The 1973 Northwestern Red Raiders football team was an American football team that represented Northwestern College of Orange City, Iowa, as a member of the Tri-State Conference during the 1973 NAIA Division II football season. Led by Larry Korver in his seventh season as head coach, the team compiled a perfect record of 12âÂÂ0, winning the Tri-State Conference title with a 5âÂÂ0 mark and the NAIA Division II Football National Championship with a 10âÂÂ3 victory in the championship game.
Korver was selected as the 1973 NAIA Football Coach of the Year based on a vote of the NAIA Football Coaches' Association. Defensive tackle Tom Rieck was selected as a first-team player on the All-NAIA All-Star team. Eight Northwestern players received first-team honors on the 1973 all-Tri-State Conference football team: Rieck; quarterback Curt Krull; halfback Mitch Bengard; receivers Dave Hector and Gary Vetter; offensive lineman Jay DeZeeuw; linebacker Doug Van Steenwyk; and defensive back Daryl Hoogeven.