American college football season
1973 NCAA Division II football season Regular season September – Playoffs December 1–15 National Championship Camellia Bowl Hughes Stadium Sacramento, California Champion Louisiana Tech
NCAA Division II football seasons 1974 →
The 1973 NCAA Division II football season , part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level. The season began in September and concluded with the Division II Championship on December 15 at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California . This was the first season for Division II (and Division III ) football, which were formerly in the College Division in 1972 and prior.
Louisiana Tech won their first Division II championship, defeating Western Kentucky 34–0 in the Camellia Bowl championship game.[1] [2]
Conference realignment [ ] Membership changes [ ]
School
1972 Conference
1973 Conference
Akron Independent D-II Independent
Eastern Michigan Independent D-II Independent
Illinois State Independent D-II Independent
Nevada–Reno Independent D-II Independent
Conference standings [ ]
1973 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 5 Boise State $^
6
–
0
–
0
10
–
3
–
0
Montana State
5
–
1
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Idaho
3
–
2
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Northern Arizona
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Montana
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Weber State
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
8
–
0
Idaho State
0
–
6
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant NCAA College Division AP Poll
1973 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 8 AP / #9 UPI Cal Poly $
4
–
0
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
UC Riverside
3
–
1
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Cal State Fullerton
1
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Cal Poly Pomona
1
–
3
–
0
4
–
6
–
1
Cal State Northridge
1
–
3
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Rankings from College Division poll
1973 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
Virginia Union $
9
–
0
–
0
9
–
1
–
0
Livingstone
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
1
Norfolk State
5
–
3
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Johnson C. Smith
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Virginia State
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Elizabeth City State
4
–
4
–
1
4
–
5
–
1
Fayetteville State
4
–
4
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Winston-Salem State
2
–
5
–
1
3
–
7
–
1
Hampton
1
–
5
–
1
1
–
7
–
2
Shaw
1
–
5
–
1
1
–
6
–
1
Saint Paul's (VA)
1
–
6
–
0
1
–
9
–
0
1973 Far Western Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
UC Davis +
4
–
1
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Chico State +
4
–
1
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
San Francisco State
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
1
Cal State Hayward
3
–
2
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Humboldt State
1
–
4
–
0
2
–
6
–
2
Sacramento State
0
–
5
–
0
1
–
9
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions College Division poll
1973 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
Butler $
4
–
1
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
DePauw
3
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Evansville
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Indiana Central
2
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Valparaiso
2
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Saint Joseph's (IN)
1
–
4
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Wabash
0
–
4
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
1973 Gulf South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
Troy State $
6
–
1
–
0
7
–
2
–
1
Jacksonville State
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
2
–
0
Delta State
6
–
3
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
Livingston
4
–
3
–
1
6
–
3
–
1
Northwestern State
3
–
4
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
Mississippi College
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Southeastern Louisiana
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Florence State
3
–
6
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
Nicholls State
2
–
7
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Tennessee–Martin
1
–
5
–
1
2
–
8
–
1
1973 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
North Carolina Central $
5
–
1
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
South Carolina State
4
–
1
–
1
7
–
3
–
1
Howard
4
–
2
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
Morgan State
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
3
–
0
Maryland Eastern Shore
2
–
4
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
North Carolina A&T
1
–
4
–
1
4
–
6
–
1
Delaware State
0
–
6
–
0
0
–
11
–
0
1973 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
SE Missouri State $
5
–
1
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
NW Missouri State
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Lincoln (MO)
3
–
3
–
0
5
–
6
–
0
SW Missouri State
3
–
3
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Missouri–Rolla
2
–
3
–
1
3
–
6
–
2
NE Missouri State
2
–
3
–
1
2
–
7
–
2
Central Missouri State
1
–
5
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
1973 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
North Dakota State +
6
–
1
–
0
8
–
2
–
0
South Dakota +^
6
–
1
–
0
8
–
3
–
0
Mankato State
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
North Dakota
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Augustana (SD)
3
–
3
–
1
6
–
3
–
1
South Dakota State
2
–
4
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Northern Iowa
2
–
5
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
Morningside
0
–
7
–
0
0
–
9
–
0
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1973 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 3 Western Kentucky $^
7
–
0
–
0
12
–
1
–
0
Murray State
5
–
2
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Eastern Kentucky
4
–
3
–
0
7
–
4
–
0
Morehead State
4
–
3
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
East Tennessee State
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Middle Tennessee
3
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
Tennessee Tech
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
1
Austin Peay
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
8
–
0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Associated Press poll
1973 Southland Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 2 Louisiana Tech $^
5
–
0
–
0
12
–
1
–
0
Arkansas State
3
–
2
–
0
7
–
3
–
0
Lamar
3
–
2
–
0
5
–
5
–
0
McNeese State
2
–
3
–
0
7
–
3
–
1
Texas–Arlington
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
6
–
0
SW Louisiana
0
–
5
–
0
0
–
10
–
0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant AP Poll
1973 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 7 AP / #7 UPI Grambling +^
5
–
1
–
0
10
–
3
–
0
Jackson State +
5
–
1
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
Alcorn A&M
3
–
2
–
1
7
–
2
–
1
Southern
3
–
3
–
0
6
–
4
–
0
Texas Southern
2
–
3
–
1
5
–
5
–
1
Mississippi Valley State
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
5
–
0
Prairie View A&M
0
–
6
–
0
2
–
6
–
1
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – College Division playoff participant College Division poll
1973 Yankee Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
Connecticut $
5
–
0
–
1
8
–
2
–
1
Rhode Island
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
2
–
2
UMass
4
–
2
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
New Hampshire
2
–
3
–
0
4
–
5
–
0
Boston University
2
–
3
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Maine
2
–
4
–
0
3
–
7
–
0
Vermont
1
–
5
–
0
3
–
6
–
0
1973 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W
L
T W
L
T
No. 1 Tennessee State
–
10
–
0
–
0
No. 9 Hawaii
–
9
–
2
–
0
Nebraska–Omaha
–
7
–
2
–
1
UNLV
–
8
–
3
–
0
No. 13 Delaware ^
–
8
–
4
–
0
Central Michigan
–
7
–
4
–
0
Nevada
–
7
–
4
–
0
Western Illinois
–
7
–
4
–
0
Milwaukee
–
6
–
4
–
1
Eastern Michigan
–
6
–
4
–
0
Akron
–
6
–
5
–
0
Central State (OH)
–
6
–
5
–
0
Wayne State (MI)
–
5
–
5
–
0
Drexel
–
4
–
4
–
0
Bucknell
–
3
–
4
–
2
Northeast Louisiana
–
3
–
5
–
2
Santa Clara
–
4
–
6
–
0
Youngstown State
–
4
–
6
–
0
Arkansas–Pine Bluff
–
3
–
5
–
1
Chattanooga
–
4
–
7
–
0
Indiana State
–
4
–
7
–
0
Northeastern
–
3
–
6
–
0
Northern Michigan
–
2
–
7
–
1
Eastern Illinois
–
2
–
9
–
0
Portland State
–
1
–
10
–
0
^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Associated Press poll
Conference summaries [ ] See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons
Conference
Champion
Big Sky Conference Boise State
Eastern Football Conference Central Connecticut State
Far Western Football Conference UC Davis and Cal State Chico
Gulf South Conference Troy State
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference North Carolina Central
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association Southeast Missouri State
North Central Conference North Dakota State and South Dakota
Ohio Valley Conference Western Kentucky
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Bethune-Cookman
Southland Conference Louisiana Tech
Southwestern Athletic Conference Grambling and Jackson State
Yankee Conference Connecticut
Postseason [ ] 1973 NCAA Division II Football Championship Teams 8 Finals Site Champion Louisiana Tech (1st title, 1st title game) Runner-up Western Kentucky (1st title game) Semifinalists Winning coach Maxie Lambright 1st championship
The 1973 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the first single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The inaugural edition had only eight teams; of the four quarterfinal games, three were played on campus and a fourth was in Atlantic City, New Jersey ,[3] Boardwalk Bowl . The semifinals were held at the Grantland Rice Bowl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana ,[4] Pioneer Bowl in Wichita Falls, Texas .[5] [6]
The championship game was the Camellia Bowl , held at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California . The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 34–0 to win their first national title.[2] [7]
Playoff bracket [ ] First roundAtlantic City, NJ SemifinalsGrantland Rice Bowl Pioneer Bowl ChampionshipCamellia Bowl Hughes Stadium Sacramento, CA Grambling 17
Delaware
8
Grambling
20
Western Kentucky
28
Western Kentucky *25
Lehigh
16
Western Kentucky
0
Louisiana Tech
34
Louisiana Tech *18
Western Illinois
13
Louisiana Tech
38
Boise State
34
Boise State *53
South Dakota
10
* Denotes host institution
Rankings [ ] Main article: 1973 NCAA College Division football rankings
United Press International (UPI) and the Associated Press (AP) continued to rank teams in their College Division or "small college" polls, which had started in 1958 and 1960, respectively. In 1973, UPI published their final poll at the end of the regular season, while the AP waited until postseason games had been completed. Both wire services named the Tennessee State Tigers as the number one team; Tennessee State did not compete in the playoffs "because five of its starters would not be eligible to play."[8] redshirt ") and then played four seasons;[8]
United Press International (coaches) final poll[9]
Rank
School
Record
No. 1
Total
1
Tennessee State 10–0
27
314
2
Western Kentucky 10–0
3
275
3
Louisiana Tech 9–1
1
224
4
Abilene Christian 9–1
176
5
Wittenberg 9–0
169
6
Elon 11–0
151
7
Grambling State 9–2
96
8
Boise State 9–2
91
9
Cal Poly 9–1
90
10
Delaware 8–3
41
11
Jacksonville State 7–2
32
12
Langston 10–0
24
13
Hawaii 8–2
23
14
C.W. Post 10–1
15
15
South Dakota 8–2
11
Associated Press (writers) final poll[10]
Rank
School
Record
No. 1
Total
1
Tennessee State 10–0
17
708
2
Louisiana Tech 12–1D2
21
706
3
Western Kentucky 12–1D2
459
4
Wittenberg 12–0D3
1
407
T5
Boise State 10–3D2
390
T5
Abilene Christian 11–1N1
390
7
Grambling State 10–3D2
372
8
Cal Poly 9–1
264
9
Hawaii 8–2
233
10
Elon 12–1N1
223
11
South Dakota 8–3D2
221
12
Jacksonville State 7–2
220
13
Delaware 8–3
152
14
North Dakota State 8–2
111
15
Langston 11–1N1
95
^N1 ^D2 ^D3
See also [ ] References [ ]
^ "All-Time Conference Champions" (PDF) . NCAA . NCAA.org. pp. 15–28. Retrieved December 23, 2013 .^ a b "Western Kentucky (Louisiana Tech) champs after 34–0 romp" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Associated Press. December 16, 1973. p. 20.^ "Boise St. smears South Dakota" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Associated Press. December 2, 1973. p. 19.^ "Western Kentucky triumphs" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Associated Press. December 9, 1973. p. 19.^ "Boise in semis" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Associated Press. December 8, 1973. p. 17.^ "Late TD tops Boise" . Lewiston Morning Tribune . (Idaho). Associated Press. December 9, 1973. p. 19.^ "1973 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF) . NCAA . NCAA.org. p. 13. Retrieved December 17, 2013 .^ a b Finocchiaro, Ray (November 15, 1973). "5 Ineligible So Tennessee State Quits Playoff" The News Journal Wilmington, Delaware . Retrieved February 28, 2017 – via newspapers.com. ^ "College Football Small College Poll" . The Republic Columbus, Indiana . United Press International . November 28, 1973. Retrieved July 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com ^ "Tennessee St. Picked No. 1 In Grid Poll" . The Northwest Arkansas Times Fayetteville, Arkansas . Associated Press . December 19, 1973. Retrieved July 30, 2021 – via Newspapers.com
Seasons
Playoffs
1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Championship games
Bowl era
East: Tangerine Bowl (1964–1967), Boardwalk Bowl (1968–1972)Mideast: Grantland Rice Bowl (1964–1972)Midwest: Pecan Bowl (1964–1970), Pioneer Bowl (1971–1972)West: Camellia Bowl (1964–1967) Playoff era
1973 2008 2009 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Records & statistics
Pre-NCAA
1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 NCAA pre-divisional NCAA University Division
1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 NCAA Division I NCAA Division I-A/FBS NCAA Division I-AA/FCS NCAA College Division NCAA Division II NCAA Division III
.
