1973 Big Ten Conference football season

The 1973 Big Ten Conference football season was the 78th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1973 NCAA Division I football season.

1973 Big Ten Conference football season
SportAmerican football
Number of teams10
Top draft pickJohn Hicks
Co-championsMichigan, Ohio State
Runners-upMinnesota
Season MVPArchie Griffin
1973 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 2 Ohio State + 7 0 1  10 0 1
No. 6 Michigan + 7 0 1  10 0 1
Minnesota 6 2 0  7 4 0
Illinois 4 4 0  5 6 0
Michigan State 4 4 0  5 6 0
Purdue 4 4 0  5 6 0
Northwestern 4 4 0  4 7 0
Wisconsin 3 5 0  4 7 0
Indiana 0 8 0  2 9 0
Iowa 0 8 0  0 11 0
  • + Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Woody Hayes, and the 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team, under head coach Bo Schembechler, compiled identical 10–0–1 records and tied for the Big Ten championship. Ohio State was ranked No. 2 in the final AP Poll, and Michigan was ranked No. 6. Ohio State led the conference in both scoring offense (37.5 points per game) and scoring defense (5.8 points allowed per game).

The regular season ended with a 10–10 tie between Michigan and Ohio State. When the game ended in a tie, the Big Ten athletic directors voted, 6–4, to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl. Michigan athletic officials and fans were outraged, with even the Vice President of the United States, Gerald Ford, speaking out against the decision. Ohio State defeated USC, 42–21, in the 1974 Rose Bowl. Two selectors, the National Championship Foundation and the Poling System, recognize Michigan as a co-national champion for the 1973 season.

The Big Ten statistical leaders in 1973 included Ohio State running back Archie Griffin with 1,577 rushing yards. Griffin also won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's most valuable player. Four Big Ten players were recognized as consensus first-team All-Americans: Randy Gradishar and John Hicks of Ohio State and Dave Gallagher and Dave Brown of Michigan.

Season overview

Results and team statistics

Conf. Rank Team Head coach AP final AP high Overall record Conf. record PPG PAG MVP
1 (tie)Ohio StateWoody Hayes#2#110–0–17–0–137.55.8Archie Griffin
1 (tie)MichiganBo Schembechler#6#410–0–17–0–130.06.2Paul Seal
3MinnesotaCal StollNRNR7–46–223.626.8Steve Neils
4 (tie)IllinoisBob BlackmanNRNR5–64–414.914.3Octavus Morgan
4 (tie)Michigan StateDenny StolzNRNR5–64–410.414.9Ray Nester
4 (tie)PurdueAlex AgaseNRNR6–56–218.219.4Bo Bobrowski
4 (tie)NorthwesternJohn PontNRNR4–74–417.127.2Stan Kay
8WisconsinJohn JardineNRNR4–73–519.621.5Mike Webster
9 (tie)IndianaLee CorsoNRNR2–90–813.724.6Chuck Sukurs
9 (tie)IowaFrank LauterburNRNR0–110–812.736.5Brian Rollins

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1973 season[1]
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1973 season[1]
PPG = Average of points scored per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold[1]
PAG = Average of points allowed per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold[1]
MVP = Most valuable player as voted by players on each team as part of the voting process to determine the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy; trophy winner in bold[2]

Pre-season

Four Big Ten teams changed head coaches between the 1972 and 1973 seasons, as follows:

  • Duffy Daugherty retired as Michigan State's head football coach at the end of the 1972 season. Denny Stolz, who had been the Spartans' defensive coordinator for two years, took over as head coach.
  • Bob DeMoss was replaced by Alex Agase as Purdue's head coach. Agase had been Northwestern's head coach from 1964 to 1972.
  • Agase was replaced as Northwestern's head coach by John Pont. Pont had been Indiana's head coach from 1965 to 1972.
  • Pont was replaced as Indiana's head coach by Lee Corso. Corso had been the head coach at Louisville from 1969 to 1972.

September 15

On September 15, 1973, the Big Ten football teams opened the season with five conference games.

  • Ohio State 56, Minnesota 7
  • Michigan 31, Iowa 7
  • Illinois 28, Indiana 14
  • Northwestern 14, Michigan State 10
  • Purdue 14, Wisconsin 13

September 22

On September 22, 1973, the Big Ten teams played nine non-conference games, resulting in four wins and five losses. Ohio State had a bye week.

  • Michigan 47, Stanford 10
  • Minnesota 41, North Dakota 14
  • Illinois 27, California 7
  • Michigan State 14, Syracuse 8
  • Miami (OH) 24, Purdue 19
  • Colorado 28, Wisconsin 25
  • Notre Dame 44, Northwestern 0
  • UCLA 55, Iowa 18
  • Arizona 26, Indiana 10

September 29

On September 29, 1973, the Big Ten teams played 10 non-conference games, resulting in three wins and seven losses.

  • Ohio State 37, TCU 3
  • Michigan 14, Navy 0
  • Kansas 34, Minnesota 19
  • West Virginia 17, Illinois 10
  • UCLA 34, Michigan State 21
  • Notre Dame 20, Purdue 7
  • Nebraska 20, Wisconsin 16
  • Pittsburgh 21, Northwestern 14
  • Penn State 27, Iowa 8
  • Indiana 17, Kentucky 3

October 6

On October 6, 1973, the Big Ten teams played 10 non-conference games, resulting in five wins and five losses. After concluding three weeks of non-conference play, the Big Ten teams had compiled a 12–17 non-conference record.

  • Ohio State 27, Washington State 3
  • Michigan 24, Oregon 0
  • Nebraska 48, Minnesota 7
  • Stanford 24, Illinois 0
  • Notre Dame 14, Michigan State 10
  • Purdue 27, Duke 7
  • Wisconsin 37, Wyoming 28
  • Ohio 14, Northwestern 12
  • Arizona 23, Iowa 20
  • Indiana 28, West Virginia 14

October 13

On October 13, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Ohio State 24, Wisconsin 0
  • Michigan 31, Michigan State 0
  • Minnesota 24, Indiana 3
  • Illinois 15, Purdue 13
  • Northwestern 31, Iowa 15

October 20

On October 20, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Ohio State 37, Indiana 7
  • Michigan 35, Wisconsin 6
  • Minnesota 31, Iowa 23
  • Illinois 6, Michigan State 3
  • Purdue 21, Northwestern 10

October 27

On October 27, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Ohio State 60, Northwestern 0
  • Michigan 34, Minnesota 7
  • Illinois 50, Iowa 0
  • Michigan State 10, Purdue 7
  • Wisconsin 31, Indiana 7

November 3

On November 3, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Ohio State 30, Illinois 0
  • Michigan 49, Indiana 13
  • Minnesota 52, Northwestern 43
  • Michigan State 21, Wisconsin 0
  • Purdue 48, Iowa 23

November 10

On November 10, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Ohio State 35, Michigan State 0
  • Michigan 21, Illinois 6
  • Minnesota 34, Purdue 7
  • Wisconsin 35, Iowa 7
  • Northwestern 21, Indiana 20

November 17

On November 17, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Ohio State 55, Iowa 13
  • Michigan 34, Purdue 9
  • Minnesota 19, Illinois 16
  • Michigan State 10, Indiana 9
  • Wisconsin 36, Northwestern 34

November 24

On November 24, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.

  • Michigan 10, Ohio State 10
  • Minnesota 19, Wisconsin 17
  • Northwestern 9, Illinois 6
  • Michigan State 15, Iowa 6
  • Purdue 28, Indiana 23

Bowl games

On January 1, 1974, Ohio State (ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll) defeated USC (ranked No. 7), 42–21. Pete Johnson scored three touchdowns, and Archie Griffin capped the scoring with a 47-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Statistical leaders

Awards and honors

All-Big Ten honors

The following players were picked by the Associated Press (AP) and/or the United Press International (UPI) as first-team players on the 1973 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[3][4]

Offense

Position Name Team Selectors
QuarterbackDennis FranklinMichiganAP, UPI
Running backArchie GriffinOhio StateAP, UPI
Running backEd ShuttlesworthMichiganAP, UPI
Running backBilly MarekWisconsinAP
EndSteve CraigNorthwesternAP, UPI [tight end]
EndBrian RollinsIowaAP [end]
Split endGarvin RobersonIllinoisUPI [split end]
FlankerClint HaslerigMichiganUPI [flanker]
TackleJohn HicksOhio StateAP, UPI
TackleKurt SchumacherOhio StateUPI
TackleKeith FahnhorstMinnesotaAP
GuardMike HobanMichiganAP, UPI
GuardJim KregelOhio StateAP, UPI
CenterMike WebsterWisconsinAP, UPI

Defense

Position Name Team Selectors
Defensive lineVan DeCreeOhio StateAP [front 5], UPI [def. end]
Defensive lineSteve NeilsMinnesotaAP [front 5], UPI [def. end]
Defensive linePete CusickOhio StateAP [front 5], UPI [def. tackle]
Defensive lineDave GallagherMichiganAP [front 5], UPI [def. tackle]
Defensive lineVic KoegelOhio StateUPI [guard]
Defensive lineOctavus MorganIllinoisAP [front 5]
LinebackerRandy GradisharOhio StateAP, UPI
LinebackerRick MiddletonOhio StateAP, UPI
LinebackerMike VartyNorthwesternAP
Defensive backDave BrownMichiganAP, UPI
Defensive backNeal ColzieOhio StateAP, UPI
Defensive backMike GowIllinoisAP, UPI
Defensive backBill SimpsonMichigan StateUPI

All-American honors

At the end of the 1973 season, Big Ten players secured four of the consensus first-team picks for the 1973 College Football All-America Team.[5] The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:

Position Name Team Selectors
LinebackerRandy GradisharOhio StateAFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, WCFF, FN, Time, TSN
Offensive guardJohn HicksOhio StateAFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, WCFF, FN, Time, TSN
Defensive endDave GallagherMichiganAFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, WCFF, Time, TSN
Defensive backDave BrownMichiganAFCA, FWAA, UPI

Other Big Ten players who were named first-team All-Americans by at least one selector were:

Position Name Team Selectors
Running backArchie GriffinOhio StateUPI
Defensive endVan DeCreeOhio StateUPI, FN
Defensive backBill SimpsonMichigan StateTSN
Defensive backCarl CapriaPurdueTSN
PlacekickerMike LantryMichiganFN

Other awards

Three Ohio State players finished among the top six in the voting for the 1973 Heisman Trophy: John Hicks (second); Archie Griffin (fifth); and Randy Gradishar (sixth).[6]

1974 NFL Draft

The 1974 NFL Draft was held in New York on January 29–30, 1974.[7] The following players were among the first 100 picks:[8]

Name Position Team Round Overall pick
John HicksGuardOhio State13
Carl BarzilauskasDefensive TackleIndiana16
Rick MiddletonLinebackerOhio State113
Randy GradisharLinebackerOhio State114
Dave GallagherDefensive EndMichigan120
Keith FahnhorstTight endMinnesota235
Paul SealTight endMichigan236
Ed ShuttlesworthRunning backMichigan237
Bill SimpsonDefensive backMichigan State250
Steve CraigTight endNorthwestern364
Clint HaslerigWide receiverMichigan483
Morris BradshawWide receiverOhio State493
Matt HerkenhoffTackleMinnesota494

References

  1. "1973 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  2. "Voted Silver Football: Buckeyes' Archie Griffin Is Most Valuable Player In 1973 Big Ten Football". Chicago Tribune. December 25, 1973. p. 10A.
  3. "1973 AP All Big Ten Football Team". Piqua Daily Call. November 27, 1973. p. 11.
  4. "Bucks, Wolves Dominate: Buckeyes Place 10 On All-Big Ten Team". The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio). November 28, 1973. p. 11B.
  5. "2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2014. pp. 5–6. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  6. "1973 Heisman Trophy Voting". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
  7. "NFL Draft Locations". FootballGeography.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  8. "1974 NFL Draft: Full Draft". NFL.com. National Football League. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
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