American college football season
The1973 Stanford Cardinals football team representedStanford University in thePacific-8 Conference during the1973 NCAA Division I football season . Led by second-year head coachJack Christiansen , the Cardinals were 7–4 overall (5–2 in Pac-8, third) and played home games on campus atStanford Stadium inStanford, California . The Pac-8 did not allow a second bowl team until the1975 season.
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source September 15 12:50 p.m. No. 7Penn State * ABC L 6–2057,000 [ 1] September 22 10:30 a.m. at No. 5Michigan * L 10–4780,177 [ 2] September 29 1:30 p.m. San Jose State * Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA (rivalry ) W 23–1247,500 [ 3] October 6 12:57 p.m. atIllinois * W 24–045,383 [ 4] October 13 1:35 p.m. No. 15UCLA Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA L 13–5955,000 [ 5] October 20 1:30 p.m. atWashington W 23–1451,500 [ 6] October 27 1:35 p.m. Washington State Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA W 45–1448,000 [ 7] November 3 1:30 p.m. atOregon State W 24–2317,025 [ 8] November 10 1:30 p.m. at No. 8USC L 26–2763,806 [ 9] November 17 1:30 p.m. Oregon Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA W 24–721,000 [ 10] November 24 1:35 p.m. California W 26–1767,000 [ 11] *Non-conference game Rankings fromAP Poll released prior to the game All times are inPacific time
[ 12]
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Team 1 2 3 4 Total • Stanford 6 7 3 7 23 Washington 0 0 0 14 14
Scoring summary 1 STAN Garcia 37-yard field goal Stanford 3–0 1 STAN Garcia 38-yard field goal Stanford 6–0 2 STAN Test 10-yard pass from Boryla (Garcia kick) Stanford 13–0 3 STAN Garcia 47-yard field goal Stanford 16–0 4 WASH Phillips 46-yard pass from Rowland (Boyd kick) Stanford 16–7 4 WASH Rowland 1-yard run (Boyd kick) Stanford 16–14 4 STAN Laidlaw 8-yard run (Garcia kick) Stanford 23–14
Source: [ 13]
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Team 1 2 3 4 Total California 3 0 7 7 17 •Stanford 0 3 10 13 26
Scoring summary 1 CAL VanderMeer 41-yard field goal CAL 3-0 2 STAN Garcia 36-yard field goal Tied 3-3 3 CAL Muncie 15-yard run (VanderMeer kick) CAL 10-3 3 STAN Jena 8-yard run (Garcia kick) Tied 10-10 3 STAN Garcia 37-yard field goal STAN 13-10 4 CAL Ferragamo 1-yard run (VanderMeer kick) CAL 17-13 4 STAN Inge 3-yard run (kick failed) STAN 19-17 4 STAN Laidlaw 10-yard run (Garcia kick) STAN 26-17
Junior running backScott Laidlaw gained 132 yards on 23 carries while Rod Garcia finished his career with 42 field goals, and NCAA record, and 18 for the season, which tied the NCAA record. Stanford played most of the second half without starting quarterbackMike Boryla , who left the game with a bruised throwing arm.[ 14]
1973 Stanford Cardinal football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 14 Rod Garcia Sr P 19 Dave Ottmar Sr
Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain(S) Suspended(I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt
[ 15]
Five Stanford players were named to the All-Pac-8 team: quarterbackMike Boryla , wide receiver Bill Singler, defensive tackleRoger Stillwell , safetyRandy Poltl , and kicker Rod Garcia; Singler and Stillwell were juniors.[ 16] [ 17]
Six Stanford seniors were selected in the1974 NFL draft .
^ "8th-ranked Nittany Lions whip Stanford" .The Bradenton Herald . September 16, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ Curt Sylvester (September 23, 1973)."Sweet Revenge! U-M Rips Stanford; 6-TD Parade, 47–10" .Detroit Free Press . p. 1E, 9E. RetrievedJune 27, 2016 – viaNewspapers.com . ^ "Stanford rallies to top San Jose" .News-Pilot . September 30, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Cardinals blank Illini" .Independent Press-Telegram . October 7, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Bruins get 621 yards rushing in romp at Stanford" .Ventura County Star . October 14, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Garcia's foot gives Cards win" .The Fresno Bee . October 21, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Boryla sparks Stanford win" .Santa Cruz Sentinel . October 28, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "4th-quarter field goal lifts Stanford" .The Daily Breeze . November 4, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Late USC explosion shatters Stanford 27–26" .The Fresno Bee . November 11, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Cards slip past Ducks" .Oakland Tribune . November 18, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Stanford's comeback earns win over California" .The Atlanta Journal & Constitution . November 25, 1973. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2025 – viaNewspapers.com .^ "Schedule/Results (1973 Stanford)" .NCAA Statistics .National Collegiate Athletic Association . RetrievedMay 25, 2025 .^ "Garcia kick helps Cards whip Huskies" .Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon. Associated Press. October 21, 1973. p. 2B.^ "Cards rally behind Laidlaw" .Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon. Associated Press. November 25, 1973. p. 6D.^ "The lineups" .Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon. November 3, 1973. p. 2B.^ "Three Ducks on Pac-8 unit" .Eugene Register-Guard . Oregon. December 2, 1973. p. 3B.^ "Three Cougars land on All-Pac-8 squad" .Spokane Daily Chronicle . Washington. December 3, 1973. p. 17.
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