1973 Akron Zips football team

The 1973 Akron Zips football team represented Akron University in the 1973 NCAA Division II football season as an independent. Led by first-year head coach Jim Dennison, the Zips played their home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. They finished the season with a record of 6–5 and outscored their opponents 289–203.

1973 Akron Zips football
Conference	Independent
Record	6–5
Head coach	Jim Dennison (1st season)
Captain	John Maher Bob Holian
Home stadium	Rubber Bowl

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
Trinity (TX)			–					8	–	3	–	0
UNLV			–					8	–	3	–	0
No. 13 Delaware ^			–					8	–	4	–	0
Western Carolina			–					6	–	3	–	1
Central Michigan			–					7	–	4	–	0
Nevada			–					7	–	4	–	0
Western Illinois			–					7	–	4	–	0
Milwaukee			–					6	–	4	–	1
Eastern Michigan			–					6	–	4	–	0
American International			–					5	–	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
Kentucky State			–					3	–	8	–	0
Northern Michigan			–					2	–	7	–	1
Eastern Illinois			–					2	–	9	–	0
Portland State			–					1	–	10	–	0
^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from AP small college poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 8	at Delaware	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	L 24–45	18,640
September 15	Butler	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 51–19	37,484
September 22	at Temple	Temple Stadium Philadelphia, PA	L 33–47	9,051
September 29	Ball State	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 14–16	9,755
October 6	at Tampa	Tampa Stadium Tampa, FL	L 7–21	12,358
October 13	at Northern Michigan	Memorial Field Marquette, MI	W 31–7	6,455
October 20	Youngstown State	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Steel Tire)	W 31–7	10,935
October 27	at Southern Illinois	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	L 13–14	11,000
November 3	Indiana State	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 31–14	5,264
November 10	at Western Illinois	Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 12–7	14,200
November 17	Gustavus Adolphus	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 42–7	5,863
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game