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. 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. The team's 9–2 record in 1973 was the best in program history.

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Team players drafted into the NFL