1973 Western Illinois Leathernecks football team

1973 Western Illinois Leathernecks football
NCAA Division II Quarterfinal, L 13–18 vs. Louisiana Tech
Conference	Independent
Record	7–4
Head coach	Darrell Mudra (5th season)
Home stadium	Hanson Field
Seasons ← 1972 1974 →

1973 NCAA Division II independents football records
v t e	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
Northern Michigan			–					2	–	7	–	1
Eastern Illinois			–					2	–	9	–	0
Portland State			–					1	–	10	–	0
^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from Associated Press poll

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]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 15	at Northern Iowa		O. R. Latham Stadium Cedar Falls, IA	L 14–20	5,850	[2]
September 22	Northern Michigan		Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 14–10	15,450	[3]
September 29	Milwaukee		Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 28–3	9,275	[4]
October 6	No. 4 Eastern Michigan		Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 24–21	10,300	[5]
October 13	at Mankato State		Blakeslee Stadium Mankato, MN	W 34–23	4,100	[6]
October 20	Central Michigan		Hanson Field Macomb, IL	W 24–18	19,850	[7]
October 27	at Indiana State	No. 14	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	L 14–22	4,100	[8]
November 3	at Northern Illinois		Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	W 30–27	12,500–12,750	[9]
November 10	Akron		Hanson Field Macomb, IL	L 7–12	14,200	[10]
November 17	at Eastern Illinois		O'Brien Field Charleston, IL	W 56–13	1,500	[11]
December 1	at No. 3 Louisiana Tech		Joe Aillet Stadium Ruston, LA (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal)	L 13–18	15,200	[12]
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[13]

References

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.