1983 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Two human polls comprised the 1983 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A football rankings . Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship , instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll .
Legend
Increase in ranking
Decrease in ranking
Not ranked previous week
National champion
(#–#)
Win–loss record
(Italics)
Number of first place votes
т
Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
AP Poll
Preseason Aug 28[1] [2] Week 1 Sep 5[3] Week 2 Sep 12[4] Week 3 Sep 19[5] Week 4 Sep 26[6] Week 5 Oct 3[7] Week 6 Oct 10[8] Week 7 Oct 17[9] Week 8 Oct 24[10] Week 9 Oct 31[11] Week 10 Nov 7[12] Week 11 Nov 14[13] Week 12 Nov 21[14] Week 13 Nov 28[15] Week 14 Dec 5[16] Week 15 (Final) Jan 3[17] 1. Nebraska (30) Nebraska (1–0) (44) Nebraska (2–0) (51) Nebraska (3–0) (57) Nebraska (4–0) (60) Nebraska (5–0) (60) Nebraska (6–0) (55) Nebraska (7–0) (52) Nebraska (8–0) (54) Nebraska (9–0) (57) Nebraska (10–0) (58) Nebraska (11–0) (59) Nebraska (11–0) (58) Nebraska (12–0) (52) Nebraska (12–0) (51) Miami (FL) (11–1) (47 1 ⁄2 ) 1. 2. Oklahoma (11) Oklahoma (0–0) (3) Oklahoma (1–0) (2) Texas (1–0) (2) Texas (2–0) Texas (3–0) Texas (4–0) (5) Texas (5–0) (6) Texas (6–0) (4) Texas (7–0) (2) Texas (8–0) (2) Texas (9–0) (1) Texas (10–0) (1) Texas (11–0) (3) Texas (11–0) (3) Nebraska (12–1) (4 1 ⁄2 ) 2. 3. Texas (3) Texas (0–0) (2) Texas (0–0) (2) Ohio State (2–0) Arizona (4–0) Alabama (4–0) North Carolina (6–0) North Carolina (7–0) North Carolina (7–0) Auburn (7–1) Auburn (8–1) Auburn (9–1) Auburn (9–1) Auburn (9–1) Auburn (10–1) Auburn (11–1) (7) 3. 4. Penn State (2) Auburn (0–0) (1) Notre Dame (1–0) (1) Arizona (3–0) Iowa (3–0) North Carolina (5–0) West Virginia (5–0) West Virginia (6–0) Auburn (6–1) Georgia (7–0–1) Georgia (8–0–1) Illinois (9–1) Illinois (10–1) Illinois (10–1) Illinois (10–1) Georgia (10–1–1) 4. 5. Auburn (2) Notre Dame (0–0) Auburn (1–0) North Carolina (3–0) North Carolina (4–0) West Virginia (5–0) Auburn (4–1) Auburn (5–1) Florida (6–0–1) Miami (FL) (8–1) Illinois (8–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Texas (11–1) 5. 6. Notre Dame Michigan (0–0) Ohio State (1–0) Alabama (2–0) Alabama (3–0) Ohio State (3–1) Ohio State (4–1) Florida (5–0–1) Georgia (6–0–1) Illinois (7–1) Miami (FL) (9–1) SMU (8–1) SMU (9–1) SMU (10–1) SMU (10–1) Florida (9–2–1) 6. 7. Florida State (1) Ohio State (0–0) Arizona (2–0) Iowa (2–0) West Virginia (4–0) Auburn (3–1) Florida (5–0–1) Georgia (5–0–1) Miami (FL) (7–1) Maryland (7–1) SMU (7–1) Georgia (8–1–1) Georgia (8–1–1) Georgia (9–1–1) Georgia (9–1–1) BYU (11–1) 7. 8. USC North Carolina (1–0) Michigan (1–0) Oklahoma (1–1) Ohio State (2–1) Oklahoma (3–1) Georgia (4–0–1) Miami (FL) (6–1) Michigan (6–1) SMU (6–1) BYU (8–1) Michigan (8–2) Michigan (9–2) Michigan (9–2) Michigan (9–2) Michigan (9–3) 8. 9. Ohio State USC (0–0) Florida State (2–0) Washington (2–0) Oklahoma (2–1) Florida (4–0–1) Arizona (5–0–1) SMU (5–0) Illinois (6–1) Florida (6–1–1) Michigan (7–2) BYU (9–1) BYU (10–1) BYU (10–1) BYU (10–1) Ohio State (9–3) 9. 10. Michigan (1) Georgia (1–0) North Carolina (2–0) USC (1–0–1) Auburn (2–1) Arizona (4–0–1) Miami (FL) (5–1) Michigan (5–1) SMU (5–1) North Carolina (7–1) Ohio State (7–2) Ohio State (8–2) Iowa (9–2) Iowa (9–2) Iowa (9–2) Illinois (10–2) 10. 11. North Carolina Arizona (1–0) Georgia (1–0) Auburn (1–1) Georgia (2–0–1) Georgia (3–0–1) Alabama (4–1) Illinois (5–1) Washington (6–1) Oklahoma (6–2) Maryland (7–2) Iowa (8–2) Florida (7–2–1) Clemson (9–1–1) Florida (8–2–1) Clemson (9–1–1) 11. 12. LSU Florida State (1–0) Alabama (1–0) West Virginia (3–0) Florida (3–0–1) Miami (FL) (4–1) SMU (5–0) Iowa (5–1) West Virginia (6–1) BYU (7–1) Iowa (7–2) Florida (7–2–1) Clemson (9–1–1) Florida (7–2–1) Clemson (9–1–1) SMU (10–2) 12. 13. Alabama LSU (0–0) Iowa (1–0) Notre Dame (1–1) SMU (3–0) SMU (4–0) Michigan (4–1) Arizona State (4–0–1) Maryland (6–1) Michigan (6–2) Boston College (7–1) Clemson (8–1–1) Alabama (7–2) Boston College (9–2) Boston College (9–2) Air Force (10–2) 13. 14. Arizona Alabama (0–0) USC (0–0–1) Georgia (1–0–1) Michigan (2–1) Michigan (3–1) Iowa (4–1) Washington (5–1) Oklahoma (5–2) Ohio State (6–2) Florida (6–2–1) West Virginia (8–2) Ohio State (8–3) Ohio State (8–3) Ohio State (8–3) Iowa (9–3) 14. 15. Georgia SMU (1–0) Florida (1–0–1) Florida (2–0–1) Miami (FL) (3–1)Iowa (3–1) Oklahoma (3–2) Maryland (5–1) BYU (6–1) Iowa (6–2) West Virginia (7–2) Washington (8–2) Boston College (8–2) Pittsburgh (8–2–1) Pittsburgh (8–2–1) Alabama (8–4) 15. 16. Iowa Iowa (0–0) Washington (1–0) Pittsburgh (2–0) LSU (2–1) Maryland (3–1) т Maryland (4–1) Oklahoma (4–2) Ohio State (5–2) Boston College (6–1) Alabama (6–2) Alabama (7–2) Pittsburgh (8–2–1) Maryland (8–3) Air Force (9–2) т West Virginia (9–3) 16. 17. Maryland Maryland (0–0) Maryland (1–0) Michigan (1–1) Florida State (2–1) Washington (3–1) т Washington (4–1) Ohio State (4–2) Iowa (5–2) West Virginia (6–2) Clemson (7–1–1)Pittsburgh (8–2) Maryland (8–3) Air Force (9–2) Maryland (8–3) т UCLA (7–4–1) 17. 18. Washington Florida (1–0)SMU (2–0) SMU (2–0) Washington (2–1) Arizona State (3–0–1) Arizona State (3–0–1) BYU (5–1) Alabama (4–2) Notre Dame (6–2) Washington (7–2) Boston College (7–2) Air Force (8–2)West Virginia (8–3) West Virginia (8–3) Pittsburgh (8–3–1) 18. 19. SMU Washington (0–0) Pittsburgh (2–0)Boston College (3–0)Maryland (2–1) Illinois (3–1)Illinois (4–1) Arizona (5–1–1) Boston College (5–1) т Alabama (5–2) North Carolina (7–2) Missouri (7–3)West Virginia (8–3) Alabama (7–3) East Carolina (8–3) Boston College (9–3) 19. 20. UCLA Penn State (0–1) West Virginia (2–0)Florida State (2–1) Arizona State (2–0–1)BYU (3–1)BYU (4–1) Alabama (4–2) Notre Dame (5–2) т Washington (6–2) Pittsburgh (7–2) Maryland (7–3) East Carolina (8–3)East Carolina (8–3) Oklahoma (8–4) тBaylor (7–3–1) т East Carolina (8–3) 20. Preseason Aug 28[1] [2] Week 1 Sep 5[3] Week 2 Sep 12[4] Week 3 Sep 19[5] Week 4 Sep 26[6] Week 5 Oct 3[7] Week 6 Oct 10[8] Week 7 Oct 17[9] Week 8 Oct 24[10] Week 9 Oct 31[11] Week 10 Nov 7[12] Week 11 Nov 14[13] Week 12 Nov 21[14] Week 13 Nov 28[15] Week 14 Dec 5[16] Week 15 (Final) Jan 3[17] Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: USC Notre Dame Pittsburgh Boston College Dropped: None None Dropped: None Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: None Dropped: Dropped:
Coaches Poll
Clemson , USC , and Arizona were on probation by the NCAA during the 1983 season ; they were therefore ineligible to receive votes in the Coaches Poll.
Preseason Aug 28[18] Week 1 Sep 5[19] Week 2 Sep 12[20] Week 3 Sep 19[21] Week 4 Sep 26[22] Week 5 Oct 3[23] Week 6 Oct 10[24] Week 7 Oct 17[25] Week 8 Oct 24[26] Week 9 Oct 31[27] Week 10 Nov 7[28] Week 11 Nov 14[29] Week 12 Nov 21[30] Week 13 Nov 28[31] Week 14 Dec 5[32] Week 15 (Final) Jan 3[33] 1. Nebraska (18) Nebraska (1–0) (32) Nebraska (2–0) (36) Nebraska (3–0) (39) Nebraska (4–0) (40) Nebraska (5–0) (42) Nebraska (6–0) (38) Nebraska (7–0) (38) Nebraska (8–0) (38) Nebraska (9–0) (38) Nebraska (10–0) (38) Nebraska (11–0) (40) Nebraska (11–0) (39) Nebraska (12–0) (33) Nebraska (12–0) (31) Miami (FL) (11–1) (30) 1. 2. Texas (7) Texas (0–0) (2) Oklahoma (1–0) (2) Texas (1–0) Texas (2–0) Texas (3–0) Texas (4–0) (3) Texas (5–0) (4) Texas (6–0) (4) Texas (7–0) (3) Texas (8–0) (2) Texas (9–0) (1) Texas (10–0) (1) Texas (11–0) (2) Texas (11–0) (3) Nebraska (12–1) (6) 2. 3. Auburn (3) Auburn (0–0) (1) Texas (0–0) Ohio State (2–0) (1) Iowa (3–0) Alabama (4–0) North Carolina (6–0) North Carolina (7–0) North Carolina (7–0) Auburn (7–1) Auburn (8–1) Auburn (9–1) Auburn (9–1) Auburn (9–1) Auburn (10–1) Auburn (11–1) (4) 3. 4. Penn State (3) Oklahoma (0–0) (2) Auburn (1–0) North Carolina (3–0) Alabama (3–0) North Carolina (5–0) West Virginia (5–0) West Virginia (6–0) Florida (6–0–1) Georgia (7–0–1) Georgia (8–0–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Miami (FL) (10–1) Georgia (10–1–1) 4. 5. Oklahoma (6) Michigan (0–0) Notre Dame (1–0) (1) Alabama (2–0) North Carolina (4–0) West Virginia (5–0) Florida (5–0–1) Auburn (5–1) Auburn (6–1) Miami (FL) (8–1) Miami (FL) (9–1) Illinois (9–1) Illinois (10–1) Illinois (10–1) Illinois (10–1) Texas (11–1) (1) 5. 6. Ohio State Ohio State (0–0) Ohio State (1–0) Iowa (2–0) West Virginia (4–0) Florida (4–0–1) Georgia (4–0–1) Florida (5–0–1) Georgia (6–0–1) Illinois (7–1) Illinois (8–1) SMU (8–1) SMU (9–1) SMU (10–1) SMU (10–1) Florida (9–2–1) 6. 7. Florida State Georgia (1–0) Georgia (1–0) Washington (2–0) Oklahoma (2–1) Oklahoma (3–1) Ohio State (4–1) Georgia (5–0–1) Miami (FL) (7–1) Maryland (7–1) SMU (7–1) Georgia (8–1–1) Georgia (8–1–1) Georgia (9–1–1) Georgia (9–1–1) BYU (11–1) 7. 8. Notre Dame (2) North Carolina (1–0) North Carolina (2–0) West Virginia (3–0) Georgia (2–0–1) Georgia (3–0–1) Auburn (4–1) SMU (5–0) Michigan (6–1) SMU (6–1) Michigan (7–2) Michigan (8–2) Michigan (9–2) Michigan (9–2) Michigan (9–2) Ohio State (9–3) 8. 9. Michigan Notre Dame (0–0) Florida State (2–0) Pittsburgh (2–0) Florida (3–0–1) Ohio State (3–1) SMU (5–0) Miami (FL) (6–1) Illinois (6–1) North Carolina (7–1) Iowa (7–2) BYU (9–1) BYU (10–1) BYU (10–1) BYU (10–1) Michigan (9–3) 9. 10. North Carolina тLSU (0–0) Michigan (1–0) Oklahoma (1–1) Auburn (2–1) Auburn (2–1) Alabama (4–1) Michigan (5–1) Maryland (6–1) Florida (6–1–1) BYU (8–1) Ohio State (8–2) Iowa (9–2) Iowa (9–2) Iowa (9–2) Illinois (10–2) 10. 11. LSU тPittsburgh (1–0) Alabama (1–0) Georgia (1–0–1) Ohio State (2–1) Miami (FL) (4–1) Michigan (4–1) Illinois (5–1) Washington (6–1) Oklahoma (6–2) Ohio State (7–2) Iowa (8–2) Florida (7–2–1) Florida (8–2–1) Florida (8–2–1) SMU (10–2) 11. 12. UCLA Florida (1–0)Iowa (1–0) SMU (2–0) SMU (3–0) SMU (4–0) Miami (FL) (5–1) Iowa (5–1) SMU (5–1) BYU (7–1) Boston College (7–1) Florida (7–2–1) Alabama (7–2) Boston College (9–2) Boston College (9–2) Alabama (8–4) 12. 13. Georgia (1) Florida State (1–0) Pittsburgh (2–0) Florida (2–0–1) LSU (2–1) Michigan (3–1) Iowa (4–1) Maryland (5–1) West Virginia (6–1) Boston College (6–1) Florida (6–2–1) Pittsburgh (8–2) Ohio State (8–3) Ohio State (8–3) Ohio State (8–3) UCLA (7–4–1) 13. 14. Alabama Alabama (0–0) West Virginia (2–0) Auburn (1–1) Michigan (2–1) Iowa (3–1) Illinois (4–1) Arizona State (4–0–1) Oklahoma (5–2) Iowa (6–2) Pittsburgh (7–2) Washington (7–2) Pittsburgh (8–2–1) Pittsburgh (8–2–1) Pittsburgh (8–2–1) Iowa (9–3) 14. 15. Pittsburgh West Virginia (1–0)Florida (1–0–1) Boston College (3–0) Miami (FL) (3–1)Maryland (3–1) Maryland (4–1) Washington (5–1) BYU (6–1) Ohio State (6–2) West Virginia (7–2) West Virginia (8–2) Boston College (8–2) Maryland (8–3) Maryland (8–3) Air Force (10–2) 15. 16. Washington SMU (0–0) Washington (1–0) Notre Dame (1–1) Maryland (2–1) Arizona State (3–0–1) Arizona State (3–0–1) BYU (5–1) Ohio State (5–2) Michigan (6–2) Alabama (6–2) Alabama (7–2) Oklahoma (7–3) Air Force (8–2) Air Force (9–2) West Virginia (9–3) 16. 17. SMU Iowa (0–0) SMU (2–0) Michigan (1–1) Arizona State (2–0–1) Illinois (3–1)Oklahoma (3–2) Oklahoma (4–2) Iowa (5–2) Alabama (5–2) Maryland (7–2) Missouri (7–3)Maryland (8–3) Baylor (7–3–1) Baylor (7–3–1) Penn State (8–4–1) 17. 18. Arizona State Arizona State (0–0) Arizona State (1–0) Arkansas (2–0)Kentucky (4–0)Washington (3–1) Washington (4–1) Ohio State (4–2) Boston College (5–1) Notre Dame (6–2) North Carolina (7–2) Baylor (7–2–1)Air Force (8–2)Virginia Tech (9–2) Virginia Tech (9–2) Oklahoma State (8–4) 18. 19. Miami (FL) Penn State (0–1) Maryland (1–0) Arizona State (1–0–1) Washington (2–1) BYU (3–1)BYU (4–1) Pittsburgh (4–2) Alabama (4–2) Pittsburgh (6–2) Tennessee (6–2)Boston College (7–2) Baylor (7–3–1) West Virginia (8–3) West Virginia (8–3) Pittsburgh (8–3–1) 19. 20. Maryland тIowa тMaryland (0–0) Boston College (2–0)Michigan State (2–0)Pittsburgh (2–1) Oklahoma State (4–0)Oklahoma State (4–1) Alabama (4–2) т Boston College (5–1) т Pittsburgh (5–2) West Virginia (6–2) Washington (7–2) Oklahoma (7–3) Virginia Tech (9–2)Oklahoma (7–4) Oklahoma (8–4) Boston College (9–3) 20. Preseason Aug 28[18] Week 1 Sep 5[19] Week 2 Sep 12[20] Week 3 Sep 19[21] Week 4 Sep 26[22] Week 5 Oct 3[23] Week 6 Oct 10[24] Week 7 Oct 17[25] Week 8 Oct 24[26] Week 9 Oct 31[27] Week 10 Nov 7[28] Week 11 Nov 14[29] Week 12 Nov 21[30] Week 13 Nov 28[31] Week 14 Dec 5[32] Week 15 (Final) Jan 3[33] Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Boston College Notre Dame Arkansas Michigan State Dropped: None Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Maryland North Carolina Tennessee Dropped: Washington West Virginia Missouri Dropped: None Dropped:
References
^ "The Top Twenty teams in the preseason Associated Press major college football poll" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . August 28, 1983. Retrieved January 2, 2017 .
^ "1983 Preseason AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 2, 2017 .
^ "September 5, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "September 12, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "September 19, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "September 26, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "October 3, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "October 10, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "October 17, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "October 24, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "October 31, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "November 7, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "November 14, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "November 21, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "November 28, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "December 5, 1983 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "1983 Final AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved January 2, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches' Top 20 preseason 1983 college football ratings" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . August 28, 1983. Retrieved January 2, 2017 .
^ "Nebraska is #1" . Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, CA) . September 7, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "Huskers, Sooners 1–2 in UPI football poll" . Salina Journal (Salina, KS) . September 13, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "Explosive Nebraska Steady, But UPI's Ratings Shuffle" . Tyrone Daily Herald (Tyrone, PA) . September 20, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 1983 college football ratings" . Ukiah Daily Journal (Ukiah, CA) . September 27, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches' weekly college football ratings" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . October 4, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "UPI: The Board of Coaches Top 20" . The Pittsburgh Press . October 11, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "Nebraska Maintains Comfortable Lead" . Tyrone Daily Herald (Tyrone, PA) . October 18, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 1983 college football ratings" . Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, IN) . October 25, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches' weekly college football ratings" . St. Louis Post-Dispatch . November 1, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 1983 college football ratings" . Logansport Pharos-Tribune (Logansport, IN) . November 8, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 1983 college football ratings" . The Republic (Columbus, IN) . November 15, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "The United Press International Board of Coaches Top 20 1983 college football ratings" . The Tennessean . November 22, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "Nebraska Maintains Wide Lead In Ratings" . Tyrone Daily Herald (Tyrone, PA) . November 29, 1983. Retrieved January 7, 2017 .
^ "UPI Top 20" . Detroit Free Press . December 7, 1983. Retrieved August 12, 2018 .
^ "Hurricanes are college champs" . The Daily Journal (Franklin, IN) . January 4, 1984. Retrieved January 2, 2017 .
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