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, 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 and scoring defense.
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. RankTeamHead coachAP finalAP highOverall recordConf. recordPPGPAGMVP
1 Ohio StateWoody Hayes#2#110–0–17–0–137.55.8Archie Griffin
1 MichiganBo Schembechler#6#410–0–17–0–130.06.2Paul Seal
3MinnesotaCal StollNRNR7–46–223.626.8Steve Neils
4 IllinoisBob BlackmanNRNR5–64–414.914.3Octavus Morgan
4 Michigan StateDenny StolzNRNR5–64–410.414.9Ray Nester
4 PurdueAlex AgaseNRNR6–56–218.219.4Bo Bobrowski
4 NorthwesternJohn PontNRNR4–74–417.127.2Stan Kay
8WisconsinJohn JardineNRNR4–73–519.621.5Mike Webster
9 IndianaLee CorsoNRNR2–90–813.724.6Chuck Sukurs
9 IowaFrank LauterburNRNR0–110–812.736.5Brian Rollins

Key
AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1973 season
AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1973 season
PPG = Average of points scored per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold
PAG = Average of points allowed per game; conference leader's average displayed in bold
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

Pre-season

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

September 15

On September 15, 1973, the Big Ten football teams opened the season with five conference games.
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.
On September 29, 1973, the Big Ten teams played 10 non-conference games, resulting in three wins and seven losses.
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.
On October 13, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On October 20, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On October 27, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 3, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 10, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 17, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On November 24, 1973, the Big Ten teams played five conference games.
On January 1, 1974, Ohio State defeated USC, 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

Passing yards

1. Mitch Anderson, Northwestern
2. Gregg Bohlig, Wisconsin
3. Jeff Hollenbach, Illinois
4. Willie Jones, Indiana
5. Bo Bobrowski, Purdue

Rushing yards

1. Archie Griffin, Ohio State
2. Billy Marek, Wisconsin
3. Stan Key, Northwestern
4. Rick Upchurch, Minnesota
5. Ed Shuttlesworth, Michigan

Receiving yards

1. Trent Smock, Indiana
2. Steve Craig, Northwestern
3. Garvin Roberson, Illinois
3. Mike Flanagan, Indiana
5. Brian Rollins, Iowa

Total offense

1. Bo Bobrowski, Purdue
2. Mitch Anderson, Northwestern
3. Archie Griffin, Ohio State
4. Billy Marek, Wisconsin
5. Jeff Hollenbach, Illinois

Passing efficiency rating

1. Gregg Bohlig, Wisconsin
2. Mitch Anderson, Northwestern
3. Jeff Hollenbach, Illinois

Rushing yards per attempts

1. Archie Griffin, Ohio State
2. Rick Upchurch, Minnesota
3. Chuck Heater, Michigan
4. Cornelius Greene, Ohio State
5. Ken Starch, Wisconsin

Yards per reception

1. Garvin Roberson, Illinois
2. Steve Craig, Northwestern
3. Trent Smock, Indiana
4. Mike Flanagan, Indiana
5. Brian Rollins, Iowa

Points scored

1. Billy Marek, Wisconsin
1. Bruce Elia, Ohio State
3. Cornelius Greene, Ohio State
4. Rick Upchurch, Minnesota
4. Ed Shuttlesworth, Michigan

Awards and honors

All-Big Ten honors

The following players were picked by the Associated Press and/or the United Press International as first-team players on the 1973 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
Offense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
QuarterbackDennis FranklinMichiganAP, UPI
Running backArchie GriffinOhio StateAP, UPI
Running backEd ShuttlesworthMichiganAP, UPI
Running backBilly MarekWisconsinAP
EndSteve CraigNorthwesternAP, UPI
EndBrian RollinsIowaAP
Split endGarvin RobersonIllinoisUPI
FlankerClint HaslerigMichiganUPI
TackleJohn HicksOhio StateAP, UPI
TackleKurt SchumacherOhio StateUPI
TackleKeith FahnhorstMinnesotaAP
GuardMike HobanMichiganAP, UPI
GuardJim KregelOhio StateAP, UPI
CenterMike WebsterWisconsinAP, UPI

Defense
PositionNameTeamSelectors
Defensive lineVan DeCreeOhio StateAP , UPI
Defensive lineSteve NeilsMinnesotaAP , UPI
Defensive linePete CusickOhio StateAP , UPI
Defensive lineDave GallagherMichiganAP , UPI
Defensive lineVic KoegelOhio StateUPI
Defensive lineOctavus MorganIllinoisAP
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. The Big Ten's consensus All-Americans were:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
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:
PositionNameTeamSelectors
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 ; Archie Griffin ; and Randy Gradishar.

1974 NFL Draft

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