1983 NAIA Division I football season explained

Year:1983
Regular Season:August–November 1983
Playoffs:December 3–17, 1983
Championship:Ralph Stocker Stadium
Grand Junction, CO
Champions:Carson–Newman

The 1983 NAIA Division I football season was the 28th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 14th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

The season was played from August to November 1983 and culminated in the 1983 NAIA Champion Bowl, played this year on December 17, 1983 at Ralph Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction, Colorado on the campus of Mesa College—now known as known as Colorado Mesa University.[1]

Carson–Newman defeated in the Champion Bowl, 36–28, to win their first NAIA national title.[2]

Conference changes

Conference champions

ConferenceChampionRecord
Arkansas IntercollegiateCentral Arkansas6–0
Central StatesWashburn6–1
EvergreenPuget Sound6–1
NICWinona State5–1
OklahomaNortheastern State4–0
RMACMesa7–0–1
South AtlanticCarson–Newman6–1
WSUCWisconsin–Eau Claire7–1
WVIACShepherd8–0

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NAIA Championship History. NAIA. November 23, 2015. 4–11. https://web.archive.org/web/20150715022933/http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/1NAIA/SportsInfo/Championships/FB_Championship.pdf?SPSID=640523. July 15, 2015. dead.
  2. Web site: 1983 Division I NAIA Football Playoffs. JonFMorse.com. November 23, 2015.
  3. Web site: NAIA Football Regular Season Records. NAIA. 11 December 2021. 20.