| Year: | 1973 |
| Team: | Kent State Golden Flashes |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Mid-American Conference |
| Short Conf: | MAC |
| Record: | 9–2 |
| Conf Record: | 4–1 |
| Head Coach: | Don James |
| Hc Year: | 3rd |
| Off Coach: | Dick Scesniak |
| Oc Year: | 3rd |
| Def Coach: | Dennis Fitzgerald |
| Dc Year: | 3rd |
| Stadium: | Dix Stadium |
The 1973 Kent State Golden Flashes football team was an American football team that represented Kent State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In their third season under head coach Don James, the Golden Flashes compiled a 9–2 record (4–1 against MAC opponents), finished in second place in the MAC, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 300 to 131.[1] [2] Nick Saban, a defensive back for the Golden Flashes the previous three seasons, was a graduate assistant on James' staff during the 1973 season.
The team included brothers Larry Poole, a tailback, and Tommie Poole, a defensive tackle.
Don James was credited with turning a "mediocre" Kent State program into a MAC power in his four years as head coach.[3] The team's 9–2 record in 1973 was the best in program history.[4]
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
| Gerald Tinker | Wide receiver | 2 | 44 | Atlanta Falcons |
| Linebacker | 2 | 46 | Pittsburgh Steelers | |