The 1973 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the Big Eight Conference during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In their third season under head coach Don Fambrough, the Jayhawks compiled a 7–4–1 record (4–2–1 against conference opponents), tied for second place in the conference, lost to NC State in the 1973 Liberty Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 253 to 220.[1][2] They played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.
The team's statistical leaders included David Jaynes with 2,349 passing yards, Delvin Williams with 788 rushing yards and Emmett Edwards with 840 receiving yards.[3] Jaynes set six conference passing records and was named the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year.[4] Don Goode and John Bryant were the team captains.[2] Quarterback David Jaynes, became the first and as of the 2022 voting, the only Jayhawk to be a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing in 4th place in the voting receiving 65 first place votes.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|
| September 15 | Washington State* | | | | W 29–8 | 39,750 | [5] |
| September 22 | at Florida State* | | | | W 28–0 | 19,240 | [6] |
| September 29 | Minnesota* | | - Memorial Stadium
- Lawrence, KS
| | W 34–19 | 44,500 | [7] |
| October 6 | at No. 9 Tennessee* | | | | L 27–28 | 43,716 | [8] |
| October 13 | Kansas State | No. 19 | - Memorial Stadium
- Lawrence, KS (rivalry)
| | W 25–18 | 52,000 | [9] |
| October 20 | at No. 11 Nebraska | No. 18 | | | L 9–10 | 76,498 | [10] |
| October 27 | at Iowa State | No. 17 | | | W 22–20 | 35,000 | [11] |
| November 3 | Oklahoma State | | - Memorial Stadium
- Lawrence, KS
| | T 10–10 | 40,000 | [12] |
| November 10 | Colorado | No. 18 | - Memorial Stadium
- Lawrence, KS
| ABC | W 17–15 | 34,000 | [13] |
| November 17 | at No. 3 Oklahoma | No. 18 | | | L 20–48 | 61,826 | [14] |
| November 24 | No. 19 Missouri | No. 20 | | | W 14–13 | 46,500 | [15] |
| vs. No. 16 NC State* | No. 19 | | ABC | L 18–31 | 50,011 | [16] |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
|
[17]
Roster
| 1973 Kansas Jayhawks football team roster
|
| Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| WR
|
25
|
Bruce Adams
|
Jr
|
| OT
|
74
|
John Bryant
|
Sr
|
| FB
|
33
|
Steve Elliott
|
So
|
| G
|
66
|
Mike Englebrake
|
Jr
|
| TE
|
84
|
Jerry Gilmore
|
So
|
| QB
|
12
|
David Jaynes
|
Sr
|
| QB
|
10
|
Scott McMichael
|
So
|
| QB
|
11
|
Jud Mitchell
|
So
|
| G
|
71
|
Leonard Schmitz
|
So
|
| RB
|
40
|
Delvin Williams
|
Sr
|
| FB
|
32
|
Robert Miller
|
Jr
|
| RB
|
17
|
Randy Ross
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
83
|
Ken Saathoff
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
47
|
Emmett Edwards
|
Jr
|
| WR
|
22
|
Paul Bower
|
So
|
| TE
|
88
|
Gregg Hosack
|
So
|
| C
|
54
|
Mike McDaniel
|
Sr
|
| G
|
65
|
John Morgan
|
So
|
| OT
|
76
|
Dave Scott
|
So
|
| OT
|
70
|
Gordon Stockemer
|
Jr
|
| G
|
72
|
Jerone Hodges
|
Sr
|
|
Defense
|
Special teams
| Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
| P
|
43
|
Marc Harris
|
Sr
|
| K
|
31
|
Bob Swift
|
So
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
|
Team players in the NFL
References
- ^ "1973 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ a b 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, p. 185.
- ^ "1973 Kansas Jayhawks Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ "Sooners' Switzer Honored". Lincoln Journal Star. December 5, 1973. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Jaynes leads Hawks to season-opening win". The Salina Journal. September 16, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Seminoles fall to Kansas, 28–0". The Bradenton Herald. September 23, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Jayhawks gopher Williams' jaunts". Great Bend Tribune. September 30, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Jayhawks gamble and lose". The Kansas City Star. October 7, 1973. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Late touchdown lifts Kansas over K-State". Lincoln Journal Star. October 14, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Nelson steal sets up winning NU goal, 10–9". The Sioux City Journal. October 21, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Late score haunts ISU again". The Waterloo Courier. October 28, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Record field goal saves 10–10 tie for KU". The Salina Journal. November 4, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fumble recovery helps KU hold off Colorado". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 11, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bowl-bound Huskers, Sooners roll toward showdown". The Des Moines Register. November 18, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Jaynes delivers Kansas from defeat". The Commercial Appeal. November 25, 1973. Retrieved September 24, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wolfpack runs through Kansas, 31–18". The Kansas City Times. December 18, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Schedule/Results (1973 Kansas)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
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