1973 Mississippi State Bulldogs football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record4–5–2 (2–5 SEC)
Head coach
Home stadiumScott Field
(capacity: 35,000)
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Alabama $ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0
No. 13 LSU 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Ole Miss 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
No. 19 Tennessee 3 – 3 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Georgia 3 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 1
Florida 3 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Kentucky 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Auburn 2 – 5 – 0 6 – 6 – 0
Mississippi State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 5 – 2
Vanderbilt 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Bob Tyler, Mississippi State compiled an overall record of 4–5–2 with mark of 2–5 in conference play, tying for eighth place in the SEC. The Bulldogs played their home games at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 15Northeast Louisiana*
T 21–21[1]
September 22Vanderbilt
  • Scott Field
  • Starkville, MS
W 52–21
September 29No. 16 Florida
W 33–12
October 6Kentucky
  • Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
  • Jackson, MS
L 14–42
October 13at Florida State*
W 37–12
October 20at Louisville*
W 18–7
October 27Southern Miss*dagger
  • Scott Field
  • Starkville, MS
T 10–10[2]
November 3No. 2 Alabama
  • Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
  • Jackson, MS (rivalry)
L 0–35
November 10at Auburn
L 17–31
November 17at LSU
L 7–26
November 24vs. Ole Miss
  • Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
  • Jackson, MS (Egg Bowl)
L 10–38
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[3]

Game summaries

Vanderbilt

1 234Total
Vanderbilt 0 1470 21
• Mississippi State 7 141414 49

Fullback Wayne Jones broke through Vanderbilt's defense for 117 yards and three scores in Mississippi State's rout of Vanderbilt and gave head coach Bob Tyler his first victory. Jones, a 215-pound senior, opened the scoring before the Commodores took charge with two scores. Jones then capped a 69-yard drive to pull State even. Jones' third touchdown came in the third after what turned out to be Vanderbilt's only score of the half. It was the Bulldogs' biggest win since 1952 versus Auburn. [4]

References

  1. ^ "Bulldogs salvage tie; Northeast La. ruins State opener 21–21". The Clarion-Ledger. September 16, 1973. p. F1. Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "State & USM both missed by inches". The Clarion-Ledger. October 28, 1973. Retrieved March 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ 2011 Mississippi State football media guide.
  4. ^ "Bulldogs Rip Vandy, 52-21." Palm Beach Post. 1973 Sep 23.
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