1973 Houston Cougars football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1973
| team = Houston Cougars
| sport = football
| image = University of Houston classic logo.png
| image_size = 100
| conference = Independent
| CoachRank = 13
| APRank = 9
| record = 11–1
| head_coach = Bill Yeoman
| hc_year = 12th
| off_coach =
| oc_year =
| off_scheme = Houston Veer
| def_coach = Don Todd
| dc_year = 2nd
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Houston Astrodome
| champion = Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl champion
| bowl = Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
| bowl_result = W 47–7 vs. Tulane
}}
{{1973 NCAA Division I independents football records}}
The 1973 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. It was the 28th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by 12th-year head coach Bill Yeoman who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. The team played its home games in the Astrodome, a 50,000-person capacity stadium off-campus in Houston at the Astrodomain. Houston competed as a member of the NCAA in the University Division, independent of any athletic conference. It was their fourteenth year of doing so. The Cougars had been admitted to the Southwest Conference two years prior, but were ineligible for conference play until the 1976 season.{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fK9OAAAAIBAJ&sjid=twkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2311,628663 |title=Houston Joins Southwest Conference |work=Star-News |date=1971-05-03 |accessdate=2012-06-21}} After completion of the regular season, the Cougars were invited to the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl where they defeated the Tulane Green Wave.{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QegeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eswEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5831,4541081 |title=Cougars Rout Tulane 47–7 |work=The Daytona Beach News-Journal |date=1973-12-30 |accessdate=2012-06-21}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1973
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 15
| w/l = w
| rank = 18
| opponent = Rice
| stadium = Houston Astrodome
| cityst = Houston, TX
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 24–6
| attend = 43,917
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/waco-tribune-herald-cougars-abolish-owls/169058439/|work=Waco Tribune-Herald|title=Cougars abolish Owls 24–6|date=September 16, 1973|accessdate=March 28, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 21
| w/l = w
| rank = 16
| opponent = South Carolina
| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| score = 27–19
| attend = 24,019
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/victoria-advocate-cougars-outdistance-ga/139558231/|work=The Victoria Advocate|title=Cougars outdistance Gamecocks, 27 to 19|date=September 22, 1973|accessdate=January 25, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 15
| opponent = Memphis State
| site_stadium = Memphis Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Memphis, TN
| score = 35–21
| attend = 40,126
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/longview-news-journal-cougars-upend-memp/170046132/|work=Longview Morning Journal|title=Cougars upend Memphis|date=September 30, 1973|accessdate=April 10, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 6
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 14
| opponent = San Diego State
| site_stadium = San Diego Stadium
| site_cityst = San Diego, CA
| score = 14–9
| attend = 37,489
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-waco-news-tribune-houston-wins-149/170046232/|work=The Waco News-Tribune|title=Houston wins 14–9|date=October 7, 1973|accessdate=April 10, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| w/l = w
| rank = 14
| opponent = Virginia Tech
| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| score = 54–27
| attend = 27,103
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90585662/cougars-glide-past-virginia-tech-5427/|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Cougars glide past Virginia Tech 54–27|date=October 14, 1973|accessdate=December 14, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 19
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 14
| opponent = Miami (FL)
| site_stadium = Miami Orange Bowl
| site_cityst = Miami, FL
| score = 30–7
| attend = 29,340
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-houston-shatters-77/170046350/|work=The Odessa American|title=Houston shatters 7–7 deadlock for win|date=October 20, 1973|accessdate=April 10, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Auburn
| site_stadium = Jordan-Hare Stadium
| site_cityst = Auburn, AL
| score = 0–7
| attend = 58,426
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-auburn-dumps-houston/134031657/|work=The Odessa American|title=Auburn dumps Houston|date=October 21, 1973|accessdate=October 24, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| w/l = w
| rank = 18
| opponent = Florida State
| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| score = 34–3
| attend = 27,587
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-parker-willin/170046453/|work=The Austin American-Statesman|title=Parker, Willingham lead Cougar victory|date=November 4, 1973|accessdate=April 10, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 15
| opponent = Colorado State
| site_stadium = Hughes Stadium
| site_cityst = Fort Collins, CO
| score = 28–20
| attend = 17,532
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-houston-dumps-co/156843923/|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|title=Houston dumps Colorado State|date=November 11, 1973|accessdate=October 9, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 24
| w/l = w
| rank = 14
| opponent = Wyoming
| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| score = 35–0
| attend = 18,441
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/victoria-advocate-coogs-jolt-wyoming/156843144/|work=Victoria Advocate|title=Coogs jolt Wyoming|date=November 25, 1973|accessdate=October 9, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 1
| w/l = w
| rank = 14
| opponent = Tulsa
| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 35–16
| attend = 21,500–21,590
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-cougars-overtak/170046554/|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Cougars overtake Hurricane|date=December 2, 1973|accessdate=April 10, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 29
| w/l = w
| rank = 14
| opponent = Tulane
| site_stadium = Houston Astrodome
| site_cityst = Houston, TX
| gamename = Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
| tv = ABC
| score = 47–7
| attend = 44,358
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/36982951/hhj/|work=The Daily Advertiser|title=D.C. Nobels picks apart Tulane, 47–7|date=December 30, 1973|accessdate=October 15, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
{{cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hou/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/hou-09-mg-section8.pdf |title=2009 Houston Cougars Media Guide: Year-by-Year results |accessdate=2012-06-20 |archive-date=2012-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302195140/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hou/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/hou-09-mg-section8.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Houston) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/363812 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=April 10, 2025 }}{{cite news|title=1973 Houston Cougars Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=April 10, 2025|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/houston/1973-schedule.html}}
Coaching staff
File:Bill Yeoman coaching team.jpg]]
| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Position | Alma mater (year) | Year at Houston | |
| align="center" | Head coach, offensive coordinator | Army (1948) | 12th |
| align="center"
| Don Todd | Freshman assistant coach | Hardin–Simmons (1964) | 2nd |
| align="center" | Offensive backs coach | Oklahoma (1954) | 11th |
| align="center"
| Billy Willingham | Offensive line coach | TCU (1951) | 8th |
| align="center"
| Barry Sides | Offensive line coach, defensive ends coach | Houston (1968) | 5th |
| align="center"
| Clarence Daniel | Defensive backs coach | Huron (1955) | 2nd |
| align="center"
| Larry French | Defensive coordinator | Colorado State (1965) | 4th |
| align="center" | Wide receivers coach | Nebraska-Omaha (1951) | 11th |
| align="center"
| Carroll Schultz | Freshmen coach | Louisiana Tech (1948) | 12th |
| align="center"
| Bobby Baldwin | Freshmen coach | Houston (1958) | 9th |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Houston Cougars football navbox}}
Category:Houston Cougars football seasons
Category:Bluebonnet Bowl champion seasons
{{collegefootball-1973-season-stub}}