1983 Carson–Newman Eagles football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1983

| team = Carson–Newman Eagles

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = South Atlantic Conference

| short_conf = SAC

| record = 10–3

| conf_record = 6–1

| head_coach = Ken Sparks

| hc_year = 4th

| captain =

| stadium = Burke–Tarr Stadium

| champion = NAIA Division I national champion
SAC champion

| bowl = Palm Bowl

| bowl_result = W 36–28 vs. {{cfb link|year=1983|team=Mesa State Mavericks|title=Mesa State}}

}}

The 1983 Carson–Newman Eagles football team was an American football team that represented Carson–Newman College (renamed Carson–Newman University in 2012) as a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) during the 1983 NAIA Division I football season. In its fourth year under head coach Ken Sparks, the team compiled a 10–3 record (6–1 against conference opponents), won the SAC championship, and defeated {{cfb link|year=1983|team=Mesa State Mavericks|title=Mesa State}} in the Palm Bowl to win the NAIA national championship.{{cite web|title=2010 Carson-Newman Eagles Football Media Guide|publisher=Carson-Newman College|year=2010|url=https://www.cneagles.com/sports/m-footbl/2010-11/files/2010Sec6.pdf}}

It was the first of five national championships (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1989) won by Carson–Newman during the 1980s.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| attend = y

| source = y

|September 10|at|Furman|Paladin Stadium|Greenville, SC|L 7-52|9,226|{{cite news|title=Jennings, Lamb lead Furman over Carson-Newman in 52-7 drubbing|newspaper=The Times and Democrat|date=September 11, 1983|page=4b|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89513005/jennings-lamb-lead-furman-over/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|September 17|at|{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Franklin Grizzlies|title=Franklin (IN)}}||Franklin, IN|L 20-24||

|September 24||{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Elon Fightin' Christians|title=Elon}}|Burke–Tarr Stadium|Jefferson City, TN|W 15-6||{{cite news|title=C-N Eagles upend Elon|newspaper=Kingsport Times-News|date=September 25, 1983|page=3C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89512563/c-n-eagles-upend-elon/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 1||{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Catawba Indians|title=Catawba}}|Burke–Tarr Stadium|Jefferson City, TN|W 31-9||{{cite news|title=Eagles Grind Out Second Victory|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|date=October 2, 1983|page=D6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89512772/eagles-grind-out-second-victory/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 8||{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Newberry Indians|title=Newberry}}||Newberry, SC|W 11-10||

|October 22|at|{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs|title=Gardner–Webb}}||Boiling Springs, NC|W 24-20||

|October 29||{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Lenoir–Rhyne Bears|title=Lenoir–Rhyne}}|Burke–Tarr Stadium|Jefferson City, TN|W 21-15||{{cite news|title=Carson-Newman Wins SAC-8 Title|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|date=October 30, 1983|page=D4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89512287/carson-newman-wins-sac-8-title/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 5||Central Florida|Burke–Tarr Stadium|Jefferson City, TN|W 35-14|3,300|{{cite news|title=Defense Fires Eagles, 35-14|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|author=Frank (Red) Bailes|date=November 6, 1983|page=D5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89512063/defense-fires-eagles-35-14/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 12|at|{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Presbyterian Blue Hose|title=Presbyterian}}||Clinton, SC|L 7-28||

|December 3||{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Shepherd Rams|title=Shepherd}}|Burke–Tarr Stadium|Jefferson City, TN (NAIA Division I quarterfinal)|W 42-21|2,000|{{cite news|title=Carson-Newman Routs Shepherd, 42-21|newspaper=The Knoxville News-Sentinel|author=Red Bailes|date=December 4, 1983|page=D6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89511855/carson-newman-routs-shepherd-42-21/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|December 10||{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Saginaw Valley State Cardinals|title=Saginaw Valley State}}|Burke–Tarr Stadium|Jefferson City, TN (NAIA Division I semifinal)|W 41-7||{{cite news|title=Saginaw Valley season ended|newspaper=The Port Huron Times Herald|date=December 11, 1983|page=3C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89511569/saginaw-valley-season-ended/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|December 17|vs|{{cfb link|year=1983|team=Mesa State Mavericks|title=Mesa State}}||Grand Junction, CO (Palm Bowl)|W 36-28|8,836|{{cite news|title=Carson-Newman defeats Mesa College|newspaper=The Times and Democrat|author=Ellen Haddow|date=December 18, 1983|page=5b|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89511359/carson-newman-defeats-mesa-college/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

References

Carson-Newman Eagles

Category:Carson–Newman Eagles football seasons

Category:NAIA football national champions

Category:South Atlantic Conference football champion seasons

Carson-Newman Eagles football