1983 NCAA Division II football season

The 1983 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1983, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 10, 1983, at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas. During the game's five-year stretch in McAllen, the "City of Palms", it was referred to as the Palm Bowl. The North Dakota State Bison defeated the Central State (Ohio), 41–21, to win their first Division II national title.

1983 NCAA Division II football season
Regular season	August – November 1983
Playoffs	December 1983
National Championship	Palm Bowl Veterans Stadium McAllen, TX
Champion	North Dakota State

Conference changes and new programs

School	1982 Conference	1983 Conference
Cal Poly Pomona	Western	Dropped Program
Fisk	SIAC	CAC (D-III)
West Georgia	D-III Independent	Gulf South

Conference standings

1983 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Northern No. 6 Virginia Union xy$^ 6 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 Saint Paul's (VA) 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Hampton 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Norfolk State 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Elizabeth City State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Virginia State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Southern Winston-Salem State xy 6 – 0 – 1 8 – 2 – 1 North Carolina Central 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 1 – 1 Livingstone 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Johnson C. Smith 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 Fayetteville State 1 – 5 – 1 1 – 8 – 1 Bowie State 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 Championship: Virginia Union 34, Winston-Salem State 7 $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1983 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 7 Saginaw Valley State $^ 6 – 0 – 0 9 – 3 – 0 No. 8 Hillsdale 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Wayne State (MI) 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Northwood 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 Grand Valley State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Michigan Tech 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Ferris State 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Division I poll	1983 Gulf South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 3 North Alabama $^ 8 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 1 Mississippi College 4 – 3 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 Troy State 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 Livingston 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Jacksonville State 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 Tennessee–Martin 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0 Delta State 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Valdosta State 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 West Georgia 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1983 Heartland Collegiate Conference standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Butler $^ 5 – 0 – 1 9 – 1 – 1 Indiana Central 4 – 1 – 1 6 – 3 – 1 Evansville 2 – 1 – 3 3 – 4 – 3 Ashland 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Franklin (IN) 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Valparaiso 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Saint Joseph's (IN) 1 – 4 – 1 2 – 7 – 1 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant	1983 Lone Star Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 2 Southwest Texas State +^ 6 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 East Texas State + 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Stephen F. Austin 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Abilene Christian 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Angelo State 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 Texas A&I 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 9 – 0 Sam Houston State 1 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0 Howard Payne 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1983 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Missouri–Rolla + 4 – 1 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Central Missouri State + 4 – 1 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 NE Missouri State 3 – 2 – 0 4 – 7 – 0 NW Missouri State 2 – 3 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 Lincoln (MO) 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 SE Missouri State 1 – 4 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 + – Conference co-champions
1983 North Central Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 5 North Dakota State +^ 8 – 1 – 0 12 – 1 – 0 No. 10 Nebraska–Omaha + 8 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 South Dakota 6 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Augustana (SD) 4 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 Northern Colorado 4 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 North Dakota 4 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 St. Cloud State 4 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 Mankato State 3 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0 South Dakota State 3 – 6 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 Morningside 1 – 8 – 0 1 – 10 – 0 + – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1983 Northern California Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 1 UC Davis $^ 6 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0 Sacramento State 4 – 1 – 1 5 – 5 – 1 Chico State 3 – 2 – 1 4 – 5 – 1 Cal State Hayward 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Humboldt State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 San Francisco State 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0 Sonoma State 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll	1983 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 20 Winona State $ 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Moorhead State 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Minnesota Duluth 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Minnesota Morris 2 – 3 – 1 4 – 4 – 2 Northern State 1 – 3 – 2 4 – 4 – 2 Southwest State (MN) 1 – 3 – 2 3 – 6 – 2 Bemidji State 1 – 4 – 1 4 – 6 – 1 $ – Conference champion Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1983 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T East Division East Stroudsburg xy 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Kutztown 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Bloomsburg 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Millersville 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 West Chester 2 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Mansfield 1 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Cheyney 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 West Division Clarion xy$ 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 Edinboro 4 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 California (PA) 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 IUP 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Slippery Rock 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Shippensburg 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Lock Haven 0 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Championship: Clarion 27, East Stroudsburg 14 $ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant	1983 Western Football Conference standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Cal State Northridge + 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Santa Clara + 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Cal Poly 1 – 2 – 0 5 – 6 – 0 Portland State 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 + – Conference co-champions	1983 NCAA Division II independents football records Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 7 Central State (OH) ^   –   12 – 1 – 0 No. 4 Towson State ^   –   10 – 2 – 0 Northern Michigan   –   8 – 2 – 0 Saint Mary's   –   8 – 2 – 0 Southern Connecticut State   –   8 – 2 – 0 Eastern Washington   –   5 – 5 – 0 UCF   –   5 – 6 – 0 Central Connecticut   –   4 – 6 – 0 American International   –   4 – 7 – 0 Kentucky State   –   2 – 7 – 2 Morgan State   –   2 – 8 – 0 Liberty   –   2 – 9 – 0 New Haven   –   1 – 9 – 0 ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

Conference summaries

See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Virginia Union Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saginaw Valley State Gulf South Conference – North Alabama Heartland Collegiate Conference – Butler Lone Star Conference – East Texas State and Southwest Texas State Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Central Missouri State and Missouri–Rolla North Central Conference – Nebraska–Omaha and North Dakota State Northern California Athletic Conference – UC Davis Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Winona State Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Clarion Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Colorado Mesa South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Fort Valley State

Postseason

1983 NCAA Division II Football Championship
Teams	8
Finals Site	Veterans Stadium McAllen, TX
Champion	North Dakota State (1st title, 2nd title game)
Runner-up	Central State (OH) (1st title game)
Semifinalists	UC Davis North Alabama
Winning coach	Don Morton 1st championship

The 1983 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 11th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas, for the third consecutive time.

Playoff bracket

	First round Campus sites					Semifinals Campus sites					Championship McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium McAllen, TX
	UC Davis		25
	Butler		6
						UC Davis		17
						North Dakota State		26
	North Dakota State		24
	Towson State		17
											North Dakota State		41
											Central State (OH)		21
	North Alabama		16
	Virginia Union		14
						North Alabama		24
						Central State (OH)		27
	Central State (OH)		24
	Southwest Texas State		16

See also

• 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1983 NCAA Division III football season
• 1983 NAIA Division I football season
• 1983 NAIA Division II football season