The 1973 Bowling Green Falcons football team was an American football team that represented Bowling Green University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In their sixth season under head coach Don Nehlen, the Falcons compiled a 7–3 record (2–3 against MAC opponents), finished in a tie for third place in the MAC, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 266 to 209.[1]
The team's statistical leaders included Reid Lamport with 1,084 passing yards, Paul Miles with 1,030 rushing yards, and Roger Wallace with 587 receiving yards.[2]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|
| September 15 | 1:30 p.m. | at Syracuse* | | | W 41–14 | 18,254 | [3]
|
| September 22 | 7:30 p.m. | at Dayton* | No. T–20 | | W 31–16 | 11,762 | [4]
|
| September 29 | 1:30 p.m. | Western Michigan | | | W 31–20 | 14,231 | [5]
|
| October 6 | 1:30 p.m. | Toledo | | - Doyt Perry Stadium
- Bowling Green, OH (rivalry)
| W 49–35 | 22,684 | [6]
|
| October 13 | 1:30 p.m. | at Kent State | | | L 7–21 | 25,137 | [7]
|
| October 20 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 20 Miami (OH) | | - Doyt Perry Stadium
- Bowling Green, OH
| L 8–31 | 22,160 | [8]
|
| October 27 | 1:30 p.m. | at Marshall* | | | W 24–21 | 14,900 | [9]
|
| November 3 | 1:30 p.m. | at Ohio | | | L 23–24 | 12,200 | [10]
|
| November 10 | 1:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan* | | - Doyt Perry Stadium
- Bowling Green, OH
| W 31–7 | 14,216–14,219 | [11]
|
| November 17 | 1:30 p.m. | Northern Illinois* | | - Doyt Perry Stadium
- Bowling Green, OH
| W 21–20 | 12,696 | [12]
|
- *Non-conference game
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Eastern time
|
[13]
Roster
| 1973 Bowling Green Falcons football team roster
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| Players
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Coaches
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| Offense
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Defense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| DT
|
57
|
Tom Hall
|
Sr
|
| LB
|
41
|
John Villapiano
|
Sr
|
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
References
- ^ "1973 Bowling Green State Falcons Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ "1973 Bowling Green State Falcons Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ "Bowling Green drubs Syracuse". Poughkeepsie Journal. September 16, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bowling Green routs Dayton". The Miami Herald. September 23, 1973. Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bowling Green miles ahead of W. Michigan". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 30, 1973. Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "BG uses fumbles to ground Toledo". The Plain Dealer. October 7, 1973. Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ray Yannucci (October 14, 1973). "Kent's Brother Combination Belts Bowling Green 21–7". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. C1, C6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ David Fuselier (October 21, 1973). "Miami Juggernaut Flattens Falcons". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 6C – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Falcons down Herd with fourth quarter field goal". Beckley Post-Herald & The Raleigh Register. October 28, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "BG loses to Bobcats second time around". The Blade. November 4, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "BG's 'Watz' line puts whammy to Hurons". The Journal News. November 11, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Huskies lose 21–20 in final". Chicago Tribune. November 18, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Schedule/Results (1973 Bowling Green)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
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