1973 Washington State Cougars football team

American college football season

1973 Washington State Cougars football
ConferencePacific-8 Conference
Record5–6 (4–3 Pac-8)
Head coach
  • Jim Sweeney (6th season)
Offensive coordinatorJoe Tiller (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorRay Braun (2nd season)
Captains
  • Greg Craighead
  • Tom Poe
Home stadiumMartin Stadium, Joe Albi Stadium
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 Pacific-8 Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 8 USC $ 7 – 0 – 0 9 – 2 – 1
No. 12 UCLA 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Stanford 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Washington State 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
California 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Oregon 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Oregon State 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Washington 0 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Washington State Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Washington State University in the Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In their sixth season under head coach Jim Sweeney, the Cougars compiled a 5–6 record (4–3 in Pac-8, fourth), and were outscored 290 to 250.[1][2]

The team's statistical leaders included Chuck Peck with 1,023 passing yards, Andrew Jones with 1,059 rushing yards, and Tim Krause with 384 receiving yards.[3]

The Cougars won their last four games, all in conference, which included a sweep of the three Northwest teams; the season concluded with a second consecutive win in the Apple Cup over Washington, this time a 52–26 rout on the road in Seattle.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 15at Kansas*L 8–2939,687–39,750
September 22at No. 13 Arizona State*L 9–2051,252
September 29Idaho*W 51–2422,500[4]
October 6at No. 1 Ohio State*L 3–2787,425
October 13at No. 4 USCL 35–4650,975
October 20No. 13 UCLAL 13–2432,200
October 27at StanfordL 14–4548,000
November 3Oregondagger
  • Martin Stadium
  • Pullman, WA
W 21–1419,800
November 10at Oregon StateW 13–717,336
November 17California
  • Martin Stadium
  • Pullman, WA
W 31–2813,082
November 24at WashingtonW 52–2656,500[5][6][7]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1973 Washington State Cougars football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
G 69 Bob Aldrich Jr
RB Charles Anderson
QB Wally Bennett
WR 49 Fritz Brayton Sr
FB 30 Vern Chamberlain So
RB Ron Cheatham
G 61 Bob Drinkwalter Sr
TE Bob Engel
RB 44 Ken Grandberry Sr
OT 51 Mike Hill Sr
QB John Hopkins
WR 40 Greg Johnson Sr
FB 39 Andrew Jones Jr
TE 86 Tim Krause Sr
RB Jim Lewis
OL Wilbur McKinney
TE Lloyd Minor
QB 10 Mike Mitchell Jr
OL Steve Morton
G 62 Steve Ostermann Jr
WR Dennis Pearson
QB 13 Chuck Peck Jr
C 65 Geoff Reece Jr
WR 47 Rick Riegle Jr
OT 75 Tom Wickert Sr
WR Gordon Yeomans
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DL Rod Anderson
S 36 Mike Carter Jr
DB Dennis Clancy
DT 71 Greg Craighead (C) Sr
DE 79 Joe Daniels Jr
DE 90 Mark Husfloen So
S 37 Eric Johnson Sr
CB 22 Basil Kimbrew Jr
LB 66 Gary Larsen Jr
CB 21 Morris Noble Sr
DE 85 Don Olsen Sr
DB Woodrow Perkins
LB 58 Tom Poe (C) Sr
LB Steve Roberts
CB 24 Robin Sinclair Sr
LB 67 Clyde Warehime Sr
DL Lee Weatherford
DT 77 Daryl Zanck Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 3 Joe Danelo Jr
P 40 Greg Johnson Sr
Head coach
  • Jim Sweeney (6th year)
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt
Source:[8][9][10][11][12]

Season summary

At Kansas

At Arizona State

Idaho

At Ohio State

Washington State Cougars (1–2) at #1 Ohio State Buckeyes (2–0)
Period 1 2 34Total
Washington State 0 3 003
Ohio State 0 14 13027

at Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: October 6
  • Game weather: Sunny, 65 °F (18 °C)
  • Game attendance: 87425
  • Box Score
Game information

First quarter

  • No scoring

Second quarter

  • OSU – Bruce Elia 17-yard run (kick failed), 7:14. Ohio State 6–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards.
  • OSU – Archie Griffin 6-yard pass from Cornelius Greene (pass good), 3:20. Ohio State 14–0. Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards.
  • WSU – Joe Danelo 41-yard field goal, 0:22. Ohio State 14–3. Drive: 40 yards.

Third quarter

  • OSU – Archie Griffin 26-yard run (kick blocked), 9:21. Ohio State 20–3. Drive: 12 plays, 84 yards.
  • OSU – Bruce Elia 9-yard run (Blair Conway kick), 5:13. Ohio State 27–3. Drive: 3 plays, 33 yards.

Fourth quarter

  • No scoring
Top passers
  • WSU – Wally Bennett – 7/11, 50 yards, int
  • OSU – Cornelius Greene – 3/6, 62 yards, TD, int
Top rushers
  • WSU – Andrew Jones – 17 rushes, 64 yards
  • OSU – Archie Griffin – 15 rushes, 128 yards, TD
Top receivers
  • WSU – Fritz Brayton – 6 receptions, 45 yards
  • OSU – Dave Hazel – 1 reception, 49 yards

[13]

At USC

UCLA

At Stanford

Oregon

At Oregon State

California

At Washington

1 234Total
• Washington St 14 28010 52
Washington 0 6200 26
  • Date:
    November 24
  • Location: Husky Stadium, Seattle
  • Game start:
    1:30 pm PST
  • Game attendance: 56,500
  • Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C)
Scoring summary
Q1WSUJones 12 yard run (Danelo kick)WSU 7–0
Q1WSUJones 1 yard run (Danelo kick)WSU 14–0
Q2WSUJohnson 42 yard pass from Peck (Danelo kick)WSU 21–0
Q2WSUGrandberry 17 yard pass from Peck (Danelo kick)WSU 28–0
Q2WASHTaggares 19 yard pass from Rowland (kick failed)WSU 28–6
Q2WSUJones 62 yard run (Danelo kick)WSU 35–6
Q2WSUGrandberry 1 yard run (Danelo kick)WSU 42–6
Q314:32WASHConley 75 yard pass from Rowland (pass failed)WSU 42–12
Q3WASHOldes 29 yard pass from Rowland (pass failed)WSU 42–18
Q3WASHOldes 24 yard pass from Rowland (Earl pass from Rowland)WSU 42–26
Q4WSUChamberlain 2 yard run (Danelo kick)WSU 49–26
Q4WSUDanelo 38 yard field goalWSU 52–26
  • Chuck Peck 9/17, 249 yds
  • Andrew Jones 139 rush Yds
  • Most points ever scored against Washington
Source:[5][6][7]

All-conference

Three Washington State players were named to the All-Pac-8 team: senior linebacker Tom Poe, junior guard Steve Ostermann, and junior center Geoff Reece.[14][15] Ostermann was a repeat selection; he and Reece returned to the first team the next year.[16]

NFL Draft

Three Cougars were selected in the 1974 NFL Draft

Player Position Round Overall Franchise
Robin Sinclair DB 6 152 Cincinnati Bengals
Ken Grandberry RB 8 190 Chicago Bears
Tom Wickert G 9 212 Miami Dolphins

[17][18]

References

  1. ^ "1973 Washington State Cougars Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  2. ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). WSUCougars.com. Washington State Cougars Athletics. p. 76. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  3. ^ "1973 Washington State Cougars Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
  4. ^ Missildine, Harry (September 30, 1973). "Washington State offense erupts as Cougars smash Vandals 51-24". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 1, sports.
  5. ^ a b Missildine, Harry (November 25, 1973). "Peck, Jones wield Cougars' weapons in 52-26 rout of Washington Huskies". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 1, sports.
  6. ^ a b "Jones rushes for 139, WSU rolls by Huskies". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 25, 1973. p. 6D.
  7. ^ a b Brown, Bruce (November 26, 1973). "Sweeney pleased by year, future". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 15.
  8. ^ "Bruins vs. Cougars". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (probable starters, rosters). October 20, 1973. p. 12.
  9. ^ "Todays lineups: WSU at OSU". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). November 10, 1973. p. 2B.
  10. ^ "WSU choice over Huskies today". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 24, 1973. p. 15.
  11. ^ Brown, Bruce (November 23, 1973). "Huskies, Cougars have goals". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 19.
  12. ^ "2008 Football media guide" (PDF). Washington State University Athletics. 2008. pp. 172–191. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  13. ^ "Sub Fullback leads Buckeyes to Victory." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Oct 7. Retrieved 2015-Nov-05.
  14. ^ "Three Cougars land on All-Pac-8 squad". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). December 3, 1973. p. 17.
  15. ^ "Three Ducks on Pac-8 unit". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). December 2, 1973. p. 3B.
  16. ^ "3 Cougars on Pac-8 all-stars". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. December 5, 1974. p. 49.
  17. ^ Pumphrey, Lew (January 31, 1974). "NFL teams draft two Vandals, three Cougs". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 13.
  18. ^ "Five area stars go in NFL draft". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. January 30, 1974. p. 10.

External links

  • Game program: Idaho at WSU – September 29, 1973
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