1973 Clemson Tigers football team

American college football season

1973 Clemson Tigers football

Conference| Atlantic Coast Conference
Record| 5–6 (4–2 ACC)
Head coach|

* Red Parker (1st season)

Captain| Mike Buckner, Ken Pengitore
Home stadium| Memorial Stadium

Seasons

<- 1972

1974 ->

1973 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 16 NC State $  | 6  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 20 Maryland | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Clemson | 4  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Virginia | 3  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Duke | 1  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 1
North Carolina | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Wake Forest | 0  | - | 5  | - | 1 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 1

* $ - Conference champion

Rankings from AP Poll[1]

The 1973 Clemson Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Clemson University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In its first season under head coach Red Parker, the team compiled a 5–6 record (4–2 against conference opponents), finished third in the ACC, and was outscored by a total of 263 to 231.[2][3] The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.

Mike Buckner and quarterback Ken Pengitore were the team captains. The team's statistical leaders included Ken Pengitore with 1,370 passing yards, running back Smiley Sanders with 627 rushing yards and 60 point scored (10 touchdowns), and Gordy Bengel with 358 receiving yards.[4]

## Schedule[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|

September 8| 1:30 p.m.| The Citadel*|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| W 14–12| 40,000| [5]
September 22| 2:00 p.m.| at Georgia*|

* Sanford Stadium
* Athens, GA (rivalry)

| L 14–31| 48,280| [6]
September 29| 2:00 p.m.| at Georgia Tech*|

* Grant Field
* Atlanta, GA (rivalry)

| L 21–29| 48,062| [7]
October 6| 1:30 p.m.| Texas A&M*|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| L 15–30| 30,000| [8]
October 13| 1:30 p.m.| Virginia|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| W 32–27| 28,000| [9]
October 20| 1:30 p.m.| at Duke|

* Wallace Wade Stadium
* Durham, NC

| W 24–8| 33,800| [10]
October 27| 1:30 p.m.| NC State|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC (rivalry)

| L 6–29| 34,000| [11]
November 3| 1:30 p.m.| Wake Forest|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| W 35–8| 23,000–25,000| [12]
November 10| 1:30 p.m.| at North Carolina|

* Kenan Memorial Stadium
* Chapel Hill, NC

| W 37–29| 37,500| [13]
November 17| 1:30 p.m.| Maryland|

* Memorial Stadium
* Clemson, SC

| L 13–28| 31,500| [14]
November 24| 1:30 p.m.| at South Carolina*|

* Williams–Brice Stadium
* Columbia, SC (rivalry)

| L 20–32| 55,615| [15]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* All times are in Eastern time

[16][17]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "1973 Atlantic Coast Conference Year Summary". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
2. ^ "2016 Media Guide" (PDF). clemsontigers.com. Clemson Athletics. 2016. pp. 200–208. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
3. ^ "1973 Clemson Tigers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "1973 Clemson Tigers Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2019 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Clemson nips stubborn Citadel, 14–12". Asheville Citizen-Times. September 9, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Georgia nips Tigers". Florence Morning News. September 23, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Georgia Tech edges Clemson". The Lynchburg News. September 30, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Aggies fight off pesky Clemson for 30–15 win". The Waco Tribune-Herald. October 7, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Tigers rally past Virginia". Winston-Salem Journal & Sentinel. October 14, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Clemson rips Duke, 24–8, now 2–0 in ACC". The Charlotte Observer. October 21, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "N.C. State crushes Clemson by 29 to 6 in league contest". The Danville Register. October 28, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Sanders keys Tigers past Wake Forest 35–8". Florence Morning News. November 4, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Clemson downs 'Heels, 37–29". The Gastonia Gazette. November 11, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "Terps find things 'Peachy' following win over Tigers". The News and Observer. November 18, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "Sophomore Quarterback Guns USC To Victory Over Arch-Rival Clemson". The Greenville News. November 25, 1973. p. 1 - via Newspapers.com.
16. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1973". Clemson University. 1973. p. 0. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
17. ^ "Clemson Football Media Guide - 1974". Clemson University. 1974. p. 2. Retrieved November 6, 2023.

* v
* t
* e

Clemson Tigers football

Venues|

* Bowman Field (1900–1913)
* Riggs Field (1915–1941)
* Memorial Stadium (1942–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Alabama
* Auburn
* Boston College (O'Rourke–McFadden Trophy)
* Florida State
* Georgia
* Georgia Tech
* NC State (Textile Bowl)
* South Carolina

Culture & lore|

* History
* The Tiger
* "Tiger Rag"
* Marching band
* Clemson–South Carolina football brawl
* Safety
* The Fridge

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
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* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
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* 1913
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* 1929
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* 1973
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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number