1973 Xavier Musketeers football team

The 1973 Xavier Musketeers football team was an American football team that represented Xavier University as an independent during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In its second season under head coach Tom Cecchini, the team compiled a 5–5–1 record and was outscored by a total of 376 to 191.[1]

1973 Xavier Musketeers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record5–5–1
Head coach
Home stadiumXavier Stadium
Seasons
← 1972
1973 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame     11 0 0
No. 5 Penn State     12 0 0
No. 9 Houston     11 1 0
Temple     9 1 0
No. 20 Tulane     9 3 0
Memphis State     8 3 0
Tampa     8 3 0
Boston College     7 4 0
South Carolina     7 4 0
Utah State     7 4 0
Air Force     6 4 0
Southern Miss     6 4 1
Northern Illinois     6 5 0
Rutgers     6 5 0
West Virginia     6 5 0
Pittsburgh     6 5 1
Colgate     5 5 0
Dayton     5 5 1
Xavier     5 5 1
Georgia Tech     5 6 0
Holy Cross     5 6 0
Miami (FL)     5 6 0
Cincinnati     4 7 0
Marshall     4 7 0
Navy     4 7 0
Southern Illinois     3 7 1
Villanova     3 8 0
Syracuse     2 9 0
Virginia Tech     2 9 0
Army     0 10 0
Florida State     0 11 0
Rankings from AP Poll

On December 19, 1973, the Xavier University Board of Trustees voted 15 to 3 to discontinue the school's intercollegiate football program, effective immediately. The university's president, Rev. Robert W. Mulligan, attributed the decision to the "spiraling costs of intercollegiate football" which had led to a $200,000 deficit in 1973 despite the team having its most successful season in five years.[2]

Schedule

edit
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 8at TempleL 7–4910,753[3]
September 15at Cincinnati L 7–4010,153[4]
September 21at TampaL 7–3411,362[5]
September 29at MarshallW 30–2813,500[6]
October 6at Southwestern LouisianaW 17–148,000[7]
October 13at Southern IllinoisL 7–738,500[8]
October 20at Arkansas StateL 0–37[9]
November 3Dayton
T 28–28[10]
November 10Northern Illinois
  • Xavier Stadium
  • Cincinnati, OH
W 40–364,831[11]
November 17Villanova
  • Xavier Stadium
  • Cincinnati, OH
W 13–6[12]
November 23Toledo
  • Xavier Stadium
  • Cincinnati, OH
W 35–316,307[13]

References

edit
  1. ^ "1973 Xavier Musketeers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  2. ^ Paul Ritter (December 20, 1973). "Xavier Drops Football; Costs Cited". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Temple routs Xavier in opener, 49–7". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 9, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Bearcats cry early, Muskies weep late". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 16, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Solomon zips Tampa past Xavier, 34–7". The Miami Herald. September 23, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Xavier nips Herd, 30–28". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 30, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ragin Cajuns lose fourth in a row". Daily World. October 7, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Salukis roll up 73 points". Southern Illinoisan. October 14, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Arkansas St. rips Muskies, 37–0". The Cincinnati Enquirer. October 21, 1973. Retrieved October 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Field goals fall short; Flyers tied". Springfield News-Sun. November 4, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "NIU victim of former St. Rita prep, Xavier 40–36". Chicago Tribune. November 11, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Xavier defeats Villanova 13–6". Press of Atlantic City. November 18, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Xavier nips Toledo, bags winning season". Troy Daily News. November 24, 1973. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.