The 1973 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, part of the 1973 bowl game season, took place on December 29, 1973, at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The competing teams were the Tulane Green Wave and Houston Cougars, with each competing as a football independent. Houston won the game 47âÂÂ7.
The 1973 Houston squad finished the regular season with a 10âÂÂ1 record with its lone loss coming against Auburn. The 10âÂÂ1 record was the best recorded in the school's history to that point. The appearance marked the third for Houston in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, and their fifth overall bowl game.
The 1973 Tulane squad finished the regular season with a 9âÂÂ2 record with losses coming against Kentucky and Maryland. Prior to victory over Vanderbilt, the Green Wave accepted an invitation to play in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl. The appearance marked the first for Tulane in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, and their fifth overall bowl game.
Beginning in 1996, the Green Wave and Cougars became conference rivals when Conference USA began play in football (the conference began play in basketball and other sports during the 1995âÂÂ96 school year). Both schools moved to the American Athletic Conference in 2014, with the Cougars eventually moving to the Big 12 Conference in 2023.