CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1983 Nebraska

12–⁠1 (7–⁠0 Big Eight), coached by Tom Osborne, finished No. 2 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Nebraska in 1983, game by game: won vs. Penn State 44–6; won vs. Wyoming 56–20; won at Minnesota 84–13; won vs. UCLA 42–10; won vs. Syracuse 63–7; won at Oklahoma State 14–10; won at Missouri 34–13; won vs. Colorado 69–19; won at Kansas State 51–25; won vs. Iowa State 72–29; won vs. Kansas 67–13; won at Oklahoma 28–21; lost vs. No. 5 Miami 30–31+71−1Won 44–6 vs. Penn State+38Penn StateWon 56–20 vs. Wyoming+36WyomingWon 84–13 at Minnesota+71MinnesotaWon 42–10 vs. UCLA+32UCLAWon 63–7 vs. Syracuse+56SyracuseWon 14–10 at Oklahoma State+4Oklahoma StateWon 34–13 at Missouri+21MissouriWon 69–19 vs. Colorado+50ColoradoWon 51–25 at Kansas State+26Kansas StateWon 72–29 vs. Iowa State+43Iowa StateWon 67–13 vs. Kansas+54KansasWon 28–21 at Oklahoma+7OklahomaLost 30–31 vs. No. 5 Miami-1No. 5 Miami
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 29vsPenn StateW 44–⁠647%
Sep 10vsWyomingW 56–⁠2086%
Sep 17atMinnesotaW 84–⁠1383%
Sep 24vsUCLAW 42–⁠1075%
Oct 1vsSyracuseW 63–⁠788%
Oct 8atOklahoma StateW 14–⁠1069%
Oct 15atMissouriW 34–⁠1374%
Oct 22vsColoradoW 69–⁠1995%
Oct 29atKansas StateW 51–⁠2589%
Nov 5vsIowa StateW 72–⁠2994%
Nov 12vsKansasW 67–⁠1393%
Nov 26atOklahomaW 28–⁠2169%
Jan 2Bowls & playoffvs5MiamiOrange BowlL 30–⁠3163%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Miami 31–⁠30 in the Orange Bowl; No. 2 in the final AP poll; Big Eight champions.

In program history: The 7th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 129 on file).

AP poll, week by week

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

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.

Big Eight champions7–⁠0 in the conference

Heisman voteTurner Gill, fourth

Led the nationMike Rozier: rushing yards (2,148 yds), rushing touchdowns (29 TD), points (174 pts), points per game (14.50)

Heisman TrophyMike Rozier, RB; also the Maxwell and Walter Camp

Outland TrophyDean Steinkuhler, OG; also the Lombardi

3 consensus All-AmericansIrving Fryar, WR; Dean Steinkuhler, OG; Mike Rozier, RB

Record
12–⁠1
Conference
7–⁠0 first in Big Eight
AP final
No. 2 peak No. 1
Points
654–⁠217
Coach
Tom Osborne
Elo
1832 +130 this season
SP+ rating
32.0 No. 1 of 108; offense No. 1, defense No. 58
SRS
29.3 No. 1 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Charlie McBride
Offense
I formation
Defense
5–⁠2

Drafted in 1984

The 1984 draft
Rd 1Irving Fryar WRNew England Patriots
Rd 1Dean Steinkuhler OTHouston Oilers
Rd 6Scott Raridon OTPhiladelphia Eagles

All-Big Eight

8 first team, 2 second team

First team

Second team

  • Harry GrimmingerDown linemenAP-2
  • Rob StuckeyDown linemenAP-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 Eight standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Nebraska7–⁠012–⁠12
Oklahoma5–⁠28–⁠4
Missouri5–⁠27–⁠5
Oklahoma State3–⁠48–⁠4
Iowa State3–⁠44–⁠7
Kansas2–⁠54–⁠6–⁠1
Colorado2–⁠54–⁠7
Kansas State1–⁠63–⁠8

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