1983 Ball State Cardinals football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1983
| team = Ball State Cardinals
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Mid-American Conference
| short_conf = MAC
| record = 6–5
| conf_record = 4–4
| head_coach = Dwight Wallace
| hc_year = 6th
| captain =
| stadium = Ball State Stadium
}}
{{1983 Mid-American Conference football standings}}
The 1983 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its sixth season under head coach Dwight Wallace, the team compiled a 6–5 record (4–4 against MAC opponents) and finished in fifth place out of ten teams in the conference.{{cite web|title=2007 Ball State Football Media Guide|publisher=Ball State University|year=2007|page=98|url=http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/194436/2007Football.pdf;jsessionid=0B37326FBDE020AA536399711948B1E4?sequence=1|accessdate=July 10, 2020|archive-date=July 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708080444/http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/194436/2007Football.pdf;jsessionid=0B37326FBDE020AA536399711948B1E4?sequence=1|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=1983 Ball State Cardinals Schedule and Results|publisher=Sport Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=July 10, 2020|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ball-state/1983-schedule.html|archive-date=July 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711050352/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ball-state/1983-schedule.html|url-status=live}} The team played its home games at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana.
The team's statistical leaders included Neil Britt with 2,377 passing yards, Terry Lymon with 517 rushing yards, David Naumcheff with 1,065 receiving yards, and John Diettrich with 59 points scored.{{cite web|title=1983 Ball State Cardinals Statistics|publisher=Sport Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=July 10, 2020|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ball-state/1983.html|archive-date=July 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711050402/https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/ball-state/1983.html|url-status=live}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 3||Rhode Island
|September 10||Wichita State
|September 17|at|Ohio|Peden Stadium|Athens, OH|W 31–14|14,000|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-ball-state-tops-ou-31/166630812/|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|title=Ball State tops OU, 31–14|date=September 18, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|September 24|at|Toledo|Glass Bowl|Toledo, OH|L 7–43|20,624|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-toledo-morgan-en/166623935/|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|title=Toledo, Morgan end Ball State winning streak|date=September 25, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 1||Northern Illinois|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN (rivalry)|L 14–27|15,075|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-northern-illinois/166622374/|newspaper=The South Bend Tribune|title=Northern Illinois runner shreds Ball State, 27–14|date=October 2, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 8|at|Indiana State
|October 15|at|Kent State|Dix Stadium|Kent, OH|W 17–13|7,300|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vincennes-sun-commercial-ball-state/166630952/|newspaper=The Vincennes Sun-Commercial|title=Ball State tops Kent State|date=October 16, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 22|at|Western Michigan|Waldo Stadium|Kalamazoo, MI|W 24–20|9,650|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-ball-state-24-w/166631077/|newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer|title=Ball State 24, Western Michigan 20|date=October 23, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 29||Eastern Michigan|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN|W 33–20||{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-press-ball-state-wins-third-str/166631234/|newspaper=The Muncie Star|title=Ball State wins third straight|date=October 30, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 5|at|Bowling Green|Doyt Perry Stadium|Bowling Green, OH|L 30–45|17,210|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-press-records-fall-but-so-does/166626201/|newspaper=The Muncie Star|title=Records fall but so does Ball State|date=November 6, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 12||Central Michigan|Ball State Stadium|Muncie, IN|L 10–38|8,725|{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-saginaw-news-cmu-clinging-to-last-ho/166630496/|newspaper=The Saginaw News|title=CMU clinging to last hope|date=November 13, 1983|access-date=February 24, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}