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Penn State Football Team History


Penn State Nittany Lions
The Pennsylvania State University
 University Park, PA
Founded: 1855
Stadium: Beaver Stadium
Capacity: 106,537
Colors: Blue & White
Coach: Joe Paterno
Conference: Independent-

Team Home Summary  Coaches Games by Year Opponents Rankings Bowls Conference


Select Year:    
1881  <-- 1982 <- 1983 -> 1984 --> 2024
1983 Season Highlights
 Joe Paterno enters his 18th season as Head Coach at Penn State.
 
1983 Season
 Date   Opponent  Score   
 Mon., Aug. 29  vs. Nebraska  6   44   L    @ East Rutherford, NJ   
 Sat., Sep. 10  vs. Cincinnati  3   14   L       
 Sat., Sep. 17  vs. Iowa  34   42   L       
 Sat., Sep. 24  @ Temple  23   18   W    @ Philadelphia, PA   
 Sat., Oct. 1  @ Rutgers  36   25   W    @ East Rutherford, NJ   
 Sat., Oct. 8  vs. Alabama  34   28   W       
 Sat., Oct. 15  @ Syracuse  17   6   W       
 Sat., Oct. 22  vs. West Virginia  41   23   W       
 Sat., Oct. 29  @ Boston College  17   27   L    @ Foxboro, MA   
 Sat., Nov. 5  vs. Brown  38   21   W       
 Sat., Nov. 12  vs. Notre Dame  34   30   W       
 Sat., Nov. 19  @ Pittsburgh  24   24   T       
 Mon., Dec. 26   Washington  13   10   W    @ Honolulu, HI   Aloha Classic Bowl
 
1983 Season Totals
  Record8-4 -1
  Points Scored320
  Scoring Average24.6
  Points Allowed312
  Defense Average24.0
  Opponents Record87-52
  Conference Record0-0
  Home Record4-3
  Away Record3-1 -1
1983 NCAA Final Rankings
 Rank   Record   Source 
17 8-4-1 Coaches
17 8-4-1 UPI
20 8-4-1 USA Today/CNN
  
1983 Independent- Standings
  Season   Bowls   Conference 
 Team  W/L/T  PF  PA    W/L/T  PF  PA   Coach 
Boston College 9-3351190Lost  18-19  Jack Bicknell, Sr.
Virginia Tech 9-230191   Bill Dooley
West Virginia 9-3322189Won  20-16  Don Nehlen
Akron 8-3210104   Jim Dennison
Buffalo 8-2232150   Bill Dando
East Carolina 8-3271179   Ed Emory
Florida State 8-4381312Won  28-3  Bobby Bowden
Penn State 8-4-1320312Won  13-10  Joe Paterno
Pittsburgh 8-3-1288165Lost  23-28  Serafino Foge Fazio
Southern Mississippi 8-3235128   Jim Carmody
Notre Dame 7-5316177Won  19-18  Gerry Faust
Georgia Southern 6-5262206   Erk Russell
Memphis 6-4-1274205   Rex Dockery
Syracuse 6-5178200   Dick MacPherson
Central Florida 5-6283306   Louis H. Lou Saban
South Carolina 5-6231237   Joe Morrison
Cincinnati 4-6-1208234   Watson Brown
Louisiana 4-6194212   Sam Robertson
Temple 4-7170241   Bruce Arians
James Madison 3-8230266   Challace McMillin
Louisville 3-8157351   Bob Weber
Navy 3-8202272   Gary Tranquill
Rutgers 3-8195258   Frank R. Burns
Army 2-9140304   Jim Young
Liberty 2-9181316   Tom Dowling
Western Kentucky 2-8-1147203   Jimmy Feix
Tulane 0-11192241   Wally English

1983 All American Awards
 Player   Position   Class   Ht.   Wt.   Award   Team   Source 
 Coming Someday 

1983 All Independent Conference Players
 Player   Position   Class   Ht.   Wt.   Team   Source 
 Coming Someday 


Some records may be incomplete.


Great Moments in College Football History

In the 1940s, college football teams competed for the Oil Bowl, the Salad Bowl and the Raisin Bowl, which were all played on New Year's Day.