The 1973 College Football Season: A Year of Undefeated Teams and Controversial Decisions

The 1973 college football season was a captivating one for fans and historians alike. Games and legacies were often decided by the narrowest of margins, where a tipped pass, a questionable call, or an unpredictable bounce could dramatically alter the outcome. Even a single loss could shatter a team’s national championship aspirations.

A New Era for College Athletics

The 1973 season marked a significant transition in college athletics, as the NCAA divided its member institutions into three divisions: Divisions I, II, and III. This restructuring aimed to create a more equitable competitive landscape for schools of varying sizes and resources.

The Championship Chase: Two Undefeated Titans Clash

The season culminated in a highly anticipated Sugar Bowl showdown between two undefeated powerhouses: the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Alabama, coached by the legendary Bear Bryant, entered the game ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI), boasting an unblemished 11-0 record. Notre Dame, led by coach Ara Parseghian, was ranked No. 3 by the AP and No. 4 by UPI, with a 10-0 record.

This clash of titans was further intensified by the fact that the UPI Coaches’ Poll, at the time, released its final rankings before the bowl games. This meant that Alabama had already been crowned the UPI national champion on December 4th. The AP, however, waited until after the bowl games to release its final poll.

In a thrilling, back-and-forth contest that featured six lead changes, Notre Dame emerged victorious, defeating Alabama 24-23. Bob Thomas's late field goal sealed the win for the Fighting Irish, securing them the AP national championship.

Big Ten Controversy: A Bitter Pill for Michigan

The Big Ten Conference endured a season of high drama and controversy. Both Michigan and Ohio State finished the regular season undefeated, with their only blemish being a tie against each other. This presented a dilemma for the conference, as only one team could represent the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl.

The decision ultimately fell to the conference athletic directors, who voted 6-4 to send Ohio State to Pasadena. A significant factor in their decision was the injury to Michigan’s starting quarterback, Dennis Franklin, during the game against Ohio State. This decision infuriated Michigan coach Bo Schembechler, who felt his team had been unfairly denied the opportunity to compete for the national title.

Big 8 Showdown: The Rise of Oklahoma

In the Big 8 Conference, a rivalry of epic proportions began to take shape between Tom Osborne’s Nebraska Cornhuskers and Barry Switzer’s Oklahoma Sooners. In their first clash, Switzer’s Sooners dominated, holding Nebraska’s offense to a mere 174 yards and shutting them out.

However, due to Oklahoma being on probation by the Big 8, Nebraska went on to face Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Despite Nebraska's Cotton Bowl appearance, Oklahoma linebacker Rod Shoate dismissively referred to it as “the Losers Bowl,” highlighting Oklahoma's dominant victories over both teams during the regular season.

Individual Brilliance: Cappelletti's Heisman Triumph

Penn State running back John Cappelletti had the third best year in Penn State history when he gained 1,117 yards rushing in 1972. The 1973 season saw John Cappelletti become the first running back since 1968 to win the Heisman Trophy. He led the nation in rushing with 1,522 yards and scored 17 touchdowns. His acceptance speech was particularly memorable, as he tearfully dedicated the award to his brother, Joey, who was battling leukemia. Joey died in 1976 at age 14. Cappelletti's Heisman win was a testament to his exceptional talent and the powerful bond between brothers. As a senior in 1973, he had the second best year in school history rushing for 1,522 yards. In his two-year running career, he gained 100 yards in the thirteen games and had a career total of 2,639 yards and twenty-nine touchdowns for an average of 120 yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry.

Bowl Game Results

The 1973 bowl season produced several memorable contests:

Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame (10-0) 24, Alabama (10-0) 23
Cotton Bowl: Nebraska (8-2-1) 19, Texas (8-2) 3
Rose Bowl: Ohio State (9-0-1) 42, USC (9-1-1) 21
Orange Bowl: Penn State (11-0) 16, LSU (9-2) 9

What Almost Happened: A Hypothetical Twist

Imagine a scenario where the outcomes of every one-score game in the 1973 season were flipped. This hypothetical exercise reveals some intriguing possibilities.

The biggest beneficiary of this scenario would be the Cincinnati Bearcats. Led by first-year head coach Tony Mason, Cincinnati would surge to a perfect 11-0 record, boasting the sixth-ranked defense in the nation. Conversely, their cross-town rival, Xavier, would plummet from 5-5-1 to 0-10-1.

Penn State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma would each suffer a single loss in this alternate reality. Miami of Ohio would experience a significant drop, falling from 10-0 to 6-4. Alabama, Michigan, and Ohio State would remain undefeated, setting the stage for a fierce battle for the national championship.

Despite Penn State's loss to NC State in this hypothetical scenario, John Cappelletti would still win the Heisman Trophy, having more than doubled the votes of the second-place finisher, Ohio State offensive lineman John Hicks.

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Alternate Bowl Matchups

In this alternate world, the major bowl matchups would look quite different:

Sugar Bowl: Alabama (11-0) vs. Maryland (10-1)
Cotton Bowl: Texas (10-1) vs. Arizona State (10-1)
Rose Bowl: Ohio State (9-0-1) vs. USC (8-2-1)
Orange Bowl: Penn State (10-1) vs. Notre Dame (9-1)

In this scenario, Alabama would likely retain its UPI Coaches’ Poll title and face Maryland in the Sugar Bowl. Ohio State would still earn a Rose Bowl berth against USC. Oklahoma would retain its Big 8 title but remain ineligible for postseason play. Penn State would likely play in the Orange Bowl against a 9-1 Notre Dame team. Texas would bring its Southwest Conference championship to the Cotton Bowl, facing WAC champion Arizona State.

A Shift in the Championship Landscape

With an undefeated record and a strong showing on both offense and defense, Alabama would likely be crowned the AP national champion in this hypothetical scenario. Ohio State and Oklahoma would also have strong claims to the title.

Lasting Legacies: Unchanged or Slightly Altered?

While the hypothetical scenario alters the championship landscape, it has a limited impact on the legacies of key figures. Ara Parseghian's coaching legacy at Notre Dame was already secure due to his previous success, including a national title in 1966. Bear Bryant's legendary status at Alabama was also well-established, and winning both major polls in this alternate scenario would not significantly enhance his legacy.

However, Tom Osborne's Nebraska Cornhuskers would experience a notable decline, dropping from 8-2-1 and a Cotton Bowl bid to 7-3-1 and out of the major bowls. This would represent a significant setback for the defending Orange Bowl champions.

The 1973 NCAA Division III Football Season

The 1973 season also marked the beginning of the NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs, the first single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The inaugural edition had only four teams (in comparison with the 40 teams competing as of 2024). The championship game was held at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama.

Rule Changes in 1973

Several rule changes were implemented for the 1973 season:

Free substitution was allowed.
The fair catch signal was standardized as waving one arm side to side before the ball is caught.
All players were required to wear a mouth guard and a fully buckled chin strap.

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