| Game Name: | Fiesta Bowl |
| Date Game Played: | December 21 |
| Year Game Played: | 1973 |
| Football Season: | 1973 |
| Home Name Short: | Arizona State |
| Home Nickname: | Sun Devils |
| Home Record: | 10–1 |
| Home Rank Ap: | 10 |
| Home Rank Coaches: | 10 |
| Home 1Q: | 7 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 3 |
| Home 4Q: | 18 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Pittsburgh |
| Visitor Nickname: | Panthers |
| Visitor Record: | 6–4–1 |
| Visitor Rank Ap: | NR |
| Visitor Rank Coaches: | NR |
| Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 0 |
| Odds: | Arizona State by 14 points |
| Type: | bg |
| Mvp: | Greg Hudson (ASU SE) Mike Haynes (ASU CB) |
| Attendance: | 50,878 |
| Payout: | 185,000 each |
The 1973 Fiesta Bowl was the third edition of the college football bowl game, played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Friday, December 21. Part of the 1973–74 bowl game season, it matched the unranked independent Pittsburgh Panthers and #10 Arizona State Sun Devils of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).[1] [2]
After falling behind early, favored Arizona State pulled away in the fourth quarter and won again on its home field, 28–7.[3] [4] [5]
See main article: 1973 NCAA Division I football season.
See main article: 1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football team. In their first year under head coach Johnny Majors, the Panthers were ranked twice in the AP poll in November (at #20), but lost the next game (Notre Dame, Penn State). This was Pittsburgh's first bowl appearance in seventeen years.
See main article: 1973 Arizona State Sun Devils football team. The Sun Devils were co-champions of the WAC, the sole loss was an upset at Utah; ASU defeated rival Arizona in the late November to clinch the share. This was their fifth straight WAC title and third consecutive Fiesta Bowl appearance; they had won the first two editions (1971, 1972).
Televised by Mizlou, the kickoff on Friday night was shortly after 6 p.m. MST.[1] [6] It was the Fiesta Bowl's second night game, and the last until January 1987.
All-American freshman halfback Tony Dorsett gave Pittsburgh an early lead on his three-yard touchdown run. Arizona State responded, as its All-American halfback Woody Green ran it in from three yards to make it 7–7 at the end of the first quarter; the second quarter was scoreless.
A field goal by Danny Kush gave Arizona State a 10–7 lead after three quarters. Split end Greg Hudson increased the lead with a 38-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Danny White, and Green (who had 25 rushes for 131 yards) added two more touchdown runs. The game had thirteen punts and fourteen turnovers, with eight each by Pittsburgh.[3] [4] [5] [7]
Hudson had eight receptions for 186 yards and was the offensive player of the game; cornerback Mike Haynes had two interceptions and took the defensive honor.
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Arizona State | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 12 | 18 | |
| Yards Rushing | 47–151 | 45–164 | |
| Yards Passing | 57 | 269 | |
| Passing | 7–23–4 | 14–20–3 | |
| Return Yards | 27 | −4 | |
| Total Offense | 70–208 | 65–433 | |
| Punts–Average | 8–39.3 | 5–46.0 | |
| Fumbles–Lost | 5–4 | 4–3 | |
| Turnovers | 8 | 6 | |
| Penalties–Yards | 4–34 | 7–73 |
While in the WAC, Arizona State returned to the Fiesta Bowl twice more, in 1975 and 1977, their sole defeat. Pittsburgh came back in 1979 with another heralded freshman, quarterback Dan Marino, and won.