The 1973 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1973 Big Ten Conference football season. In his fifth year as Michigan's head coach, Bo Schembechler led the team to a 10–0–1 record. It was Michigan's first undefeated season since 1948. The Wolverines outscored their opponents 330 to 68. Michigan was ranked No. 6 in both major polls, the AP (which took a final poll after bowl games) and UPI (which ended balloting when the regular season concluded). Two other selectors, the National Championship Foundation and the Poling System, recognize Michigan as a co-national champion for the 1973 season, but the school does not claim either championship.

The season ended with a 10–10 tie against Ohio State. Both teams were undefeated, with the winner to play the Rose Bowl. When the game ended in a tie, the Big Ten Conference athletic directors voted to send Ohio State to the Rose Bowl. Michigan athletic officials and fans were outraged, with even Vice President of the United States Gerald Ford, a Michigan All-American in the 1930s, speaking out against the decision.

On offense, the team was led by quarterback Dennis Franklin who completed 36 of 67 passes for 534 yards and rushed 101 times for 425 yards. Four Michigan running backs, Ed Shuttlesworth, Chuck Heater, Gil Chapman, and Gordon Bell, combined for 2,417 rushing yards. Shuttlesworth, Franklin, wing back Clint Haslerig, and offensive guard Mike Hoban were all selected as All-Big Ten Conference players. Tight end Paul Seal was selected for the team's Most Valuable Player award.

On defense, the Wolverines held opponents to 68 points, an average of 6.2 points per game. Defensive tackle Dave Gallagher and defensive back Dave Brown were both selected as consensus first-team All-Americans. Middle linebacker Steve Strinko led the team with 77 solo tackles and 108 total tackles.

Schedule

Season summary Preseason The 1972 Michigan team had compiled a 10–0-1 record and were ranked sixth in the final Coaches and AP Polls. Important players from the 1972 team who were lost to graduation included offensive guard Tom Coyle, center Bill Hart, tight end Paul Seymour, defensive tackle Fred Grambau, and defensive back Randy Logan. Important players returning to the 1973 team included quarterback Dennis Franklin, fullback Ed Shuttlesworth, tailback Chuck Heater, tight end Paul Seal, wing back Clint Haslerig, defensive back Dave Brown, defensive tackle Dave Gallagher, and defensive end Don Coleman.

In April 1973, Michigan's recruiting class for the incoming class of 1973 was finalized. The class of 24 recruits included running back Rob Lytle and wide receiver Jim Smith. Also in April, Michigan held its annual spring football game matching the "blue" and "white" squads against each other. Sophomore running back Gordon Bell reportedly "sparkled" with 75 rushing yards on 12 carries.

Before the start of the season, head coach Bo Schembechler told the media that he was "very, very high" on Dennis Franklin and that he planned on using a "balanced attack" with two-thirds running plays and one-third passing.

Schembechler also stated that he took special pride in the 30 seniors on his 1973 team. Schembechler had recruited the senior class after suffering a heart attack following the 1969 season. He recalled, "My assistant coaches would bring them to my house. I'd get out of bed and put on a coat and tie. Then after they left I'd go back to bed, but I wanted to talk to them myself. I wanted them to know that Bo Schembechler was going to coach them if they came to Michigan."

In the pre-season polls, Michigan was ranked No. 5 by the Associated Press (AP) and No. 6 by the United Press International (UPI) with Ohio State No. 2 in the AP and No. 3 in the UPI poll. USC was ranked No. 1 in both polls. Former Michigan State coach Duffy Daugherty predicted Michigan, based on its strong offensive and defensive backfields, would win the Big Ten Conference championship.

At Iowa

On September 15, 1973, Michigan opened its season with a 31–7 victory over Iowa in front of a crowd of 52,105 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. The Wolverines rushed for 440 yards against the Hawkeyes, led by tailback Chuck Heater (133 yards and a touchdown), fullback Ed Shuttlesworth (88 yards), Gil Chapman (69 yards and a touchdown), quarterback Dennis Franklin (62 yards and a touchdown), and Gordon Bell (50 yards). Franklin completed only two of eight passes for 26 yards and threw two interceptions. In the second quarter, Iowa's Earl Douthitt returned an interception 47 yards for Iowa's only touchdown. Mike Lantry also kicked a 39-yard field goal and converted all four extra point attempts. Linebacker Steve Strinko led Michigan with 10 tackles and three assists.

Stanford

On September 22, 1973, Michigan defeated Stanford, 47–10, in front of a crowd of 80,177 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan took a 21–0 lead in the first quarter and led 34–0 at halftime. Dennis Franklin rushed for 49 yards and completed five of eight passes for 50 yards, including a four-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Mike Lantry broke Dana Coin's Michigan record with a 50-yard field goal in the second quarter; Lantry then broke his own record later in the quarter with a 51-yard field goal. The game was billed as revenge for Stanford's defeat of No. 3-ranked Michigan in the 1972 Rose Bowl. Chuck Heater scored Michigan's first touchdown, while Ed Shuttlesworth and Gil Chapman each scored two touchdowns. The Wolverines sacked Stanford quarterbacks Mike Boryla and Mike Cordova 11 times in the game. Stanford's only touchdown came on a 19-yard pass from Boryla to Reggie Ishman in the fourth quarter.

Navy

On September 29, 1973, Michigan defeated Navy, 14–0, in front of a Band Day crowd of 88,042 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan's two touchdowns were scored by Chuck Heater on an eight-yard run in the first quarter and Ed Shuttlesworth on a one-yard run in the third quarter. Navy completed 17 of 30 passes for 173 yards and three interceptions, with a touchdown pass being deflected at the last second by Dave Brown. Navy out-gained Michigan with 320 yard of total offense to 285 for Michigan. Michigan completed only one pass for four yards on three attempts. After the game, Michigan coach Bo Schembechler complained that he "didn't see us block anybody", that his team "played the worst game I've ever coached in Michigan Stadium", and added, "I hope this is a humbling victory . . . if there is such a thing." Despite the shutout, Schembechler also ripped his defensive unit, complaining that they did not play pass defense and played "the worst game our defense has ever played in shutting anybody out."

Oregon

On October 6, 1973, Michigan defeated Oregon, 24–0, in front of a crowd of 81,113 at Michigan Stadium. With Dennis Franklin out of action due to a broken finger, Larry Cipa made his first career start at quarterback for Michigan. Michigan scored 14 points in the second quarter on a short run by Bob Thornbladh and a short pass from Cipa to Paul Seal. In the fourth quarter, Michigan padded its lead on an 83-yard punt return by Gil Chapman and a Mike Lantry field goal. Michigan totaled 183 rushing yards and 93 passing yards against the Ducks. "Reserve Sparks Michigan." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Oct 7. Despite the 24-point margin of victory, the press viewed Michigan's performance as sluggish. Joe Falls, sports editor of the Detroit Free Press, wrote of the team: "It is sluggish on offense. It is making mistakes all over the place . . . This Michigan team isn't close to being the error-free Michigan teams we have come to know so well over these last four years."

At Michigan State

On October 13, 1973, Michigan defeated Michigan State, 31–0, in a soaking rainstorm before a crowd of 78,263 at Spartan Stadium. It was the Wolverines' third consecutive shutout and their most one-sided victory over the Spartans since 1947. With the ball slippery due to the rain, Michigan recovered four Michigan State fumbles in the first quarter. Dave Brown scored Michigan's first touchdown on a 52-yard punt return. Gil Chapman scored on a 53-yard run around left end in the second quarter, and Michigan led 17–0 at halftime. In the third quarter, neither team scored as the rain became a "deluge". Michigan added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter on a six-yard pass from Dennis Franklin to Paul Seal and a two-yard run by Ed Shuttlesworth. Mike Lantry kicked a 35-yard field goal and converted all four extra point attempts. Dennis Franklin played with a broken finger, leading coach Schembechler to praise his one-handed quarterback for "a helluva job." On defense, the Wolverines held the Spartans to 40 rushing yards on 37 carries. Linebacker Steve Strinko had nine tackles, four of them for a loss, and recovered a fumble.

Wisconsin

On October 20, 1973, Michigan defeated Wisconsin, 35–6, in front of a homecoming crowd of 87,723 at Michigan Stadium. With 108 passing yards and 415 rushing yards, the Wolverines tallied 523 yards of total offense. Michigan opened the scoring in the first quarter with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Franklin to Paul Seal. Michigan's remaining touchdowns were scored by Gil Chapman (three-yard run in second quarter), Franklin (one-yard run in second quarter), Chuck Heater (four-yard run in third quarter), and Gordon Bell (seven-yard run in fourth quarter). Mike Lantry converted all five extra point attempts. Michigan's shutout streak ended after 15 consecutive quarters when Wisconsin scored on a freak play as a deflected pass resulted in a 65-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

At Minnesota

On October 27, 1973, Michigan defeated Minnesota, 34–7, before a homecoming crowd of 44,435 at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis. The victory was Michigan's sixth in a row in the annual battle for the Little Brown Jug. Michigan rushed for 275 yards led by Gordon Bell with 73 yards and Ed Shuttlesworth with 69 yards. Shuttlesworth and Bell scored two rushing touchdowns each, and Mike Lantry kicked field goals of 27 and 29 yards and converted all four extra point kicks. Michigan took a 17–0 lead in the first quarter, including 10 points off early turnovers. On the second play from scrimmage, a Minnesota fumble was recovered by Michigan (Doug Troszak) to set up Lantry's first field goal. On Minnesota's next play from scrimmage, the Gophers fumbled again with Dave Brown recovering to set up a six-yard touchdown run by Shuttlesworth. After Bell scored in the second quarter, Michigan led 24–0 at halftime without having thrown a single pass. In the third quarter, Minnesota quarterback Rick Upchurch (later an All-Pro wide receiver for the Denver Broncos) threw a touchdown pass to a wide open Vince Fuller. Minnesota coach Cal Stoll played eight men on the line, but Michigan's defense held Minnesota to 142 yards of total offense.

Indiana

On November 3, 1973, Michigan defeated Indiana, 49–13, in front of 76,432 at Michigan Stadium. Michigan took a 42–0 lead in the second quarter before Indiana scored its first touchdown The Wolverines totaled 385 rushing yards and 96 passing yards. Chuck Heater was the game's leading rusher with 128 yards. After the game, Indiana coach Lee Corso praised both Michigan and Ohio State and predicted that the showdown between the two would be decided by a kicking mistake in the fourth quarter.

Illinois