The 1983 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University

Auburn University

Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...

 in the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season

1983 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the University of Miami winning their first national championship over perennial power Nebraska in the Orange Bowl....

. Coached by Pat Dye

Pat Dye

Patrick Fain Dye is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at East Carolina University , the University of Wyoming , and Auburn University compiling a career college football record of 153–62–5...

, the team finished the season with a 11–1 record and won their first SEC

Southeastern Conference

The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...

 title since 1957.

The squad featured several star players who went on to long professional careers including Bo Jackson

Bo Jackson

Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985....

, Randy Campbell

Randy Campbell

Thomas Randolph "Randy" Campbell is an American football quarterback who played for Auburn University, a NCAA Division 1-A school; is a speaker and wealth management and life insurance professional....

, Tommy Agee, Lionel James

Lionel James

Lionel 'Little Train' James , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 5th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Undersized at 5'6" and 171 lbs., James played running back at Auburn University where he shared the backfield with Bo Jackson...

, Donnie Humphrey

Donnie Humphrey

Donnie Humphrey is a former nose tackle and defensive end in the National Football League.-Biography:Humphrey was born Donnie Ray Humphrey on April 20, 1961 in Huntsville, Alabama. He is the father of WNBA player Tasha Humphrey.-Career:...

, Steve Wallace

Steve Wallace

Steve Wallace may refer to:*Steve Wallace , stock car driver*Steve Wallace , former NFL football player*Stephen Wallace , Australian film directorSee also...

 and Al Del Greco

Al Del Greco

Albert Louis Del Greco is a former American football placekicker and a current sports radio personality and high school coach in Birmingham, Alabama.-Biography:...

.

Prior to the season, Pat Dye became the first coach in the Southeastern Conference to require players to take blood and urine tests for drugs. Also prior to the season, fullback Greg Pratt collapsed after making his required time in running tests and died a short time later.

National Champion title

The team and capped a stellar 11–1 season by beating Michigan in the Sugar Bowl

Sugar Bowl

The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009...

 9–7. Despite entering the bowl games ranked third in both major polls, and with both teams ranked higher losing their bowl games, the Tigers ended ranked third in the final AP poll as Miami

1983 Miami Hurricanes football team

The 1983 Miami Hurricanes were the national champions of the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. The national championship was the first of five won by the University of Miami.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Coaching staff:-Schedule:...

 jumped from 5th to claim the AP National Championship award. Auburn had played the toughest schedule in the nation, including eight bowl teams, seven of which were ranked in the top 20 (four in the top ten). The Tigers did finish ranked first in a few polls including the computer rankings utilized by the The New York Times

The New York Times

The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...

.

Schedule

Date	Team	Location	PF	PA	Result
September 10, 1983	Southern Miss	Auburn, AL	24	3	W
September 17, 1983	#3 Texas Texas Longhorns football The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...	Auburn, AL	7	20	L
September 24, 1983	@Tennessee 1988 Tennessee Volunteers football team The 1988 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Volunteers offense scored 212 points while the defense allowed 286 points. At season's end, the Volunteers were not ranked in either of the major...	Knoxville, TN	37	14	W
October 1, 1983	Florida State Florida State Seminoles football The Florida State Seminoles football team represents Florida State University in college football. The Florida State Seminoles compete in NCAA Division I-FBS and are members of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...	Auburn, AL	27	24	W
October 8, 1983	@ Kentucky 1983 Kentucky Wildcats football team The 1983 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Wildcats scored 228 points while allowing 237 points....	Lexington, KY	49	21	W
October 15, 1983	@ Georgia Tech Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team represents the Georgia Institute of Technology in collegiate level football. While the team is officially designated as the Yellow Jackets, it is also referred to as the Ramblin' Wreck. The Yellow Jackets are a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference...	Atlanta, GA	31	13	W
October 22, 1983	Mississippi State Mississippi State Bulldogs The Mississippi State Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Mississippi State University. They participate in NCAA's Division I in the competitive 12-member Southeastern Conference under the mascot Bulldogs and the school colors of maroon and white...	Auburn, AL	28	13	W
October 29, 1983	#5 Florida	Auburn, AL	28	21	W
November 5, 1983	#7 Maryland Maryland Terrapins football The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...	Auburn, AL	35	23	W
November 12, 1983	@ #4 Georgia	Athens, GA	13	7	W
December 3, 1983	#19 Alabama	Birmingham, AL	23	20	W
January 2, 1984	#8 Michigan Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...	New Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009... )	9	7	W
			311	186	11–1