The 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1973 college football season . In his fifth year as Michigan's head coach, Bo Schembechler led the team to a 10–0–1 record. It was Michigan's first undefeated season since 1948 . The Wolverines outscored their opponents 330 to 68. Michigan was ranked #6 in both post-season polls.
The season ended with a 10-10 tie against Ohio State. Both teams entered undefeated, with the winner guaranteed a trip to the Rose Bowl. When the game ended in a tie, the Big Ten athletic directors votedin a secret ballot to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl. Michigan athletic officials and fans were outraged, and Schembechler argued that Michigan was robbed of its on-field achievements. For months afterward, Ohio State newspapers were flooded with angry Wolverine letters and threats of lawsuits.
On offense, the team was led by quarterback Dennis Franklin who completed 36 of 67 passes for 534 yards and rushed 101 times for 425 yards. Four Michigan running backs, Ed Shuttlesworth , Chuck Heater , Gil Chapman , and Gordon Bell , combined for 2,417 rushing yards. Shuttlesworth, Franklin, wing back Clint Haserlig , and offensive guard Bill Hoban were all selected as All-Big Ten Conference players.
On defense, the Wolverines held opponents to 68 points, an average of 6.2 points per game. Defensive tackle Dave Gallagher and cornerback Dave Brown were both selected as first-team All-Americans. Middle linebacker Steve Strinko led the team with 77 total tackles and 108 total tackles.
Schedule [ ]
Date
Time
Opponent#
Rank #
Site
TV
Result
Attendance
September 15, 1973
at Iowa
#5/NA
Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA
W 31–7 52,105
September 22, 1973*
Stanford
#5/6
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
W 47–10 80,177
September 29, 1973*
Navy
#4/4
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
W 14–0 88,042
October 6, 1973*
Oregon
#5/5
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
W 24–0 81,113
October 13, 1973
at Michigan State
#5/4
Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI
W 21–0 78,263
October 20, 1973†
Wisconsin
#4/4
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
W 35–6 87,723
October 27, 1973
at Minnesota
#4/4
Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN
W 34–7 44,435
October 27, 1973
Indiana
#4/4
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
W 49–13 76,432
November 10, 1973
Illinois
#4/4
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
W 21–6 76,461
November 17, 1973
at Purdue
#4/4
Ross–Ade Stadium • West Lafayette, IN
W 34–9 56,485
November 24, 1973
#1/1 Ohio State
#4/4
Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI
T 10–10 105,223
*Non-Conference Game. † Homecoming. # Rankings from AP Poll / Coaches' Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time .
Game notes [ ] Iowa [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
• Michigan
10
7
7
7
31
Iowa
0
7
0
0
7
Scoring summary 1
Michigan Lantry 39 yard field goal Michigan 3-0 1
Michigan Heater 1 yard run (Lantry kick) Michigan 10-0 2
Iowa Douthitt 47 yard interception return (Kokolus kick) Michigan 10-7 2
Michigan Thornbladh 3 yard run (Lantry kick) Michigan 17-7 3
Michigan Chapman 12 yard run (Lantry kick) Michigan 24-7 4
Michigan Franklin 11 yard run (Lantry kick) Michigan 31-7
[1]
Oregon [ ]
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
Oregon
0
0
0
0
0
• Michigan
0
14
0
10
24
Date: October 6 Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Scoring summary 2
Michigan Bob Thornbladh 2 yard run (Mike Lantry kick)Michigan 7-0 2
Michigan Paul Seal 4 yard pass from Larry Cipa (Mike Lantry kick)Michigan 14-0 4
Michigan Gil Chapman 83 yard punt return (Mike Lantry kick)Michigan 21-0 4
Michigan Mike Lantry 39 yard field goal Michigan 24-0
Larry Cipa made his first career start in place of the injured Dennis Franklin , who missed the game due to a broken index finger suffered in practice during the week. [2]
Players [ ] Offense [ ] James Armour, offensive guard, senior, Detroit , Michigan
Harry Banks, tailback, senior, Cleveland, Ohio
Gordon Bell , tailback, sophomore, Troy, Ohio Jim Bolden, tailback, freshman, Akron, Ohio
Kevin Casey, quarterback, senior, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Jon Cederberg, tailback, senior, Plymouth, Michigan
Gil Chapman , wing back, junior, Elizabeth, New Jersey - started 3 games at tailbackJohn A. Cherry, offensive tackle, senior, Willard, Ohio
Larry Cipa , quarterback, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 1 game at quarterbackJim Coode , offensive tackle, junior, Mayfield Heights, Ohio - started 9 games at right tackleJames C. Czirr, center, sophomore, St. Joseph, Michigan - started 2 games at center
Greg DenBoer, tight end, junior, Kentwood, Michigan
Arthur W. Fediuk, tight end, senior, Livonia, Michigan
Dennis Franklin , quarterback, junior, Massillon, Ohio - started 10 games at quarterbackDennis Franks , center, junior, Bethel Park, Pennsylvania - started 5 games at centerLarry Gustafson, wing back, senior, Mays Landing, New Jersey
Gary Hainrihar, offensive guard, senior, Cicero, Illinois - started 3 games at right guard, 2 games at left guard
Clint Haslerig , wing back, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started all 11 games at wing backChuck Heater , tailback, junior, Tiffin, Ohio - started 8 games at tailbackBill Hoban, offensive tackle, senior, Chicago, Illinois - started 7 games at left guard
Mike Hoban , offensive guard, junior, Chicago, IllinoisThomas P. Jensen, center, junior, Springfield, Illinois - started 4 games at center
Keith Johnson, split end, sophomore, Munster, Indiana
Larry L. Johnson, defensive end, senior, Munster, Indiana - started all 11 games at split end
R. Steven King, offensive tackle, junior, Tiffin, Ohio
Mike Lantry , place-kicker, junior, Oxford, Michigan Kirk Lewis, offensive tackle, sophomore, Garden City, Michigan - started 2 games at right guard, 1 game at left guard
Rob Lytle , tailback (JV), freshman, Fremont, Ohio David F. Metz, offensive guard, junior, Harrison, Ohio - started 6 games at right guard, 1 game at left guard
Jeff Perlinger, offensive tackle, junior, Crystal, Minnesota - started 1 game at left defensive tackle
George Przygodski, tight end, sophomore, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Paul Seal , tight end, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 11 games at tight endEd Shuttlesworth , fullback, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started all 11 games at fullbackTom Slade , quarterback, senior, Saginaw, Michigan Jim Smith , end, freshman, Blue Island, Illinois Ronald Szydlowski, wing back, senior, Wyandotte, Michigan
John E. Thomas, center, senior, Detroit, Michigan
Bob Thornbladh , fullback, senior, Plymouth, Michigan Curtis Tucker, offensive tackle, senior, Cleveland, Ohio - started all 11 games at left tackle
Pat Tumpane, offensive tackle, junior, Midlothian, Illinois - started 2 games at right tackle Defense [ ] Dave Brandon , defensive end, senior, Plymouth, Michigan Dave Brown , safety, junior, Akron, Ohio - started all 11 games at safetyRoy W. Burks, defensive back, junior, Midland, Michigan
Donald A. Coleman , defensive end, senior, Daly City, Ohio - started all 11 games at right defensive endTim Davis, middle guard, sophomore, Warren, Ohio - started 7 games at middle guard
Michael J. Day, linebacker, senior, Livonia, Michigan
Barry Dotzauer, defensive back, senior, Cincinnati, Ohio - started 10 games at weak-side defensive halfback
Thomas E. Drake, defensive back, junior, Midland, Michigan - started 1 game at weak-side defensive halfback
Don Dufek , wolfman, sophomore, East Grand Rapids, Michigan - started all 11 games at wolfmanDonald R. Eaton, defensive end, senior, Lancaster, Ohio
David L. Elliott, defensive back, junior, Coral Gables, Florida - started all 11 games at strong-side defensive halfback
Dave Gallagher , defensive tackle, senior, Piqua, Ohio - started all 11 games at right defensive tackleDan Jilek , defensive end, sophomore, Sterling Heights, Michigan Gregory Koss, safety, senior, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
James M. Lyall, defensive tackle, senior, North Olmstead, Ohio
Calvin O'Neal , linebacker, sophomore, Saginaw, Michigan Carl Russ , linebacker, sophomore, Muskegon Heights, Michigan - started all 11 games at w. linebackerGeoffrey Steger, wolf, junior, Winnetka, Illinois
Steve Strinko , linebacker, sophomore, Middletown, Ohio - started all 11 games at middle linebackerDouglas Troszak, defensive tackle, senior, Warren, Michigan - started 10 games at defensive left tackle
Jovan Vercel, linebacker, senior, Highland, Indiana
Donald R. Warner, middle guard, senior, Dearborn, Michigan - started 4 games at middle guard
Walter Williamson, defensive end, senior, Detroit, Michigan - started all 11 games at left defensive end
David Zuccarelli, wolf, senior, Chicago, Illinois Awards and honors [ ] Statistical leaders [ ] Rushing [ ] Passing [ ]
Player
Attempts
Completions
Interceptions
Comp %
Yards
Yds/Comp
TD
Long
Dennis Franklin 67
36
5
53.7
534
14.8
4
46
Larry Cipa 35
13
2
37.1
163
12.5
1
36
Receiving [ ] Kickoff returns [ ] Punt returns [ ]
Player
Returns
Yards
Yds/Return
TD
Long
Gil Chapman 13
179
13.8
1
83
Tom Drake
9
139
15.4
0
54
David Brown 14
125
8.9
1
53
Tackles [ ] Coaching staff [ ] References [ ] External links [ ] 