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1983 NCAA Division I-A football season

1983 NCAA Division I-A season
Number of teams 112
Preseason AP #1 Nebraska Cornhuskers
Post-season
Duration December 10, 1983 –
January 2, 1984
Bowl games 16
Heisman Trophy Mike Rozier, Nebraska RB
Winner Miami Hurricanes
Division I-A football seasons
← 1982
1984 →
1983 ACC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#11 Clemson 7 0 0     9 1 1
Maryland $ 5 1 0     8 4 0
North Carolina 4 3 0     8 4 0
Georgia Tech 3 3 0     3 8 0
Virginia 3 4 0     6 5 0
Duke 3 4 0     3 8 0
Wake Forest 1 6 0     4 7 0
NC State 1 6 0     3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 Big 8 football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#2 Nebraska $ 7 0 0     12 1 0
Oklahoma 5 2 0     8 4 0
Missouri 5 2 0     7 5 0
Oklahoma State 3 4 0     8 4 0
Iowa State 3 4 0     4 7 0
Kansas 2 5 0     4 6 1
Colorado 2 5 0     4 7 0
Kansas State 1 6 0     3 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 Big Ten football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#10 Illinois $ 9 0 0     10 2 0
#8 Michigan 8 1 0     9 3 0
#14 Iowa 7 2 0     9 3 0
#9 Ohio State 6 3 0     9 3 0
Wisconsin 5 4 0     7 4 0
Purdue 3 5 1     3 7 1
Michigan State 2 6 1     4 6 1
Indiana 2 7 0     3 8 0
Northwestern 2 7 0     2 9 0
Minnesota 0 9 0     1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Northern Illinois $ 8 1 0     10 2 0
Toledo 7 2 0     9 2 0
Bowling Green 7 2 0     8 3 0
Central Michigan 7 2 0     8 3 0
Ball State 4 4 0     6 5 0
Western Michigan 4 5 0     6 5 0
Miami 3 5 0     4 7 0
Ohio 3 6 0     4 7 0
Kent State 1 8 0     1 10 0
Eastern Michigan 0 9 0     1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Tulsa $ 5 0 0     8 3 0
Southern Illinois 5 1 0     13 1 0
New Mexico State 3 2 0     5 6 0
Indiana State 3 3 0     9 4 0
Illinois State 2 2 1     6 4 1
Wichita State 3 3 0     3 8 0
Drake 1 6 0     1 10 0
West Texas State 0 5 1     0 10 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 Pacific Coast Athletic Association football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
Cal State Fullerton $ 6 0 0     8 4 0
Utah State 4 2 0     6 5 0
Long Beach State 3 3 0     8 4 0
Fresno State 3 3 0     7 4 0
San Jose State 3 3 0     5 6 0
Pacific (CA) 2 4 0     4 8 0
UNLV 0 6 0     0 11 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
Records adjusted for UNLV forfeit of all 7 victories
1983 Pacific-10 football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#17 UCLA $ 6 1 1     7 4 1
Washington 5 2 0     8 4 0
Washington State 5 3 0     7 4 0
USC 4 3 0     4 6 1
Arizona 4 3 1     7 3 1
Arizona State 3 3 1     6 4 1
Oregon 3 3 1     4 6 1
California 3 4 1     5 5 1
Oregon State 1 6 1     2 8 1
Stanford 1 7 0     1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#3 Auburn $ 6 0 0     11 1 0
#4 Georgia 5 1 0     10 1 1
#6 Florida 4 2 0     9 2 1
Tennessee 4 2 0     9 3 0
#15 Alabama 4 2 0     8 4 0
Ole Miss 4 2 0     6 6 0
Kentucky 2 4 0     6 5 1
Mississippi State 1 5 0     3 8 0
LSU 0 6 0     4 7 0
Vanderbilt 0 6 0     2 9 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 Division I-A independents football records
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#1 Miami           11 1 0
Virginia Tech           9 2 0
#19 Boston College           9 3 0
#16 West Virginia           9 3 0
#20 East Carolina           8 3 0
#18 Pittsburgh           8 3 1
Penn State           8 4 1
Southern Miss           7 4 0
Memphis           6 4 1
Florida State           8 4 0
Notre Dame           7 5 0
Syracuse           6 5 0
William & Mary           6 5 0
South Carolina           5 6 0
Cincinnati           4 6 1
Southwestern Louisiana           4 6 0
Temple           4 7 0
Tulane           4 7 0
Louisville           3 8 0
Navy           3 8 0
Richmond           3 8 0
Rutgers           3 8 0
Army           2 9 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami, led by Bernie Kosar, winning their first national championship over perennial power and top ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.

The Hurricanes' 31-30 win over Nebraska is still talked about as one of the greatest games of all time, not only for its last minute finish, but for its role in changing the face of college football. Miami came into the game ranked #5, but losses by #2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl and #4 Illinois in the Rose Bowl launched them to #1 (despite protests from #3 Auburn)

Nebraska scored a touchdown with 48 seconds remaining, putting them within one point of the Hurricanes. Despite knowing a tie would still give Nebraska the national title, Coach Tom Osborne decided to go for two points and the win rather than one point and the tie. Miami was able to hold, snapping Nebraska's 22-game winning streak and launching Miami as a powerhouse program.

This Miami team was the first to win a national title without a single player voted to the first team All-Americans and only the second to win a national title gaining more passing yards than rushing.

The Auburn Tigers, featuring Bo Jackson also had a stellar season going 11-1 and beating Michigan in the Sugar Bowl 9-7. Despite entering the bowl games ranked third in both major polls, and with both teams ranked higher losing their bowl games, the Tigers ended ranked third in the final AP poll as Miami jumped from 5th to ranked #1 when they beat #1 ranked Nebraska to gain the National Championship. Auburn had played the toughest schedule in the nation, including eight bowl teams, seven of which were ranked in the top 20 (four in the top ten). Even with this difficult schedule the Tigers were ranked first by a few polls, including the New York Times computer rankings. The NCAA record book also formally recognizes the Tigers as co-national champions, along with Nebraska (and of course, Miami). It is not uncommon for the NCAA record book to "recognize" multiple national champions in a given year, with the AP and Coaches' poll winner regarded as true national champions.

The Holiday Bowl was also a classic, as BYU, led by future NFL star Steve Young, defeated Missouri with a last second halfback pass.


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