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1983 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

The 1983 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 18th-year head coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions compiled a record of 8–4–1. Penn State was invited to the Aloha Bowl, where the Nittany Lions defeated Washington. The team played home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

1983 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Aloha Bowl champion
Aloha Bowl, W 13–10 vs. Washington
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 17
Record8–4–1
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDick Anderson (3rd season)
Offensive schemePro-style
Defensive coordinatorJerry Sandusky (7th season)
Base defense4–3
Captains
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
Seasons
← 1982
1984 →
1983 Major eastern college football independents records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Penn State4–1–18–4–1
No. 16 West Virginia4–2–09–3–0
No. 18 Pittsburgh2–1–18–3–1
No. 19 Boston College $3–2–09–3–0
Syracuse3–3–06–5–0
Temple2–4–04–7–0
Rutgers0–5–03–8–0
Rankings from AP Poll
1983 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Miami (FL) – – 11–1–0
Virginia Tech – – 9–2–0
No. 19 Boston College – – 9–3–0
No. 16 West Virginia – – 9–3–0
No. 20 East Carolina – – 8–3–0
No. 18 Pittsburgh – – 8–3–1
Florida State – – 8–4–0
Penn State – – 8–4–1
Southern Miss – – 7–4–0
Memphis State – – 6–4–1
Notre Dame – – 7–5–0
Syracuse – – 6–5–0
South Carolina – – 5–6–0
Cincinnati – 4–6–1
Southwestern Louisiana – – 4–6–0
Temple – – 4–7–0
Tulane – – 4–7–0
Louisville – – 3–8–0
Navy – – 3–8–0
Rutgers – – 3–8–0
Army – – 2–9–0
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
August 299:00 p.m.vs. No. 1 NebraskaNo. 4
KATZL 6–4471,123[1]
September 101:30 p.m.CincinnatiNo. 20
L 3–1483,683[2]
September 171:30 p.m.No. 13 Iowa
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
L 34–4284,628[3]
September 241:30 p.m.at Temple
W 23–1835,760[4]
October 11:30 p.m.at Rutgers
W 36–2532,804[5]
October 83:45 p.m.No. 3 Alabama
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
CBSW 34–2885,614[6]
October 151:30 p.m.at Syracuse
W 17–650,010[7]
October 221:30 p.m.No. 4 West Virginiadagger
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
W 41–2386,309[8]
October 293:50 p.m.at No. 19 Boston College
ABCL 17–2756,605[9]
November 51:00 p.m.Brown
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
W 38–2184,670[10]
November 121:00 p.m.Notre Dame
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
ESPN (tape delay)W 34–3085,899[11]
November 191:00 p.m.at No. 17 Pittsburgh
T 24–2460,283[12]
December 268:00 p.m.vs. Washington
ESPNW 13–1037,212[13]

Roster

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1983 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
C 58 Nick Haden Jr
OT 72 Ron Heller Sr
WR 82 Kenny Jackson Sr
RB 29 Tony Mumford Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
LB 95 Rogers Alexander Jr
LB 31 Shane Conlan So
LB 53 Don Graham So
S 22 Ray Isom So
LB 55 Tim Johnson So
LB 97 Scott Radecic Sr
S 32 Mark Robinson Sr
DB 43 Mike Zordich So
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
PK 10 Massimo Manca Fr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

NFL draft

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References

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  1. ↑ "Nebraska breezes in Classic, 44–6". The Star-Ledger. August 30, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Penn State shocked by Cincinnati, 14–3". The Miami Herald. September 11, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Iowa hands Penn State 3rd loss in seesaw game, 42–34". Courier-Post. September 18, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Finally, Penn St. 'gets one'". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 25, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Lions' back credits line in victory over Rutgers". The Daily Register. October 2, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Penn State holds off furious Alabama rally, 34–28". The Pittsburgh Press. October 9, 1983. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Nittany Lions struggle but get past Orangemen". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 16, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Rebounding Penn State rips fourth-rated West Virginia". The Courier-Post. October 23, 1983. Retrieved January 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "The surgeon; BC's Flutie operates on Penn State, 27–17". The Day. October 30, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Freligh, Sarajane (November 6, 1983). "Despite a Second-Quarter Sputter, Penn State Trounces Brown, 38–21". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. pp. 1-G, 13-G – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Strang runs Lions past Fighting Irish, 34–30". Centre Daily Times. November 13, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Last-second field goal lifts Penn State into tie". Sunday Press. November 20, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Defense does it for Penn State". Honolulu Star-Bulletin & Advertiser. December 27, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
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