# 1983 NCAA Division III football season

The 1983 NCAA Division III football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division III level, began in August 1983, and concluded with the NCAA Division III Football Championship, also known as the Stagg Bowl, in December 1983 at Galbreath Field in Kings Island, Mason, Ohio. The Augustana (IL) Vikings won their first of four consecutive Division III championships by defeating the Union Dutchmen by a final score of 21−17.

## Conference and program changes

* The Centennial Conference began football play in 1983.
* Fisk Bulldogs reclassified from Division II for this season only, their final one.

## Conference standings

1983 Centennial Conference football standings :
| 1983 Centennial Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Gettysburg + 5 –2 –08 –2 –0 Swarthmore + 5 –2 –07 –2 –0 Muhlenberg + 5 –2 –06 –3 –0 Franklin & Marshall 4 –3 –05 –4 –0 Johns Hopkins 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Western Maryland 3 –4 –04 –4 –1 Ursinus 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Dickinson 1 –6 –02 –7 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1983 College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Centre + 4 –1 –05 –3 –1 Rose–Hulman + 4 –1 –06 –5 –0 Sewanee 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Southwestern (TN) 3 –2 –04 –6 –0 Principia 1 –4 –03 –5 –1 Fisk 0 –5 –00 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1983 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Augustana (IL) $^ 8 –0 –012 –0 –0 Elmhurst 6 –2 –07 –2 –0 Wheaton (IL) 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Illinois Wesleyan 5 –3 –05 –4 –0 Millikin 4 –4 –04 –5 –0 Carthage 3 –5 –04 –5 –0 North Central (IL) 3 –5 –04 –5 –0 North Park 2 –6 –03 –6 –0 Carroll (WI) 0 –8 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |
| 1983 Independent College Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T St. Lawrence $ 3 –0 –15 –3 –1 Hobart 2 –1 –15 –3 –1 Ithaca 1 –2 –07 –3 –0 RPI 0 –1 –12 –6 –1 Alfred 0 –2 –14 –5 –1 $ – Conference champion | 1983 Iowa Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Wartburg + 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 Central (IA) + 6 –1 –07 –2 –0 Buena Vista 5 –2 –06 –4 –0 Luther 3 –4 –05 –4 –0 Dubuque 3 –4 –04 –6 –0 Simpson (IA) 2 –5 –03 –6 –0 William Penn 2 –5 –02 –8 –0 Upper Iowa 1 –6 –02 –8 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1983 Metropolitan Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T St. John's $ 4 –0 –09 –1 –0 Marist 3 –1 –03 –6 –0 Pace 2 –2 –05 –4 –0 Saint Peter's 1 –3 –01 –7 –0 Brooklyn 0 –4 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1983 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Adrian $^ 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 Hope 3 –2 –06 –3 –0 Alma 3 –2 –04 –5 –0 Albion 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Kalamazoo 2 –3 –05 –4 –0 Olivet 0 –5 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1983 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Susquehanna $ 7 –0 –18 –0 –1 Lycoming 6 –1 –17 –2 –1 Widener 6 –2 –07 –3 –0 Moravian 5 –3 –06 –3 –0 Delaware Valley 4 –4 –06 –4 –0 Albright 4 –4 –05 –4 –0 Wilkes 1 –7 –02 –7 –0 Juniata 1 –7 –02 –8 –0 Upsala 1 –7 –02 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion | 1983 Midwest Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T North Division Lake Forest xy$ 4 –0 –07 –2 –0 Lawrence 3 –1 –07 –2 –0 Ripon 2 –2 –04 –5 –0 Beloit 1 –3 –02 –7 –0 Chicago 0 –4 –02 –7 –0 St. Norbert   –  3 –7 –0 South Division Cornell (IA) xy 5 –0 –05 –5 –0 Coe 4 –1 –06 –2 –1 Illinois College 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Knox 1 –3 –13 –4 –1 Monmouth (IL) 1 –3 –12 –6 –1 Grinnell 1 –4 –02 –7 –0 Championship: Lake Forest 13, Cornell 10 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant |
| 1983 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 4 St. Thomas (MN) $^ 9 –0 –09 –2 –0 Saint John's (MN) 7 –2 –07 –4 –0 Hamline 6 –3 –06 –4 –0 Gustavus Adolphus 5 –4 –06 –4 –0 Macalester 5 –4 –06 –4 –0 Concordia–Moorhead 4 –5 –05 –6 –0 Augsburg 3 –6 –04 –7 –0 St. Olaf 3 –6 –03 –7 –0 Bethel (MN) 2 –7 –02 –8 –0 Carleton 1 –8 –02 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NAIA Division II playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division II poll | 1983 New England Football Conference standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Plymouth State + 8 –1 –09 –2 –0 Massachusetts Maritime + 8 –1 –08 –2 –0 Nichols 7 –2 –07 –2 –0 Western Connecticut State 6 –3 –07 –3 –0 Bridgewater State 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 Western New England 4 –5 –04 –5 –0 Framingham State 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 Maine Maritime 3 –6 –03 –6 –0 Westfield State 2 –7 –02 –7 –0 Curry 0 –9 –00 –9 –0 + – Conference co-champions | 1983 New Jersey State Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Trenton State + 5 –1 –08 –2 –0 Montclair State + 5 –1 –07 –2 –1 Glassboro State + 5 –1 –05 –5 –0 Ramapo 2 –4 –05 –4 –0 Kean 2 –4 –04 –5 –1 William Paterson 2 –4 –03 –7 –0 Jersey City State 0 –6 –03 –6 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1983 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 20 Winona State $ 5 –1 –07 –4 –0 Moorhead State 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Minnesota Duluth 4 –2 –06 –4 –0 Minnesota Morris 2 –3 –14 –4 –2 Northern State 1 –3 –24 –4 –2 Southwest State (MN) 1 –3 –23 –6 –2 Bemidji State 1 –4 –14 –6 –1 $ – Conference championRankings from NAIA Division I poll | 1983 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Blue Division Baldwin–Wallace xy$ 5 –0 –06 –4 –0 Muskingum 4 –1 –06 –3 –0 Mount Union 2 –3 –06 –3 –0 Capital 2 –3 –04 –5 –0 Wooster 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Heidelberg 0 –5 –02 –7 –0 Red Division Wittenberg xy 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 Denison 3 –1 –16 –2 –1 Ohio Northern 3 –2 –05 –4 –0 Otterbein 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Ohio Wesleyan 1 –3 –11 –6 –2 Marietta 0 –5 –00 –9 –0 Not competing for championship Kenyon   –  5 –3 –1 Oberlin   –  2 –7 –0 Championship: Baldwin–Wallace 17, Wittenberg 14 $ – Conference championx – Division champion/co-championsy – Championship game participant | 1983 Old Dominion Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Hampden–Sydney $ 5 –1 –06 –4 –0 Washington and Lee 4 –2 –06 –3 –0 Emory & Henry 4 –2 –05 –5 –0 Randolph–Macon 4 –2 –05 –5 –0 Catholic University 3 –3 –05 –5 –0 Maryville (TN) 1 –5 –02 –6 –0 Bridgewater 0 –6 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion |
| 1983 Presidents' Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Carnegie Mellon $^ 7 –0 –09 –1 –0 Case Western Reserve 6 –1 –08 –1 –0 John Carroll 4 –3 –04 –5 –0 Washington & Jefferson 3 –3 –13 –5 –1 Bethany (WV) 3 –4 –04 –5 –0 Hiram 2 –4 –13 –5 –1 Allegheny 2 –5 –04 –5 –0 Thiel 0 –7 –00 –9 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1983 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T Occidental $^ 5 –0 –08 –2 –0 Whittier 4 –1 –07 –2 –0 Redlands 2 –3 –04 –6 –0 La Verne 2 –3 –03 –5 –0 Claremont-Mudd 2 –3 –03 –6 –0 Pomona-Pitzer 0 –5 –00 –8 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant | 1983 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T No. 11 Wisconsin–Eau Claire $ 7 –1 –08 –2 –0 Wisconsin–La Crosse ^ 6 –1 –19 –3 –1 Wisconsin–River Falls 6 –2 –08 –2 –0 Wisconsin–Whitewater 6 –2 –06 –5 –0 Wisconsin–Oshkosh 3 –4 –15 –4 –1 Wisconsin–Platteville 3 –5 –04 –6 –0 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 2 –6 –04 –6 –0 Wisconsin–Stout 2 –6 –02 –9 –0 Wisconsin–Superior 0 –8 –01 –10 –0 $ – Conference champion^ – NCAA Division III playoff participantRankings from NAIA Division I poll |
| 1983 NCAA Division III independents football records vteConfOverall TeamW L TW L T WPI   –  8 –0 –0 Hofstra ^   –  10 –1 –0 Salisbury State ^   –  10 –1 –1 Union (NY) ^   –  10 –2 –0 Buffalo   –  8 –2 –0 Millsaps   –  7 –2 –0 Wagner   –  8 –2 –1 Dayton   –  7 –3 –0 DePauw   –  7 –3 –0 Mercyhurst   –  5 –3 –1 Buffalo State   –  5 –4 –0 Canisius   –  5 –4 –0 Wabash   –  5 –4 –0 Duquesne   –  5 –4 –1 Norwich   –  5 –5 –0 San Diego   –  5 –5 –0 Cortland   –  4 –5 –0 Rochester (NY)   –  4 –5 –0 Grove City   –  3 –6 –0 Iona   –  3 –6 –0 Albany   –  3 –7 –0 Georgetown   –  2 –6 –0 Colorado College   –  2 –7 –0 Frostburg State   –  2 –8 –0 Fordham   –  2 –9 –0 Saint Francis (PA)   –  1 –7 –0 Fairleigh Dickinson–Florham   –  1 –8 –0 Brockport   –  0 –10 –0 ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant |

## Conference champions

* Conference champions
* Centennial Conference – Gettysburg, Muhlenberg, and Swarthmore
* College Athletic Conference – Centre and Rose–Hulman
* College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin – Augustana (IL)
* Independent College Athletic Conference – St. Lawrence
* Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Central (IA) and Wartburg
* Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Adrian
* Middle Atlantic Conference – Susquehanna
* Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference – Lake Forest
* Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – St. Thomas (MN)
* New England Football Conference – Massachusetts Maritime and Plymouth State
* New Jersey State Athletic Conference – Glassboro State, Montclair State, and Trenton State
* Northwest Conference – Pacific Lutheran
* Ohio Athletic Conference – Baldwin Wallace (Red Division), Wittenberg (Blue Division)
* Old Dominion Athletic Conference – Hampden–Sydney
* Presidents' Athletic Conference – Carnegie Mellon
* Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Occidental
* Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association – McMurry and Sul Ross
* Upper Midwest Athletic Conference – Mount Senario and Northwestern (WI)
* Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Wisconsin–Eau Claire

## Postseason

The 1983 NCAA Division III Football Championship playoffs were the 11th annual single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division III college football. The championship Stagg Bowl game was held at Galbreath Field at the College Football Hall of Fame in Kings Island, Mason, Ohio for the first time. Like the previous eight championships, eight teams competed in this edition.

### Playoff bracket

| Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Quarterfinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | Semifinals Campus Sites | National Championship Game Galbreath Field Kings Island, Mason, OH | National Championship Game Galbreath Field Kings Island, Mason, OH | National Championship Game Galbreath Field Kings Island, Mason, OH |
| Union (NY) | Union (NY) | 51 | | | | | | |
| Hofstra | Hofstra | 19 | | | | | | |
| Hofstra | Hofstra | 19 | Union (NY) | Union (NY) | 23 | | | |
| | | | Salisbury State | Salisbury State | 21 | | | |
| Salisbury State | Salisbury State | 16 | Salisbury State | Salisbury State | 21 | | | |
| Carnegie Mellon | Carnegie Mellon | 14 | | | | | | |
| Carnegie Mellon | Carnegie Mellon | 14 | | | | Union (NY) | Union (NY) | 17 |
| | | | | | | Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 21 |
| Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 22 | | | | | | | Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 21 |
| Adrian | Adrian | 21 | | | | | | |
| Adrian | Adrian | 21 | Augustana (IL) | Augustana (IL) | 21 | | | |
| | | | Wisconsin–La Crosse | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 15 | | | |
| Wisconsin–La Crosse | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 43 | Wisconsin–La Crosse | Wisconsin–La Crosse | 15 | | | |
| Occidental | Occidental | 42 | | | | | | |