CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1983 SMU

10–⁠2 (7–⁠1 Southwest Conference), coached by Bobby Collins, finished No. 12 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

SMU in 1983, game by game: won vs. Louisville 24–6; won vs. Grambling 20–13; won at TCU 21–17; won vs. Texas–Arlington 34–0; won vs. Baylor 42–26; lost vs. No. 2 Texas 12–15; won at Texas A&M 10–7; won vs. Rice 20–6; won vs. Texas Tech 33–7; won at Arkansas 17–0; won vs. Houston 34–12; lost vs. Alabama 7–28+34−21Won 24–6 vs. Louisville+18LouisvilleWon 20–13 vs. Grambling+7GramblingWon 21–17 at TCU+4TCUWon 34–0 vs. Texas–Arlington+34Texas–ArlingtonWon 42–26 vs. Baylor+16BaylorLost 12–15 vs. No. 2 Texas-3No. 2 TexasWon 10–7 at Texas A&M+3Texas A&MWon 20–6 vs. Rice+14RiceWon 33–7 vs. Texas Tech+26Texas TechWon 17–0 at Arkansas+17ArkansasWon 34–12 vs. Houston+22HoustonLost 7–28 vs. Alabama-21Alabama
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 3vsLouisvilleW 24–⁠683%
Sep 10vsGramblingW 20–⁠1384%
Sep 24atTCUW 21–⁠1780%
Oct 1vsTexas–ArlingtonW 34–⁠092%
Oct 8vsBaylorW 42–⁠2680%
Oct 22vs2TexasL 12–⁠1556%
Oct 29atTexas A&MW 10–⁠769%
Nov 5vsRiceW 20–⁠695%
Nov 12vsTexas TechW 33–⁠788%
Nov 19atArkansasW 17–⁠063%
Nov 26vsHoustonW 34–⁠1284%
Dec 24Bowls & playoffvsAlabamaSun BowlL 7–⁠2865%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Alabama 28–⁠7 in the Sun Bowl; No. 12 in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Southwest Conference.

In program history: The 6th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 110 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 19
  2. Wk 2: 15
  3. Wk 3: 18
  4. Wk 4: 18
  5. Wk 5: 13
  6. Wk 6: 13
  7. Wk 7: 12
  8. Wk 8: 9
  9. Wk 9: 10
  10. Wk 10: 8
  11. Wk 11: 7
  12. Wk 12: 6
  13. Wk 13: 6
  14. Wk 14: 6
  15. Wk 15: 6
  16. Final: 12

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.

Consensus All-AmericanRussell Carter, DB

Record
10–⁠2
Conference
7–⁠1 2nd in Southwest Conference
AP final
No. 12 peak No. 6
Points
274–⁠137
Coach
Bobby Collins
Elo
1707 +24 this season
SP+ rating
9.4 No. 36 of 108; offense No. 69, defense No. 12
SRS
7.5 No. 36 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Bill Clay
Offense
No-huddle option
Defense
3–⁠4

Drafted in 1984

The 1984 draft
Rd 1Russell Carter DBNew York Jets
Rd 4Rickey Bolden TECleveland Browns
Rd 5Michael Carter DTSan Francisco 49ers
Rd 7Mitch Willis DELos Angeles Raiders

All-Southwest Conference

5 first team, 9 second team

First team

Second team

  • Jeff AtkinsRBUPI-2
  • Rickey BoldenTEUPI-2
  • Ron MorrisWRUPI-2
  • Grady BurnetteOTUPI-2
  • Andrew CampbellOGUPI-2
  • Chris JacksonCUPI-2
  • Anthony BeverlyDEUPI-2
  • Mitch WillisDTUPI-2
  • Dwayne AndersonDBUPI-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 Southwest Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Texas8–⁠011–⁠15
SMU7–⁠110–⁠212
Baylor4–⁠3–⁠17–⁠4–⁠1
Texas A&M4–⁠3–⁠15–⁠5–⁠1
Arkansas4–⁠46–⁠5
Texas Tech3–⁠4–⁠13–⁠7–⁠1
Houston3–⁠54–⁠7
TCU1–⁠6–⁠11–⁠8–⁠2
Rice0–⁠81–⁠10

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