Kentucky0–01–0

PACIFIC 8

USC finished atop the 1973 Pacific 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (9–2–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
USC7–09–2–1OSU 42–21 USC
UCLA6–19–2–
Stanford5–27–4–
Washington State4–35–6–
California2–54–7–
Oregon State2–52–9–
Oregon2–52–9–
Washington0–72–9–

PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

San Diego State finished atop the 1973 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings at 3–0–1 in conference play (7–1–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
San Diego State3–0–17–1–1–
San José State2–0–23–4–1–
Fresno State1–30–6–

SEC

Alabama finished atop the 1973 SEC standings at 8–0 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Alabama8–011–1ND 24–23 ALA
LSU5–19–3PSU 16–9 LSU
Ole Miss4–36–5–
Tennessee3–38–4TTU 28–19 TENN
Florida3–47–5M-OH 16–7 FLA
Georgia3–47–4–1UGA 17–16 MD
Kentucky3–45–6–
Auburn2–56–6MIZ 34–17 AUB
Mississippi State2–54–5–2–
Vanderbilt1–54–6–

SOUTHERN

East Carolina finished atop the 1973 Southern standings at 7–0 in conference play (9–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
East Carolina7–09–2–
App State2–23–7–1–

SOUTHLAND

Louisiana Tech finished atop the 1973 Southland standings at 2–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Louisiana Tech0–02–0
Arkansas State0–01–1
Louisiana0–60–8

SOUTHWEST

Texas finished atop the 1973 Southwest standings at 7–0 in conference play (8–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Texas7–08–3NEB 19–3 TEX
Texas Tech6–111–1TTU 28–19 TENN
Rice4–35–6–
SMU3–3–15–4–1–
Arkansas3–3–15–5–1–
Texas A&M3–44–6–
TCU1–62–8–
Baylor0–72–9–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

Arizona State finished atop the 1973 Western Athletic standings at 6–1 in conference play (11–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Arizona State6–111–1ASU 28–7 PITT
Arizona6–18–3–
Utah4–27–5–
BYU3–45–6–
New Mexico3–44–7–
Wyoming3–43–7–
Colorado State2–45–6–
UTEP0–70–10–

INDEPENDENTS

Penn State finished atop the 1973 independents at 12–0.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Penn State12–0PSU 16–9 LSU
Houston11–1HOU 47–7 TULN
Notre Dame11–0ND 24–23 ALA
Tulane9–3HOU 47–7 TULN
Memphis8–3–
Utah State7–4–
Temple7–1–
South Carolina7–4–
Boston College7–4–
Air Force6–4–
West Virginia6–5–
Northern Illinois6–4–
Pittsburgh6–5–1ASU 28–7 PITT
Tulsa6–4–
Rutgers6–4–
Southern Miss5–4–1–
Georgia Tech5–6–
Miami5–6–
Louisville4–6–
New Mexico State4–6–
Marshall4–6–
Navy4–7–
North Texas4–4–
Hawai'i3–1–
UConn3–0–
Virginia Tech2–9–
Cincinnati2–7–
Massachusetts2–3–
Syracuse2–9–
Central Michigan1–3–
UL Monroe1–0–1–
UNLV1–1–
Florida State0–11–
Delaware0–3–
Army0–10–
Akron0–2–
Eastern Michigan0–2–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

5 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Dec 29, 1973Postseason gameMissouri 34, Auburn 17
Dec 29, 1973Postseason gameHouston 47, Tulane 7
Dec 29, 1973Postseason gameTexas Tech 28, Tennessee 19
Dec 22, 1973Postseason gameMiami (OH) 16, Florida 7
Dec 17, 1973Postseason gameNC State 31, Kansas 18