The 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in the

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. The 1973 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, ...

. In his fifth year as Michigan's head coach,

Bo Schembechler Glenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler Jr. ( ; April 1, 1929 – November 17, 2006) was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of ...

led the team to a 10–0–1 record. It was Michigan's first undefeated season since

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...

. The Wolverines outscored their opponents 330 to 68. Michigan was ranked No. 6 in both of the major post-season polls. Two other selectors, the

National Championship Foundation The National Championship Foundation (NCF) was established by Mike Riter of Hudson, New York. The NCF retroactively selected college football national champions for each year from 1869 to 1979, and its selections are among the historic national ch ...

and the

Poling System The Poling System was a mathematical rating system used to select college football national championship teams on a current basis from 1935 to 1984. Its selections were published in the ''Football Review Supplement'' and several newspapers.

, recognize Michigan as a co-national champion for the 1973 season. The season ended with a 10–10 tie against

Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...

. Both teams were undefeated, with the winner to play the Rose Bowl. When the game ended in a tie, the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...

athletic directors voted to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl. Michigan athletic officials and fans were outraged, with even the

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...

speaking out against the decision. On offense, the team was led by quarterback

Dennis Franklin Dennis E. Franklin (born August 24, 1953) is a former professional American football player who was drafted by the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL) in the 1975 NFL Draft. Prior to playing for the NFL he played college footbal ...

who completed 36 of 67 passes for 534 yards and rushed 101 times for 425 yards. Four Michigan

running backs A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. There ...

Ed Shuttlesworth Ed Shuttlesworth (born June 4, 1952) is a former American football fullback. He played for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973. He was the leading rusher for Michigan's 1972 and 1973 teams that compiled a combined record of 20&ndas ...

Chuck Heater Chuck Heater (born October 10, 1952) is an American football coach and former player. He was a running back for the University of Michigan from 1972 to 1974 and finished his playing career as the fifth all-time leading rusher in Michigan Wolverin ...

Gil Chapman Gil Chapman (born August 23, 1953) is a former American football player, politician and businessman. Chapman became one of the leading scorers in the history of New Jersey high school football while playing for Thomas Jefferson High School in E ...

, and

Gordon Bell Chester Gordon Bell (born August 19, 1934) is an American electrical engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engi ...

, combined for 2,417 rushing yards. Shuttlesworth, Franklin, wing back Clint Haslerig, and offensive guard

Mike Hoban Michael Angelus Hoban (born January 9, 1952) is a former American football player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Hoban played high school football for Gordon Tech High School. He played college football as an offensive guard for the University ...

were all selected as All-Big Ten Conference players. Tight end

Paul Seal Paul Nathan Seal (born February 27, 1952) is a former American football player. He played college football as a tight end for the University of Michigan from 1971 to 1973 and professional football as a tight end in the National Football League ( ...

was selected for the team's Most Valuable Player award. On defense, the Wolverines held opponents to 68 points, an average of 6.2 points per game. Defensive tackle

Dave Gallagher David Thomas Gallagher (born September 20, 1960) is an American former professional baseball journeyman outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for seven teams, during his nine-year big league career (–). Early life Gallagher w ...

and defensive back Dave Brown were both selected as consensus first-team All-Americans. Middle linebacker

Steve Strinko Steven Douglas Strinko (born October 5, 1952) is a former American football player. He played as a linebacker for Coach Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan and was selected as the Most Valuable Player on the 1974 Michigan Wolverines f ...

led the team with 77 solo tackles and 108 total tackles.

Schedule

Season summary

Pre-season

The 1972 Michigan team had compiled a 10–1 record and were ranked sixth in the final Coaches and AP Polls. Important players from the 1972 team who were lost to graduation included offensive guard Tom Coyle, center Bill Hart, tight end Paul Seymour, defensive tackle Fred Grambau, and defensive back

Randy Logan Randolph "Randy" Logan (born May 1, 1951) is a former American football player. He played 11 seasons as a free safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1973 to 1983. He was a second-team All-NFL player in 1980, ...

. Important players returning to the 1973 team included quarterback

, fullback

, tailback

, tight end

, wing back Clint Haslerig, defensive back Dave Brown, defensive tackle

, and defensive end Don Coleman. In April 1973, Michigan's recruiting class for the incoming class of 1973 was finalized. The class of 24 recruits included running back

Rob Lytle Robert William Lytle (November 12, 1954 – November 20, 2010) was an American football player. Lytle played college football at the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1976. A running back, he broke Michigan's career record with 3,317 rushing y ...

and wide receiver Jim Smith. Also in April, Michigan held its annual spring football game matching the "blue" and "white" squads against each other. Sophomore running back

reportedly "sparkled" with 75 rushing yards on 12 carries. Before the start of the season, head coach

told the media that he was "very, very high" on Dennis Franklin and that he planned on using a "balanced attack" with two-thirds running plays and one-third passing. Schembechler also stated that he took special pride in the 30 seniors on his 1973 team. Schembechler had recruited the senior class after suffering a heart attack following the 1969 season. He recalled, "My assistant coaches would bring them to my house. I'd get out of bed and put on a coat and tie. Then after they left I'd go back to bed, but I wanted to talk to them myself. I wanted them to know that Bo Schembechler was going to coach them if they came to Michigan." In the pre-season polls, Michigan was ranked No. 5 by the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

(AP) and No. 6 by the

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...

(UPI) with

No. 2 in the AP and No. 3 in the UPI poll.

USC USC most often refers to: * University of South Carolina, a public research university ** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses **South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program * University of ...

was ranked No. 1 in both polls. Former Michigan State coach

Duffy Daugherty Hugh Duffy Daugherty (September 8, 1915 – September 25, 1987) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Michigan State University from 1954 to 1972, compiling a record of 109–69–5. His 1965 and 1966 teams won ...

predicted Michigan, based on its strong offensive and defensive backfields, would win the

championship.

At Iowa

On September 15, 1973, Michigan opened its season with a 31–7 victory over

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

in front of a crowd of 52,105 at

Kinnick Stadium Nile Kinnick Stadium is a stadium located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the home stadium of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team. First opened in 1929 as Iowa Stadium to replace Iowa Field, it currently holds up to 69,250 peo ...

Iowa City Iowa City, offically the City of Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. It is the home of the University of Iowa and county seat of Johnson County, at the center of the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the time ...

. The Wolverines rushed for 440 yards against the Hawkeyes, led by tailback

(133 yards and a touchdown), fullback

(88 yards),

(69 yards and a touchdown), quarterback

(62 yards and a touchdown), and

(50 yards). Franklin completed only two of eight passes for 26 yards and threw two interceptions. In the second quarter, Iowa's

Earl Douthitt Earl Douthitt (September 8, 1952 – October 29, 2013) was an American football defensive back. He played for the Chicago Bears in 1975. He died after being hit by a car on October 29, 2013, in Cleveland, Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midw ...

returned an interception 47 yards for Iowa's only touchdown. Mike Lantry also kicked a 39-yard field goal and converted all four extra point attempts. Linebacker

led Michigan with 10 tackles and three assists.

Stanford

On September 22, 1973, Michigan defeated Stanford, 47–10, in front of a crowd of 80,177 at

Michigan Stadium Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House," is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere, the third largest stadium in the world, and the ...

. Michigan took a 21–0 lead in the first quarter and led 34–0 at halftime.

rushed for 49 yards and completed five of eight passes for 50 yards, including a four-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Mike Lantry broke Dana Coin's Michigan record with a 50-yard field goal in the second quarter; Lantry then broke his own record later in the quarter with a 51-yard field goal. The game was billed as revenge for Stanford's defeat of No. 3-ranked Michigan in the

1972 Rose Bowl The 1972 Rose Bowl was the 58th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Saturday, January 1. The Stanford Indians of the Pacific-8 Conference upset the undefeated and fourth-ranked Michi ...

scored Michigan's first touchdown, while

and

each scored two touchdowns. The Wolverines sacked Stanford quarterbacks

Mike Boryla Michael Jay Boryla (born March 6, 1951) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1970s. He played college football at Stanford University, where he was t ...

and Mike Cordova 11 times in the game. Stanford's only touchdown came on a 19-yard pass from Boryla to Reggie Ishman in the fourth quarter.

Navy

On September 29, 1973, Michigan defeated

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...

, 14-0, in front of a Band Day crowd of 88,042 at

. Michigan's two touchdowns were scored by

on an eight-yard run in the first quarter and

on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Navy completed 17 of 30 passes for 173 yards and three interceptions, with a touchdown pass being deflected at the last second by Dave Brown. Navy out-gained Michigan with 320 yard of total offense to 285 for Michigan. Michigan completed only one pass for four yards on three attempts. After the game, Michigan coach

complained that he "didn't see us block anybody", that his team "played the worst game I've ever coached in Michigan Stadium", and added, "I hope this is a humbling victory . . . if there is such a thing." Despite the shutout, Schembechler also ripped his defensive unit, complaining that they did not play pass defense and played "the worst game our defense has ever played in shutting anybody out."

Oregon

On October 6, 1973, Michigan defeated

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

, 24–0, in front of a crowd of 81,113 at Michigan Stadium. With

out of action due to a broken finger,

Larry Cipa Larry Cipa (born October 5, 1951) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines from 1971 to 1973 and professional football for the New Orleans Saints from 1974 to 1975. Early years Born in Detr ...

made his first career start at quarterback for Michigan. Michigan scored 14 points in the second quarter on a short run by

Bob Thornbladh Robert N. M. "Blade" Thornbladh (born September 19, 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a former American football player, coach and radio color commentator. He played for the Michigan Wolverines football team from 1971 to 1973 and was an assistant coa ...

and a short pass from Cipa to

. In the fourth quarter, Michigan padded its lead on an 83-yard punt return by

and a Mike Lantry field goal. Michigan totaled 183 rushing yards and 93 passing yards against the Ducks. Despite the 24-point margin of victory, the press viewed Michigan's performance as sluggish.

Joe Falls Joseph Francis Falls (May 2, 1928 – August 11, 2004) was an American journalist. He began his career in his native New York City. At the age of 17 in 1945, he took a job as a copyboy for the Associated Press. After an apprenticeship of eight years ...

, sports editor of the ''

Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...

'', wrote of the team: "It is sluggish on offense. It is making mistakes all over the place . . . This Michigan team isn't close to being the error-free Michigan teams we have come to know so well over these last four years."

At Michigan State

On October 13, 1973, Michigan defeated

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

, 31–0, in a soaking rainstorm before a crowd of 78,263 at Spartan Stadium. It was the Wolverines' third consecutive shutout and their most one-sided victory over the Spartans since

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...

. With the ball slippery due to the rain, Michigan recovered four Michigan State fumbles in the first quarter. Dave Brown scored Michigan's first touchdown on a 52-yard punt return.

scored on a 53-yard run around left end in the second quarter, and Michigan led 17–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, neither team scored as the rain became a "deluge". Michigan added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a six-yard pass from

and a two-yard run by

. Mike Lantry kicked a 35-yard field goal and converted all four extra point attempts. Dennis Franklin played with a broken finger, leading coach Schembechler to praise his one-handed quarterback for "a helluva job." On defense, the Wolverines held the Spartans to 40 rushing yards on 37 carries. Linebacker

had nine tackles, four of them for a loss, and recovered a fumble.

Wisconsin

On October 20, 1973, Michigan defeated

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

, 35–6, in front of a homecoming crowd of 87,723 at Michigan Stadium. With 108 passing yards and 415 rushing yards, the Wolverines tallied 523 yards of total offense. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 46-yard touchdown pass from

. Michigan's remaining touchdowns were scored by

(three-yard run in second quarter), Franklin (one-yard run in second quarter),

(four-yard run in third quarter), and Gordon Bell (seven-yard run in fourth quarter). Mike Lantry converted all five extra point attempts. Michigan's shutout streak ended after 15 consecutive quarters when Wisconsin scored on a freak play as a deflected pass resulted in a 65-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

At Minnesota

On October 27, 1973, Michigan defeated

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

, 34–7, before a homecoming crowd of 44,435 at Memorial Stadium in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

. The victory was Michigan's sixth in a row in the annual battle for the Little Brown Jug. Michigan rushed for 275 yards led by

with 73 yards and

with 69 yards. Shuttlesworth and Bell scored two rushing touchdowns each, and Mike Lantry kicked field goals of 27 and 29 yards and converted all four extra point kicks. Michigan took a 17–0 lead in the first quarter, including 10 points off early turnovers. On the second play from scrimmage, a Minnesota fumble was recovered by Michigan (Doug Troszak) to set up Lantry's first field goal. On Minnesota's next play from scrimmage, the Gophers fumbled again with Dave Brown recovering to set up a six-yard touchdown run by Shuttlesworth. After Bell scored in the second quarter, Michigan led 24–0 at halftime without having thrown a single pass. In the third quarter, Minnesota quarterback

Rick Upchurch Richard Upchurch (born May 20, 1952) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the Denver Broncos (1975–1983) of the National Football League (NFL). Before his NFL career, he attended Springfield High Sc ...

(later an All-Pro wide receiver for the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...

) threw a touchdown pass to a wide open Vince Fuller. Minnesota coach

Cal Stoll Calvin C. Stoll (December 12, 1923 – August 25, 2000) was an American football player and coach. He played Defensive End for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 1948 and 1949 seasons. Before graduating from Minnesota in June 1950, Stoll was nam ...

played eight men on the line, but Michigan's defense held Minnesota to 142 yards of total offense.

Indiana

On November 3, 1973, Michigan defeated

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

, 49–13, in front of 76,432 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan took a 42–0 lead in the second quarter before Indiana scored its first touchdown The Wolverines totaled 385 rushing yards and 96 passing yards.

was the game's leading rusher with 128 yards. After the game, Indiana coach

Lee Corso Lee Richard Corso (born August 7, 1935) is an American sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN and a former coach. He has been a featured analyst on ESPN's '' College GameDay'' program since its inception in 1987. Corso served as the he ...

praised both Michigan and Ohio State and predicted that the showdown between the two would be decided by a kicking mistake in the fourth quarter.

Illinois

On November 10, 1973, Michigan defeated

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...

, 21–6, in front of 76,461 at Michigan Stadium. Late in the first quarter, Michigan moved the ball to near midfield on a 25-yard run by

when an

Irish setter The Irish Setter ( ga, sotar rua, literally "red setter") is a setter, a breed of gundog, and family dog. The term ''Irish Setter'' is commonly used to encompass the show-bred dog recognised by the American Kennel Club as well as the field-bred ...

ran onto the field and delayed the game for several minutes. After the game,

joked, "When you're on offense, everything is momentum. We're standing in the huddle watching that dog and there goes our momentum." Neither team scored in the first quarter, but Illinois took a 6–0 lead in the second quarter on two field goals by Dan Beaver, the second of which bounced off the left upright down onto the crossbar before falling across. Michigan took the lead late in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by

. Michigan led, 7–6, at halftime. On the opening drive of the second half,

scored on a 33-yard touchdown run off an option pitch from

. In the fourth quarter, an option pitch by Franklin was deflected by Illinois. In the resulting scramble for the loose ball,

recovered and ran 20 yards for a touchdown with

knocking over three Illini with a block to clear Seal's path. Mike Lantry converted all three extra point kicks for Michigan. In uncharacteristic form, the Wolverines fumbled six times in the game, resulting in four turnovers. After the game, coach Schembechler promised that he'd run the next guy who fumbled "til his tongue hangs out." Michigan's defense held the Illini to 52 yards of total offense in the second half.

At Purdue

On November 17, 1973, Michigan defeated

Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

, 34–9, before a crowd of 56,485 at

Ross–Ade Stadium Ross–Ade Stadium is a stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, on the campus of Purdue University. It is the home field of Purdue Boilermakers football. The stadium was dedicated on November 22, 1924, and named in honor of Purdue alumni George Ade ...

West Lafayette, Indiana West Lafayette () is a city in Wabash Township, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, about northwest of the state capital of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette is directly across the Wabash River from its sister city, ...

. In a low-scoring first half, Michigan took the lead in the second quarter on a 41-yard touchdown pass from

to Clint Haslerig, but Mike Lantry missed the extra point kick after the snap from center was bobbled. Purdue kicked a 27-yard field goal later in the quarter, and Michigan led 6–3 at halftime. In the second half, Michigan's running game dominated as Franklin scored on touchdown runs of three and 12 yards in the third quarter,

scored on a pair of touchdown runs in the fourth quarter. Lantry converted all four extra point kicks in the second half. Michigan rushed for 310 yards in the game, including 84 yards by

, 66 yards by

, 64 yards for

, and 57 yards for Franklin. Franklin also completed three of seven passes for 70 yards. Purdue scored late in third quarter on an 18-yard pass from Bo Bobrowski to Herrick. Michigan's defense held Purdue to 119 yards (100 rushing and 19 passing). On the same afternoon, Ohio State defeated Iowa, 55–13, as

Archie Griffin Archie Mason Griffin (born August 21, 1954) is a former American football running back. He played seven seasons in the NFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. As college football's only two-time Heisman Trophy winner, he is considered one of the grea ...

broke the Buckeyes' single game record with 246 rushing yards. The victories by Michigan and Ohio State left both teams undefeated with the winner of the following week's rivalry match advancing to the Rose Bowl.

Ohio State

On November 24, 1973, #4 Michigan and #1

played to a 10–10 tie before a crowd of 105,223 at

. Ohio State scored 10 points in the second quarter on a 31-yard field goal by Blair Conway and a five-yard touchdown run by fullback Pete Johnson. Michigan scored 10 point in the fourth quarter on a 30-yard field goal by Mike Lantry and a 10-yard touchdown run by

. Franklin sustained a broken collarbone late in the fourth quarter. Michigan had 303 yards of total offense (204 rushing, 99 passing) to 234 yards (234 rushing and zero passing) for Ohio State.

rushed for 163 of Ohio State's 234 yards of total offense.

rushed for 116 yards for Michigan.

Rose Bowl controversy

With the Michigan–Ohio State game ending in a tie, Michigan and Ohio State tied for the

championship with Michigan at 10–0–1 and Ohio State at 9–0–1. Under a conference rule, the conference's berth to the

1974 Rose Bowl The 1974 Rose Bowl was the 60th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Tuesday, January 1. The Ohio State Buckeyes of the Big Ten Conference defeated the USC Trojans of the Pacific-8 Con ...

was decided by a vote of the conference's athletic directors. Ohio State won the vote with six of ten athletic directors voting to send the Buckeyes to Pasadena. The injury to Michigan's starting quarterback

was reported to be a significant factor in the vote of several athletic directors. The vote spawned a controversy, including public comments by the following: * Coach Schemechler blamed conference commissioner

Wayne Duke Wayne Duke (November 9, 1928 – March 29, 2017) was an American collegiate sports executive who served as commissioner of the Big Eight Conference from 1963 to 1971, then as commissioner of the Big Ten Conference from 1971 to 1989. Biography Ea ...

for engineering the vote and vowed, "I'm not going to let this drop. I'm going to get him." On being told that Duke had opened an investigation into Schembechler's alleged unsportsmanlike conduct which could result in the conference stripping Michigan of bowl privileges, Schembechler joked, "They already did that . . . that'd be double jeopardy." * Former Michigan football player

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...

, in one of his first public comments after taking office as

(Ford was sworn in on December 6, 1973), criticized the Big Ten's decision saying, "On the basis of that game with Ohio State, Michigan should have gone. Look at the statistics. Michigan was the better team in that game. Michigan won the first, third and fourth quarters and Ohio State won the second. Look at the records, Michigan won 10 games and Ohio State won nine and each had a tie." * A lawsuit was filed in federal court by a University of Michigan graduate student seeking an injunction requiring the Big Ten to conduct a new, public vote on which team should participate in the Rose Bowl. The University of Michigan refused to join the suit, and its athletic director

Don Canham Donald Burrell Canham (April 27, 1918 – May 3, 2005) was a track and field athlete and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the athletic director at the University of Michigan from 1968 to 1988. There, he became nationally r ...

called the suit "ridiculous", while its faculty representative Marcus Plant called it "frivolous". The federal judge assigned to the case denied the plaintiff's request for an injunction. * In

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, Congressman Marvin Esch told the House of Representatives he wanted "a full explanation as to the method of selection." * Michigan State athletic director Burt Smith, who reportedly cast the deciding vote for Ohio State, drew angry comments from Michigan legislators. Representative Loren Anderson announced that the legislature might respond by denying Michigan State University's application for a new law school. Other legislators said "the appropriations committee ought to scrutinize MSU's budget request a little closer next time around." A Michigan State spokesman stated that Smith had voted for the team with the best chance of winning the ose Bowlgame," and Smith himself stated that "no team dominated Michigan State the way Ohio State did." On January 1, 1974, Ohio State beat USC, 42-21. (In fact, Michigan State did not get a law school until nearly a quarter of a century later when the Detroit College of Law became the

Michigan State University College of Law The Michigan State University College of Law (Michigan State Law or MSU Law) is the law school of Michigan State University, a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan. Established in 1891 as the Detroit College of Law, it was the fi ...

Post-season

Michigan's undefeated season in 1973 was its first since

. At the end of the season,

was voted as the recipient of the team's most valuable player award, then known as the Louis B. Hyde Memorial Award. At six feet, six inches, Seal caught only 14 passes for 253 yards, but he was described by Michigan coaches as "the best blocking tight end ever to wear the maize and blue." Four Michigan players received recognition on the

1973 College Football All-America Team The 1973 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1973. The National Collegiate Athletic Assoc ...

. They were: * Defensive tackle

was recognized as a consensus All-American, receiving first-team honors from the

(AP), the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

(AFCA), the

Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...

(FWAA), the

Newspaper Enterprise Association The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...

, the

Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of foo ...

, ''

The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...

'', and ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine. * Defensive back Dave Brown was also recognized as a consensus All-American, receiving first-team honors from the AFCA, FWAA, and the

(UPI). * Mike Lantry was selected by ''Football News'' as a first-team All-American as "the nation's top placekicker". * Paul Seal was selected by the UPI as the second-team tight end on its All-America team. Fifteen Michigan players received honors from either the AP or UPI on their 1973 All-Big Ten Conference football teams. They Michigan honorees were: Dave Brown (AP-1, UPI-1),

(AP-1, UPI-1), Dave Gallagher (AP-1, UPI-1),

(AP-1, UPI-1),

(AP-1, UPI-1), Clint Haslerig (UPI-1), Jim Coode (AP-2, UPI-2), Paul Seal (AP-2, UPI-2),

(UPI-2), Don Coleman (UPI-2), Gary Hainrihar (UPI-2),

(AP-2),

(AP-2), Donald R. Warner (UPI-2), Walt Williamson (AP-2) Two days after the Ohio State game, Michigan assistant coach

Frank Maloney Kellie Maloney (born Francis Maloney, 23 January 1953) is an English boxing manager and promoter, and television personality. She managed Lennox Lewis between 1989 and 2001, who earned the title of undisputed heavyweight championship of the wo ...

was hired as the head coach at

Syracuse Syracuse may refer to: Places Italy *Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa'' *Province of Syracuse United States *Syracuse, New York **East Syracuse, New York **North Syracuse, New York *Syracuse, Indiana * Syracuse, Kansas *Syracuse, Miss ...

Tom Reed Thomas or Tom Reed may refer to: Politicians and military * Thomas Buck Reed (1787–1829), senator from Mississippi * Thomas Reed (British Army officer) (1796–1883), British general * Thomas Brackett Reed (1839–1902), Speaker of the House of R ...

, who had played for Schembechler at Miami (Ohio), was hired to replace Maloney. On January 3, 1974, the final

AP Poll The Associated Press poll (AP poll) provides weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling 62 sportswriters and broadca ...

rankings were announced. Notre Dame took the No. 1 spot, edging

, which had dropped out of the No. 1 spot after playing to a tie against Michigan. Michigan, which sat idle despite its undefeated record, dropped from the No. 5 spot to No. 6 spot, as Penn State rose to No. 5 after defeating LSU in the

Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game in th ...

. Two other selectors, the

and the

, recognize Michigan as a co-national champion for the 1973 season. On January 6, 1974, Schembechler coached the East team to a 24–14 win in the

Hula Bowl The Hula Bowl is a post-season college football all-star game held annually, usually in January. From inception through the 2021 playing, it was held in Hawaii; since the 2022 edition, it has been played in Orlando, Florida. The game was first st ...

rushed for 88 yards on 22 carries for the East squad. In the 1973 NFL Draft, held on January 29 and 30, 1974, the following Michigan players were selected.

Players

Offensive letter winners

The following players won

varsity letter A varsity letter (or monogram) is an award earned in the United States for excellence in school activities. A varsity letter signifies that its recipient was a qualified varsity team member, awarded after a certain standard was met. Description ...

s for their participation on the team's offensive unit. Players who were starters in at least half of the team's games, or who started the most games at a position, are shown with their names in bold. * James Armour, offensive guard, senior,

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

, Michigan *

, tailback, sophomore,

Troy, Ohio Troy is a city in and the county seat of Miami County, Ohio, Miami County, Ohio, United States, located north of Dayton, Ohio, Dayton. The population was 26,305 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the largest city in Miami Cou ...

* Jon Cederberg, tailback, senior,

Plymouth, Michigan Plymouth is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, United States. The population was 9,370 at the 2020 census. The city of Plymouth is surrounded by Plymouth Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Plymouth is a western suburb of Metro ...

, wing back, junior,

Elizabeth, New Jersey Elizabeth is a city and the county seat of Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New J ...

– started 3 games at tailback * John A. Cherry, offensive tackle, senior,

Willard, Ohio Willard is a city in southwestern Huron County, Ohio, United States, approximately southwest of Norwalk. The population was 6,236 at the 2010 census. History The original name of Willard was Chicago, named for the junction of the Baltimore an ...

, quarterback, senior,

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

– started 1 game at quarterback * Jim Coode, offensive tackle, junior,

Mayfield Heights, Ohio Mayfield Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and is an east-side suburb of Cleveland. The population was 18,827 at the 2010 census. History Mayfield Heights was initially built up as a streetcar suburb of Cleveland. It was ...

– started 9 games at right tackle * James C. Czirr, center, sophomore,

St. Joseph, Michigan St. Joseph, colloquially known as St. Joe, is a city and the county seat of Berrien County, Michigan. It was incorporated as a village in 1834 and as a city in 1891. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,365. It lies on the shore o ...

– started 2 games at center * Greg DenBoer, tight end, junior,

Kentwood, Michigan Kentwood is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 54,304 as of the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the northwest by Grand Rapids and is the third most-populated municipality in the Grand Rapids metropolitan ...

* Arthur W. Fediuk, tight end, senior,

Livonia, Michigan Livonia is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 95,535 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which ranked it as Michigan's ninth most-populated municipality. Livonia is a part ...

, quarterback, junior,

Massillon, Ohio Massillon is a city in Stark County, Ohio, Stark County in the U.S. state of Ohio, approximately west of Canton, Ohio, Canton, south of Akron, and south of Cleveland. The population was 32,146 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. Mass ...

– started 10 games at quarterback *

Dennis Franks Dennis John Franks (May 29, 1953 – October 16, 2021) was an American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL). He was a center and played on special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978 and for the D ...

, center, junior,

Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Bethel Park, officially the Municipality of Bethel Park, is a borough with home rule status in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, located approximately southwest of Pittsburgh. The pop ...

– started 5 games at center * Larry Gustafson, wing back, senior,

Mays Landing, New Jersey Mays Landing is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

* Gary Hainrihar, offensive guard, senior,

Cicero, Illinois Cicero (originally known as Hawthorne) is a suburb of Chicago and an Incorporated town#Illinois, incorporated town in Cook County, Illinois, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was ...

– started 3 games at right guard, 2 games at left guard * Clint Haslerig, wing back, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio – started all 11 games at wing back *

, tailback, junior,

Tiffin, Ohio Tiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Developed along the Sandusky River, which flows to Lake Erie, Tiffin is about 55 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 17,963 at the 2010 census.Mike Hoban Michael Angelus Hoban (born January 9, 1952) is a former American football player. A native of Chicago, Illinois, Hoban played high school football for Gordon Tech High School. He played college football as an offensive guard for the University ...

, offensive guard, junior, Chicago, Illinois * Thomas P. Jensen, center, junior,

Springfield, Illinois Springfield is the capital of the U.S. state of Illinois and the county seat and largest city of Sangamon County. The city's population was 114,394 at the 2020 census, which makes it the state's seventh most-populous city, the second largest o ...

– started 4 games at center * Keith Johnson, split end, sophomore,

Munster, Indiana Munster is a suburban town in North Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. It is in the Chicago metropolitan area, approximately southeast of the Chicago Loop, and shares municipal boundaries with Hammond to the north, Highland to th ...

* Larry L. Johnson, defensive end, senior,

– started all 11 games at split end * R. Steven King, offensive tackle, junior,

Oxford, Michigan Oxford is a village in Oakland County, Michigan, Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,436 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census. The village is located within Oxford Charter Township, Michigan, Oxford Towns ...

* Kirk Lewis, offensive tackle, sophomore,

Garden City, Michigan Garden City is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,692. The city is part of the Metro Detroit region and is approximately west of the city of Detroit. M-153 (Ford Road) r ...

– started 2 games at right guard, 1 game at left guard * David F. Metz, offensive guard, junior,

Harrison, Ohio Harrison is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. The city is located in the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky metropolitan area. The population was 9,897 at the 2010 census, and was estimated in 2019 to be 11,896. History Harrison was l ...

– started 6 games at right guard, 1 game at left guard * George Przygodski, tight end, sophomore,

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

, tight end, senior, Detroit, Michigan – started all 11 games at tight end *

, fullback, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio – started all 11 games at fullback *

Tom Slade Thomas A. Slade (April 6, 1952 – November 12, 2006) was an American football quarterback who played for the University of Michigan Wolverines football team from 1971 to 1973. Saginaw High School Slade was born in Manotick, Michigan, but wa ...

, quarterback, senior,

Saginaw, Michigan Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...

* Jim Smith, end, freshman,

Blue Island, Illinois Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately south of Chicago's Loop. Blue Island is adjacent to the city of Chicago and shares its northern boundary with that city's Morgan Park neighborhood. The population was 22,558 ...

* Ronald Szydlowski, wing back, senior,

Wyandotte, Michigan Wyandotte ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 25,058 at the 2020 census. Wyandotte is located in southeastern Michigan, approximately south of Detroit on the Detroit River, and it is part of the coll ...

* John E. Thomas, center, senior, Detroit, Michigan *

, fullback, senior,

* Douglas Troszak, offensive tackle, senior,

Warren, Michigan Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 Census places the city's population at 139,387, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb. T ...

* Curtis Tucker, offensive tackle, senior, Cleveland, Ohio – started all 11 games at left tackle * Pat Tumpane, offensive tackle, junior,

Midlothian, Illinois Midlothian () is a village in Bremen Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a southwestern suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census the population was 14,325. History Like many southwest suburbs of Chicago in the 1800s and ear ...

– started 2 games at right tackle

Defensive letter winners

The following players won varsity letters for their participation on the team's defensive unit. Players who were starters in at least half of the team's games are shown with their names in bold. *

Dave Brandon David Allen Brandon (born May 15, 1952) is an American businessman. He is the former chief executive officer of Toys "R" Us. From 1999 to 2009, he served as the president and chief executive officer of Domino's, and from 2010 to 2014, he was th ...

, defensive end, senior,

* Dave Brown, safety, junior,

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

– started all 11 games at safety *Roy W. Burks, defensive back, junior,

Midland, Michigan Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Michigan. The city's population was 42,547 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area, part of the larger Saginaw-Midland-Bay City Comb ...

* Don Coleman, defensive end, senior, Daly City, Ohio – started all 11 games at right defensive end * Tim Davis, middle guard, sophomore,

Warren, Ohio Warren is a city in and the county seat of Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. Located in northeastern Ohio, Warren lies approximately northwest of Youngstown and southeast of Cleveland. The population was 39,201 at the 2020 census. The his ...

– started 7 games at middle guard * Michael J. Day, linebacker, senior,

* Barry Dotzauer, defensive back, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio – started 10 games at weak-side defensive halfback * Thomas E. Drake, defensive back, junior,

– started 1 game at weak-side defensive halfback *

Don Dufek Donald Patrick Dufek Jr. (born April 28, 1954) is a former American football player who played safety and special teams for eight seasons with the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He had previously played for the Michigan W ...

, wolfman, sophomore,

East Grand Rapids, Michigan East Grand Rapids is a city in Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 10,694. The city is part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area and is surrounded by Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids Township, bu ...

– started all 11 games at wolfman * Donald R. Eaton, defensive end, senior,

Lancaster, Ohio Lancaster ( ) is a city in Fairfield County, Ohio, in the south-central part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 40,552. The city is near the Hocking River, about southeast of Columbus and southwest of Zanesville. It is ...

* Dave Elliott, defensive back, junior,

Coral Gables, Florida Coral Gables, officially City of Coral Gables, is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city is located southwest of Downtown Miami. As of the 2020 U.S. census, it had a population of 49,248. Coral Gables is known globally as home to the ...

– started all 11 games at strong-side defensive halfback *

, defensive tackle, senior,

Piqua, Ohio Piqua ( ) is a city in Miami County, southwest Ohio, United States, 27 miles north of Dayton. The population was 20,522 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was founded as the village of Washington in ...

– started all 11 games at right defensive tackle *

Dan Jilek Daniel Douglas Jilek (December 3, 1953 – March 6, 2002) was an American football player. He played professional football as a linebacker for the Buffalo Bills from 1976 to 1979. He was drafted by the Bills in the fourth round, as the 109th ...

, defensive end, sophomore,

Sterling Heights, Michigan Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a total population of 134,346. It is the second largest suburb in Metro Detroit, and the fourth la ...

* Gregory Koss, safety, senior,

Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Cuyahoga Falls ( or ) is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 51,114. The second-largest city in Summit County, it is located directly north of Akron and is a suburb of the Akron metropol ...

* James M. Lyall, defensive tackle, senior, North Olmstead, Ohio * Craig A. Mutch, linebacker, senior, Detroit * Jeff Perlinger, offensive tackle, junior,

Crystal, Minnesota Crystal is a first-ring suburban city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States that is about 5 miles from Downtown Minneapolis. The population was 22,151 at the 2010 census. Minnesota State Highway 100 and County Road 81 are two of the main ...

– started 1 game at left defensive tackle * Carl Russ, linebacker, sophomore,

Muskegon Heights, Michigan Muskegon Heights is a city in Muskegon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,856 at the 2010 census. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. The city is surrounded o ...

– started all 11 games at w. linebacker * Geoffrey Steger, wolf, junior,

Winnetka, Illinois Winnetka () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,316 as of 2019. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of household income. It was the second- ...

, linebacker, sophomore,

Middletown, Ohio Middletown is a city located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio, about 35 miles (47 km) north of Cincinnati. The population as of the 2020 census was 50,987. It is part of the Cincinnati metropo ...

– started all 11 games at middle linebacker * Douglas Troszak, defensive tackle, senior,

– started 10 games at defensive left tackle * Jovan Vercel, linebacker, senior, Highland, Indiana * Donald R. Warner, middle guard, senior,

Dearborn, Michigan Dearborn is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 109,976. Dearborn is the seventh most-populated city in Michigan and is home to the largest Muslim population in the United States pe ...

– started 4 games at middle guard * Walter Williamson, defensive end, senior, Detroit, Michigan – started all 11 games at left defensive end

Other players

The following players did not win varsity letters, but participated as backups or as members of the junior varsity (JV) or all freshman (AF) teams. * Harry Banks, tailback, senior,

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, Ohio * Jim Bolden, tailback, freshman (JV),

* Kevin Casey, quarterback, senior,

* Jim Hackett, linebacker, freshman (JV),

London, Ohio London is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Ohio, United States. Located about southwest of the Ohio capital of Columbus, London was established in 1811 to serve as the county seat. The population was 10,279 at the 2020 census. ...

, tailback (JV), freshman,

Fremont, Ohio Fremont is a city in and the county seat of Sandusky County, Ohio, United States, located along the banks of the Sandusky River. It is about 35 miles from Toledo and 25 miles from Sandusky. It is part of the Toledo metropolitan area. The populat ...

Les Miles Leslie Edwin Miles (born November 10, 1953) is a former American football coach. He most recently served as the head coach at Kansas. His head coaching career began with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, where he coached from 2001 to 2004. Following t ...

, offensive guard, sophomore,

Elyria, Ohio Elyria ( ) is a city in the Greater Cleveland metropolitan statistical area and the county seat of Lorain County, Ohio, United States, located at the forks of the Black River in Northeast Ohio 23 miles southwest of Cleveland. As of the 2020 cen ...

Calvin O'Neal Calvin O'Neal (born October 6, 1954) is a former professional American football linebacker who played for the Baltimore Colts in 1978 and was an All-American and team co-captain for the University of Michigan Wolverines in 1976. Amateur career ...

, linebacker, sophomore,

Awards and honors

All-Americans The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

: Dave Brown (consensus),

(consensus), Mike Lantry (''Football News''),

(UPI-2) * All-Conference: Dave Brown (AP-1, UPI-1),

(AP-1, UPI-1), Dave Gallagher (AP-1, UPI-1),

(AP-1, UPI-1),

(AP-1, UPI-1), Clint Haslerig (UPI-1), Jim Coode (AP-2, UPI-2), Paul Seal (AP-2, UPI-2),

(UPI-2), Don Coleman (UPI-2), Gary Hainrihar (UPI-2),

(AP-2),

(AP-2), Donald R. Warner (UPI-2), Walt Williamson (AP-2) * Most Valuable Player: Paul Seal * Meyer Morton Award: Paul Seal * John Maulbetsch Award: Don Dufek * Frederick Matthei Award: Dave Brown * Arthur Robinson Scholarship Award: Don Warner

Statistical leaders

The following players were Michigan's statistical leaders for the 1973 season.(Michigan's statistical leaders for 1973 can be retrieved by entering the year "1973" into the box for "Enter Year".)

Rushing

Passing

Receiving

Kickoff returns

Punt returns

Tackles

Coaching staff

*Head coach:

*Assistant coaches:

Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of l ...

, Tirrel Burton, Jerry Hanlon,

Jack Harbaugh Jack Avon Harbaughhttp://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/%7Ebattle/celeb/harbaugh.htm (born June 28, 1939) is a former American football player and coach. He is known for being the longtime head coach at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers fo ...

George Mans George W. Mans Jr. (January 31, 1940 – December 20, 2017) was an American college football player and coach and politician. He was the captain of the 1961 Michigan Wolverines football team, an assistant football coach at the University of Michig ...

Gary Moeller Gary Oscar Moeller (; January 26, 1941 – July 11, 2022) was an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 f ...

Chuck Stobart Charles R. Stobart (October 27, 1932 – November 29, 2022) was an American college football player and coach. He played as a quarterback at Ohio University in the 1950s. He was a football coach at various schools for 42 years from 1959 to 200 ...

Elliot Uzelac Elliot Uzelac (born July 24, 1941) is an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Western Michigan University from 1975 to 1981 and the United States Naval Academy from 1987 to 1989, compiling a career college football coa ...

*Trainer:

Lindsy McLean J. Lindsy McLean was an American football coach and athletic trainer for college and professional American football teams for nearly 50 years. McLean's college career began as a student athletic trainer at Vanderbilt University in 1956. In 1963, ...

*Manager: James T. Bueter

References

External links

1973 Football Team -- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History
{{Big Ten Conference football champions

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

Michigan Wolverines football seasons Big Ten Conference football champion seasons College football undefeated seasons

Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...