1973 Ball State Cardinals football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1973
| team = Ball State Cardinals
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 5–5–1
| head_coach = Dave McClain
| hc_year = 3rd
| captain =
| stadium = Ball State Stadium
}}
{{1973 NCAA Division I independents football records}}
The 1973 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State University as an independent during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In its third season under head coach Dave McClain, the team compiled a 5–5–1 record.{{cite web|title=2007 Ball State Football Media Guide|publisher=Ball State University |year=2007 |page=97 |url=http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/194436/2007Football.pdf;jsessionid=0B37326FBDE020AA536399711948B1E4?sequence=1|accessdate=July 8, 2020}} The team played its home games at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| timezone = Eastern
| time = y
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 8||at|Eastern Michigan|Rynearson Stadium|Ypsilanti, MI|L 14-17|8,500–9,200|{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1973 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Eastern Michigan) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/204/stats/13634 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 11, 2022 }}
|September 15||at|Central Michigan|Perry Shorts Stadium|Mount Pleasant, MI|L 7-14|14,732|
|September 22|||{{cfb link|year=1973|team=Butler Bulldogs|title=Butler}}|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN (Band Day)|W 52-14|16,875|{{cite news|title=Cardinals Roll Over Butler Bulldogs, 52-14|newspaper=The Muncie Star|author=Ron LeMasters|date=September 23, 1973|page=1C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96701962/cardinals-roll-over-butler-bulldogs/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|September 29||at|Akron|Rubber Bowl | Akron, OH|W 16-14|9,755|
|October 6|||{{cfb link|year=1973|team=Indiana State Sycamores|title=Indiana State}}
|October 13||at|{{cfb link|year=1973|team=Dayton Flyers|title=Dayton}}|Baujan Field|Dayton, OH|L 12-13|7,519|
|October 20||at|Northern Illinois|Huskie Stadium|DeKalb, IL (rivalry)|L 17-45|15,739|
|October 27|||Middle Tennessee|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN|W 34-3|5,350|
|November 3|1:30 p.m.||Southern Illinois|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN|T 16-16|10,160|
|November 10|1:30 p.m.|at|Western Michigan|Waldo Stadium|Kalamazoo, MI|L 13-30|16,100|{{cite news|title=Western Michigan Tallies 23 Points in First Stanza to Dump Cardinals, 30-13|newspaper=The Muncie Star|author=Nick Romano|date=November 11, 1973|page=1C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96702264/western-michigan-tallies-23-points-in/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 17|||{{cfb link|year=1973|team=Illinois State Redbirds|title=Illinois State}}|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN|W 27-18|4,570|
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1973 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Ball State) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/47/stats/13634 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=June 3, 2022 }}