Wikipedia

1973 Buena Vista Beavers football team

The 1973 Buena Vista Beavers football team was an American football team that represented Buena Vista College as a member of the Iowa Conference (now known as the American Rivers Conference) during the 1973 NAIA Division II football season. In their fourth year under head coach Jim Hershberger, the Beavers compiled an 8–1 record (7–0 in conference games), won the Iowa Conference championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 208 to 106.[1][2] The team's only loss was to the eventual NAIA Division II national champion Northwestern Red Raiders.[3] It was Buena Vista's first outright conference championship since 1952.[4]

1973 Buena Vista Beavers football
Iowa Conference champion
ConferenceIowa Conference
Record8–1 (7–0 Iowa)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorAl Lewis (11th season)
Home stadiumBradford Field
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 Iowa Conference football standings
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 (IA) 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Upper Iowa 0 – 6 – 1 1 – 7 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

Guard Joe Kotal was selected as a first-team All-American. Quarterback Charlie Mullligan was selected as the Iowa Conference Most Valuable Player, and Hershberger received the conference's Coach of the Year award.

The team played its home games at Bradford Field in Storm Lake, Iowa.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 15at Westmar*Le Mars, IAW 48–0[5]
September 22Northwestern (IA)*
L 15–284,500[3]
September 29at Wartburg
W 21–12[6]
October 6Dubuque
  • Bradford Field
  • Storm Lake, IA
W 20–16[7]
October 13at Central (IA)Pella, IAW 8–2[8]
October 20at Luther
W 21–7[9]
October 27Simpson (IA) 
  • Bradford Field
  • Storm Lake, IA
W 33–21[10]
November 3at Upper IowaFayette, IAW 27–13[11]
November 10William Penn
  • Bradford Field
  • Storm Lake, IA
W 17–7[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

Awards and honors

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Buena Vista personnel received multiple honors at the end of the 1973 season, including the following:

  • Senior quarterback Charlie Mulligan, who passed for 907 yards and six touchdowns, was unanimously selected as the Most Valuable Player in the Iowa Conference.[15]
  • Head coach Jim Hershberger was selected as the Iowa Conference Coach of the Year.[15]

In addition to Mulligan and Kotval, six other Buena Vista players were selected as first-team players on the 1973 All-Iowa Conference football team: tight end Steve McPherson; interior offensive lineman Lyle Karsten; defensive linemen Tom Rouse and Kent Livermore; linebacker Tom McGrain; and defensive back Mike Pertzborn.[15][16]

References

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  1. ^ "1974 Buena Vista University Yearbook" (PDF). Iowa Heritage. 1974. p. 18. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  2. ^ "Final Iowa Conference football standings". Globe Gazette. Mason City, Iowa. November 14, 1973. p. 25. Retrieved January 10, 2020 – via Newspapers.com  .
  3. ^ a b "99-Yard March Aids Raiders". The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa. September 23, 1973. p. 7D. Retrieved October 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  4. ^ "'Ho-Hum' Beavers Just 7-0". Des Moines Register. November 12, 1973. p. 4S – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Buena Vista Romps, 48-0". The Des Moines Register. September 16, 1973. p. 4D – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Beavers Topple Gritty Wartburg". Waterloo Sunday Courier. September 30, 1973. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Buena-Vista Beats Dubuque". Council Bluffs Nonpareil. October 7, 1973. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Randy Witke (October 15, 1973). "Buena Vista 'Unexpectedly' I Lead". Des Moines Register. p. 4S – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Buena Vista Stays on Top, Runs Past Luther, 21-7". The Des Moines Register. October 21, 1973. p. 8D – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Buena Vista Claws Back For 33-21 Loop Victory". The Des Moines Register. October 28, 1973. p. 6D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Buena Vista Clinches Tie For Crown". The Des Moines Register. November 4, 1973. p. 5D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Buena Vista Nails Crown". The Des Moines Register. November 11, 1973. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Buena Vista Guard Honored: Iowan Kotval All-American". Des Moines Tribune. December 6, 1973. p. 1S – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Two Coe Gridders Cited". The Cedar Rapids Gazette. December 7, 1973. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c "Buena Vista Quarterback Top Player". The Cedar Rapids Gazette. November 20, 1973. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Buena Vista Heads Iowa Loop 'Stars'". Des Moines Register. November 21, 1973. p. 3S – via Newspapers.com.
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