CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1983 Michigan

9–⁠3 (8–⁠1 Big Ten), coached by Bo Schembechler, finished No. 8 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Michigan in 1983, game by game: won vs. Washington State 20–17; lost at No. 16 Washington 24–25; won at Wisconsin 38–21; won vs. Indiana 43–18; won at Michigan State 42–0; won vs. Northwestern 35–0; won vs. No. 12 Iowa 16–13; lost at No. 9 Illinois 6–16; won vs. Purdue 42–10; won at Minnesota 58–10; won vs. No. 10 Ohio State 24–21; lost vs. No. 3 Auburn 7–9+48−10Won 20–17 vs. Washington State+3Washington StateLost 24–25 at No. 16 Washington-1No. 16 WashingtonWon 38–21 at Wisconsin+17WisconsinWon 43–18 vs. Indiana+25IndianaWon 42–0 at Michigan State+42Michigan StateWon 35–0 vs. Northwestern+35NorthwesternWon 16–13 vs. No. 12 Iowa+3No. 12 IowaLost 6–16 at No. 9 Illinois-10No. 9 IllinoisWon 42–10 vs. Purdue+32PurdueWon 58–10 at Minnesota+48MinnesotaWon 24–21 vs. No. 10 Ohio State+3No. 10 Ohio StateLost 7–9 vs. No. 3 Auburn-2No. 3 Auburn
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 10vsWashington StateW 20–⁠1776%
Sep 17at16WashingtonL 24–⁠2540%
Sep 24atWisconsinW 38–⁠2150%
Oct 1vsIndianaW 43–⁠1882%
Oct 8atMichigan StateW 42–⁠068%
Oct 15vsNorthwesternW 35–⁠091%
Oct 22vs12IowaW 16–⁠1367%
Oct 29at9IllinoisL 6–⁠1646%
Nov 5vsPurdueW 42–⁠1085%
Nov 12atMinnesotaW 58–⁠1087%
Nov 19vs10Ohio StateW 24–⁠2156%
Jan 2Bowls & playoffvs3AuburnSugar BowlL 7–⁠942%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Auburn 9–⁠7 in the Sugar Bowl; No. 8 in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Big Ten.

In program history: The 57th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 140 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 10
  2. Wk 2: 6
  3. Wk 3: 8
  4. Wk 4: 17
  5. Wk 5: 14
  6. Wk 6: 14
  7. Wk 7: 13
  8. Wk 8: 10
  9. Wk 9: 8
  10. Wk 10: 13
  11. Wk 11: 9
  12. Wk 12: 8
  13. Wk 13: 8
  14. Wk 14: 8
  15. Wk 15: 8
  16. Final: 8

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1983.

Record
9–⁠3
Conference
8–⁠1 2nd in Big Ten
AP final
No. 8 peak No. 6
Points
355–⁠160
Coach
Bo Schembechler
Elo
1687 +76 this season
SP+ rating
19.3 No. 13 of 108; offense No. 16, defense No. 14
SRS
16.3 No. 8 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Gary Moeller
Captains
Stefan Humphries and John Lott
Most valuable player
Steve Smith

Drafted in 1984

The 1984 draft
Rd 3Stefan Humphries OGChicago Bears
Rd 4Evan Cooper DBPhiladelphia Eagles

All-Big Ten

6 first team, 4 second team

First team

Second team

  • Rick RogersRBUPI-2
  • Jerry DiorioOGAP-2
  • Mike MalloryLBAP-2; UPI-2
  • Carlton RoseLBAP-2; UPI-2

From Wikipedia’s 1983 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1983 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Illinois9–⁠010–⁠210
Michigan8–⁠19–⁠38
Iowa7–⁠29–⁠314
Ohio State6–⁠39–⁠39
Wisconsin5–⁠47–⁠4
Purdue3–⁠5–⁠13–⁠7–⁠1
Michigan State2–⁠6–⁠14–⁠6–⁠1
Indiana2–⁠73–⁠8
Northwestern2–⁠72–⁠9
Minnesota0–⁠91–⁠10

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.