1973 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team

The 1973 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team represented Western Illinois University as an independent during the 1973 NCAA Division II football season. They were led by fifth-year head coach Darrell Mudra and played their home games at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks finished the season with a 7–4 record. The team received a bid to the inaugural NCAA Division II Football Championship, where they lost to Louisiana Tech in the quarterfinal.[1]

1973 Western Illinois Leathernecks football
ConferenceIndependent
Record7–4
Head coach
Home stadiumHanson Field
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
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

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 15at Northern IowaL 14–205,850[2]
September 22Northern MichiganW 14–1015,450[3]
September 29Milwaukee
  • Hanson Field
  • Macomb, IL
W 28–39,275[4]
October 6No. 4 Eastern Michigan
  • Hanson Field
  • Macomb, IL
W 24–2110,300[5]
October 13at Mankato StateW 34–234,100[6]
October 20Central Michigan
  • Hanson Field
  • Macomb, IL
W 24–1819,850[7]
October 27at Indiana StateNo. 14L 14–224,100[8]
November 3at Northern IllinoisW 30–2712,500–12,750[9]
November 10Akron
  • Hanson Field
  • Macomb, IL
L 7–1214,200[10]
November 17at Eastern IllinoisW 56–131,500[11]
December 1at No. 3 Louisiana TechL 13–1815,200[12]
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Western Illinois Football Record Book" (PDF). Western Illinois University Athletics. p. 70. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  2. ^ "Salmon, UNI Stun Western Illinois". Des Moines Register. September 16, 1973. p. 4D. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Late Rally Tips Northern". Green Bay Press-Gazette. September 23, 1973. p. D2. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "W. Illinois Routs UW-M". Racine Journal Times. Associated Press. September 30, 1973. p. 3D. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Conklin, Mike (October 7, 1973). "Birch boot gives W.I.U. 24-21 upset". Chicago Tribune. p. 3:7. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Weekend briefs". Rapid City Journal. Associated Press. October 15, 1973. p. 19. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "19,850 watch W. Illinois win on homecoming". Chicago Tribune. UPI. October 21, 1973. p. 3:7. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Orman, J. Doug (October 28, 1973). "Sycamores Upset Western Illinois". The Terre Haute Tribune. p. 45. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Western Ill. Nips Northern On Field Goal". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Associated Press. November 4, 1973. p. 4L. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Nold, Bob (November 11, 1973). "Western Illinois Victim Of Akron's Record Field Goal". Akron Beacon Journal. p. B1. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Western Wallops EIU 56-13". Herald and Review. November 18, 1973. p. 19. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Van Thyn, Nico (December 2, 1973). "Tech Scrapes By, 18-13". The Shreveport Times. p. 1D. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Final 1973 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 10, 2022.