Lehigh lost in the quarterfinal round of the national playoffs, and won the Lambert Cup.
In their ninth year under head coach Fred Dunlap, the Engineers compiled a 7–4–1 record (7–3–1 in the regular season).
[2] McQuilken completed 62.5% of his passes for 2,603 yards and 19 touchdowns and was selected by the Associated Press as the first-team quarterback on the 1973 Little All-America college football team.
Both Delaware and Lehigh also qualified for the first-ever NCAA Division II national playoff.
Lehigh played its home games at Taylor Stadium on the university campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.