1973 NCAA Division III football season

American college football season

1973 NCAA Division III football season
Regular seasonAugust – November 1973
PlayoffsNovember – December 1973
National
championship
Garrett–Harrison Stadium
Phenix City, AL
ChampionWittenberg
← 1972 · NCAA Division III football seasons · 1974 →

The 1973 NCAA Division III football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level, began in August 1973, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship in December 1973 at Garrett–Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama. This was the first season for Division III (and Division II) football, which were formerly in the College Division in 1972 and prior.

Wittenberg won their first Division III championship, defeating Juniata in the championship game by a score of 41−0.[1]

Conference changes and new programs

School 1972 conference 1973 conference
Albany New program NCAA Division III independent
Seton Hall New program Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference
Salisbury State New program NCAA Division III independent

Conference standings

1973 College Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Southwestern (TN) $ 2 – 0 – 0 4 – 3 – 2
Sewanee 1 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Centre 0 – 2 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Carthage $^ 8 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 12 Millikin 6 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
No. 15 Augustana (IL) 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Illinois Wesleyan 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Carroll (WI) 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Elmhurst 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
North Park 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Wheaton (IL) 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
North Central (IL) 1 – 7 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1973 Eastern Football Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Central Connecticut State $ 3 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Southern Connecticut State 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Montclair State 1 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Glassboro State 0 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Ithaca $ 2 – 0 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Hobart 3 – 1 – 1 7 – 1 – 1
Alfred 2 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
St. Lawrence 2 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
RIT 0 – 2 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
RPI 0 – 3 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Butler $ 5 – 1 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
DePauw 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Evansville 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Indiana Central 3 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Valparaiso 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Saint Joseph's (IN) 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Wabash 0 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Iowa Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 9 Buena Vista $ 7 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Central (IA) 6 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Wartburg 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Dubuque 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 4 – 1
William Penn 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Luther 2 – 4 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Simpson 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Upper Iowa 0 – 6 – 1 1 – 7 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1973 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Hampden–Sydney $ 3 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Johns Hopkins 2 – 0 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Bridgewater 2 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Randolph–Macon 2 – 1 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Western Maryland 0 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Towson State 0 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Gallaudet 0 – 0 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Metropolitan Intercollegiate Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
C. W. Post $ 5 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Hofstra 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Fordham 2 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Merchant Marine 1 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Seton Hall 0 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Saint Peter's 0 – 2 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
Wagner 0 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Hope $ 5 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Olivet 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Albion 3 – 2 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Alma 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Kalamazoo 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Adrian 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Northern
Juniata x^ 5 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
Wilkes 5 – 1 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Albright 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Delaware Valley 4 – 3 – 1 4 – 3 – 0
Lycoming 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Susquehanna 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Upsala 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Wagner * 2 – 1 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Southern
Franklin & Marshall x 8 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Widener 7 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Muhlenberg 7 – 1 – 1 7 – 1 – 1
Johns Hopkins 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Western Maryland 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Moravian 3 – 5 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Lebanon Valley 2 – 5 – 2 2 – 5 – 2
Dickinson 1 – 5 – 2 1 – 5 – 2
Ursinus 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 5 – 1
Swarthmore 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 7 – 0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible due to insufficient conference games
    Juniata won Northern Section on Hazlett point system
1973 Midwest Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Coe $ 7 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Monmouth (IL) 6 – 1 – 1 6 – 1 – 1
Knox 5 – 2 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Ripon 5 – 2 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
St. Olaf 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Lawrence 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Carleton 3 – 4 – 1 3 – 4 – 1
Cornell (IA) 2 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Beloit 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 0
Grinnell 0 – 8 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 11 St. Thomas (MN) + 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
No. 9 Minnesota–Duluth + 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Augsburg 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Gustavus Adolphus 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Concordia–Moorhead 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Saint John's (MN) 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Hamline 1 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Macalester 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 New England Football Conference standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Nichols $ 4 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Plymouth State 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 2 – 0
Bridgewater State 2 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Curry 2 – 2 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Maine Maritime 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Boston State 0 – 4 – 1 1 – 6 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Montclair State $ 4 – 0 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Jersey City State 4 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
Trenton State 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0
Glassboro State 2 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Kean 1 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
William Paterson 0 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings
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Team W   L   T W   L   T
Blue Division
Marietta xy 3 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Muskingum 2 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Ohio Wesleyan 2 – 1 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Otterbein 1 – 2 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Denison 0 – 3 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Red Division
No. 4 Wittenberg xy$^ 5 – 0 – 0 12 – 0 – 0
Baldwin–Wallace 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Wooster 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Heidelberg 2 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Capital 1 – 4 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Mount Union 0 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Not competing for championship
Kenyon   –   5 – 4 – 0
Oberlin   –   4 – 5 – 0
Championship: Wittenberg 35, Marietta 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
Rankings from AP small college poll
1973 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
East Division
West Chester xy 4 – 0 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
East Stroudsburg 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 1 – 1
Millersville 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Cheyney 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Bloomsburg 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Kutztown 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Mansfield 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
West Division
No. T–20 Slippery Rock xy$ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 2 – 0
Clarion 3 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Edinboro 3 – 2 – 0 4 – 4 – 1
Lock Haven 2 – 3 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
California (PA) 1 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Shippensburg 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Indiana (PA) * 0 – 0 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Championship: Slippery Rock 28, West Chester 14
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • * – Ineligible for conference title
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1973 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
John Carroll $ 5 – 0 – 2 7 – 1 – 2
Allegheny 5 – 1 – 1 5 – 3 – 1
Thiel 4 – 2 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Hiram 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Carnegie Mellon 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Bethany (WV) 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 5 – 1
Washington & Jefferson 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Case Western Reserve 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
1973 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Redlands $ 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Whittier 3 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
La Verne 3 – 2 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Claremont-Mudd 2 – 3 – 0 3 – 5 – 0
Occidental 2 – 3 – 0 2 – 6 – 0
Pomona-Pitzer 0 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1973 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Wisconsin–La Crosse $^ 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. 14 Wisconsin–Platteville 6 – 1 – 1 8 – 1 – 1
Wisconsin–Whitewater 4 – 2 – 2 6 – 2 – 2
Wisconsin–Eau Claire 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Wisconsin–Oshkosh 4 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin–River Falls 3 – 4 – 1 4 – 5 – 1
Wisconsin–Stevens Point 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Wisconsin–Superior 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Wisconsin–Stout 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
‹ The template below (2023 NCAA Division III independents football records) is being considered for deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. ›
1973 NCAA Division III independents football records
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 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Colorado College   –   9 – 1 – 0
Bridgeport ^   –   9 – 2 – 0
San Diego ^   –   9 – 2 – 1
Albany   –   7 – 2 – 0
Salisbury State   –   7 – 2 – 0
Ashland   –   7 – 3 – 0
Norwich   –   6 – 3 – 0
Rochester (NY)   –   6 – 3 – 0
Brockport   –   5 – 3 – 0
Maryville (TN)   –   5 – 4 – 0
Millsaps   –   5 – 4 – 0
Madison   –   4 – 5 – 0
St. Norbert   –   4 – 5 – 0
Lake Forest   –   3 – 4 – 1
Saint Mary's   –   3 – 4 – 1
Georgetown   –   3 – 5 – 0
Grove City   –   2 – 6 – 1
Cortland   –   1 – 7 – 1
Chicago   –   0 – 6 – 1
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant

Conference champions

Conference Champion(s)
College Athletic Conference Southwestern at Memphis
College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Carthage
Independent College Athletic Conference Champion unknown
Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Buena Vista
Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hope
Middle Atlantic Conference North: Juniata
South: Franklin & Marshall
Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference Coe
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Minnesota–Duluth
St. Thomas (MN)
New England Football Conference Nichols
New Jersey State Athletic Conference Montclair State
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (Division III) Fisk
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Redlands

Postseason

The 1973 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the first single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The inaugural edition had only four teams (in comparison with the 32 teams competing as of 2014). The championship game was held at Garrett-Harrison Stadium in Phenix City, Alabama. The Wittenberg Tigers defeated the Juniata College Eagles, 41−0, to win their first national title.[2]

Playoff bracket

Semifinals
Campus sites 		National Championship Game
Garrett–Harrison Stadium
Phenix City, AL
      
Juniata 35
Bridgeport 14
Juniata 0
Wittenberg 41
Wittenberg 21
San Diego 14

Coaching changes

This list includes all head coaching changes announced during or after the season.

School Outgoing coach Reason Replacement Previous position
Bridgeport Ed Farrell Hired as head coach for Davidson[3] Ray Murphy[4] East Stroudsburg offensive coordinator (1973)
Brockport Gerry D'Agostino Resigned Dave Hutter[5] Brockport assistant coach (1971–1973)
East Stroudsburg Charles Reese Leave of absence[6] Dennis Douds (full-season interim, hired full-time on January 29, 1975)[6][7] East Stroudsburg defensive coordinator (1968–1973)
Elmhurst Wendell Harris Resigned Al Hanke[8] Lake Forest assistant coach (1954–1973)
Hamline Dick Mulkern Resigned[a][9] Jim Sessions[10] Marietta assistant coach (1973)
Jersey City State Jack Stephans Resigned[11] Bill McKeown[12] Northeastern offensive coordinator (1972–1973)
Maryville (TN) Boydson Baird (full season interim) Permanent replacement hired Jim Jordan[13] Carson–Newman defensive backs coach (1973)
RIT Tom Coughlin Hired as quarterbacks coach for Syracuse[14] Lou Spiotti[b][15] Rochester defensive backs coach (1972–1973)
Saint Mary's (CA) Leo McKillip Hired as defensive coordinator for the Edmonton Eskimos[16] Jim McDonald[17] Saint Mary's (CA) offensive line coach (1971–1973)
San Diego Andy Vinci Hired as head coach by Cal Poly Pomona[18] Dick Logan[19] San Francisco State offensive coordinator (1970–1973)
Simpson Al Paone Resigned Larry Johnson (full-season interim)[20] Simpson head baseball coach (1970–1974)
Swarthmore Millard Robinson (full-season interim) Not retained[21] Lew Elverson Swarthmore head coach (1946–1972)
Trenton State Pete Carmichael Hired as defensive coordinator for Columbia[22] Dick Curl[c][23] Trenton State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (1973)
Wabash Dick Bowman[24] Hired as defensive line coach for Army Frank Navarro[25] Columbia head coach (1968–1973)
William Paterson Phil Zofrea Resigned[26] Bob Trocolor[27] New York Giants scout (1970ish–1973)
Wisconsin–Platteville Gil Krueger Hired as head coach for Northern Michigan[28] Bob Seamans[29] Wisconsin–Platteville defensive coordinator (1969–1973)
  1. ^ Resigned to devote more time as Hamline's athletic director.
  2. ^ Cortland defensive coordinator Dick Wheaton from 1971 to 1973 was originally hired, but resigned after three weeks.
  3. ^ Villanova offensive coordinator Fred O'Connor was initially hired but was replaced by Curl due to backlash from the football players.

See also

References

  1. ^ "All-Time Division III Football Championship Records" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. pp. 4–15. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  2. ^ "1973 NCAA Division III National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 14. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  3. ^ "Ed Farrell Gets Davidson Post". The Daily Times. February 24, 1974. p. 13. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "Ray Murphy Named Head Football Coach at Bridgeport". The Bridgeport Telegram. May 1, 1974. p. 19. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  5. ^ "Hutter named at Brockport". Tucson Daily Citizen. December 7, 1973. p. 59. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Stroudsburg's Reese On Leave of Absence". The Times Leader. February 9, 1974. p. 12. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  7. ^ Rednar, Rudy (January 30, 1975). "Douds gets promoted at East Stroudsburg". The Morning Call. p. 52. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  8. ^ "Forester Athletic Hall of Fame". campus.lakeforest.edu. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  9. ^ "Mulkern resigns as Hamline coach". The Austin Daily Herald. November 15, 1973. p. 11. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  10. ^ "Jim Sessions Hamline coach". Gazette News-Current. February 22, 1974. p. 7. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  11. ^ Rakowski, Cas (April 29, 1974). "Stephans quits JCSC grid post". The Jersey Journal. p. 23. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  12. ^ "McKeown Coach at Jersey City". Asbury Park Press. July 31, 1974. p. 49. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "C-N's Jordan At Maryville". Bristol Herald Courier. January 12, 1974. p. 14. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  14. ^ "Coughlin named Syracuse assistant". Democrat and Chronicle. February 27, 1974. p. 37. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  15. ^ Smith, Curt (July 31, 1974). "Spiotti takes RIT post after all". Democrat and Chronicle. p. 43. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  16. ^ Jones, Terry (March 8, 1974). "McKillip lines up as defensive coach". Edmonton Journal. p. 65. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  17. ^ "Leo McKillip's Job Given to McDonald". Omaha World-Herald. April 24, 1974. p. 51. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Andy Vinci Lands Job At Cal Poly". The Daily Advertiser. December 28, 1973. p. 8. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  19. ^ "Logan hired as USD grid coach". Press-Telegram. February 7, 1974. p. 29. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  20. ^ Moackler, Jim (August 27, 1974). "Football One More Job For Simpson's Johnson". Des Moines Tribune. p. 15. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  21. ^ Olsen, Eddie (September 18, 1973). "There's Still a Swarthmore in Millard Robinson's Future". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 33. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  22. ^ "Carmichael gets grid job at Columbia U." The Courier-News. January 16, 1974. p. 48. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  23. ^ "Trenton St. names Curl". The Jersey Journal. May 1, 1974. p. 15. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  24. ^ "Football". The Sun. March 1, 1974. p. 13. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  25. ^ Bansch, John (May 1, 1974). "Giants Obtain Columbia Boss". The Indianapolis Star. p. 48. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  26. ^ "William Paterson's Grid Coach Zofrea Resigns". The News. March 8, 1974. p. 26. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  27. ^ "Trocolor Named WPC Grid Coach". The News. June 5, 1974. p. 40. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  28. ^ "Gil Krueger Moves". The Journal Times. January 16, 1974. p. 24. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  29. ^ "Seamans Takes Krueger's Job". The Capital Times. January 17, 1974. p. 18. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  • v
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  • e
NCAA football seasons
Pre-NCAA
NCAA pre-divisional
NCAA University Division
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I-A/FBS
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
NCAA College Division
NCAA Division II
NCAA Division III