1983 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

{{Short description|American college football season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1983

| team = Mississippi State Bulldogs

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Southeastern Conference

| short_conf = SE

| record = 3–8

| conf_record = 1–5

| head_coach = Emory Bellard

| hc_year = 5th

| off_coach =

| oc_year =

| off_scheme =

| def_coach = Melvin Robertson

| dc_year = 5th

| def_scheme =

| captain =

| stadium = Scott Field
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium

}}

{{1983 Southeastern Conference football standings}}

The 1983 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Emory Bellard, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 3–8, with a mark of 1–5 in conference play, and finished eighth in the SEC.

With a 45–26 win over LSU, Bulldog quarterback John Bond became the first and only quarterback to register four wins over LSU.{{Cite web|url = http://gridironnow.com/john-bond-reminisces-about-days-as-mississippi-state-star/|title = John Bond reminisces about days as Mississippi State star|date = 2015-09-25|access-date = 2015-10-11|website = GridironNow.com|last = Hicks|first = Tommy|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151005015258/http://gridironnow.com/john-bond-reminisces-about-days-as-mississippi-state-star/|archive-date = 2015-10-05|url-status = dead}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1983

| poll = AP

| timezone = Central

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 3

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Tulane

| site_stadium = Scott Field

| site_cityst = Starkville, MS

| score = 14–9

| attend = 27,311

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87429281/state-surprises-tulane-with-rebuilt-defe/|work=Enterprise-Journal|title=State surprises Tulane with rebuilt defense|date=September 4, 1983|accessdate=October 20, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 17

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Navy

| site_stadium = Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Jackson, MS

| score = 38–10

| attend = 45,211

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-miss-state-overwhelms/134590337/|work=The Baltimore Sun|title=Miss. State overwhelms Navy, 38–10|date=September 18, 1983|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 24

| w/l = l

| opponent = Florida

| opprank = 15

| site_stadium = Scott Field

| site_cityst = Starkville, MS

| score = 12–35

| attend = 31,875

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun-bulldogs-lose-in-fourth-quarter/134590426/|work=The Sun|title=Bulldogs lose in fourth quarter|date=September 25, 1983|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 1

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Georgia

| opprank = 11

| site_stadium = Sanford Stadium

| site_cityst = Athens, GA

| score = 7–20

| attend = 82,122

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-georgia-corrals-bond/134590518/|work=The Macon Telegraph & News|title=Georgia corrals Bond, defeats Mississippi State 20–7|date=October 2, 1983|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 8

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| opponent = Southern Miss

| site_stadium = Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Jackson, MS

| score = 6–31

| attend = 58,311

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74444183/usm-gains-momentum-with-win-over-state|work=Enterprise-Journal|title=USM gains momentum with win over State|date=October 9, 1983|accessdate=March 26, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 15

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Miami (FL)

| opprank = 10

| site_stadium = Scott Field

| site_cityst = Starkville, MS

| score = 7–31

| attend = 29,456

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-hurricanes-breeze-31/134590658/|work=The Palm Beach Post|title=Hurricanes breeze 31–7|date=October 16, 1983|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 22

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Auburn

| opprank = 5

| site_stadium = Jordan-Hare Stadium

| site_cityst = Auburn, AL

| score = 13–28

| attend = 71,500

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-selma-times-journal-tigers-bag-miss/134590749/|work=The Selma Times-Journal|title=Tigers bag Miss State|date=October 23, 1983|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 29

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Alabama

| opprank = 18

| site_stadium = Bryant–Denny Stadium

| site_cityst = Tuscaloosa, AL

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 18–35

| attend = 60,210

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/71536662/slow-recovery-brings-tide-win/|work=The Anniston Star|title=Slow recovery brings Tide win|date=October 30, 1983|accessdate=November 2, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 5

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Memphis State

| site_stadium = Scott Field

| site_cityst = Starkville, MS

| score = 13–30

| attend = 28,203

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greenwood-commonwealth-bellard-says/134590948/|work=The Greenwood Commonwealth|title=Bellard says he's toblame for loss|date=November 6, 1983|accessdate=November 2, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 12

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = LSU

| site_stadium = Tiger Stadium

| site_cityst = Baton Rouge, LA

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 45–26

| attend = 74,439

| source = {{cite news|title=Bulldogs stop streak by swamping LSU|newspaper=The Commercial Appeal|date=November 13, 1983|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-bulldogs-stop-stre/134590015/|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 19

| w/l = l

| neutral = y

| opponent = Ole Miss

| site_stadium = Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Jackson, MS

| gamename = Egg Bowl

| score = 23–24

| attend = 59,758

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-rebels-edge-bulldogs-242/134591086/|work=The Tennessean|title=Rebels edge Bulldogs 24–23|date=November 20, 1983|accessdate=November 3, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

}}

{{cite news|title=1983 Mississippi State Bulldogs Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=November 3, 2023|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/mississippi-state/1983-schedule.html}}

Personnel

{{American football roster/Header|year=1983|team=Mississippi State Bulldogs|teamcolors=y

|offensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=Sr|first=John|last=Bond|pos=QB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Rickey|last=Edwards|pos=FB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Danny|last=Knight|pos=WR}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Henry|last=Koontz|pos=RB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Elmer|last=Wilson|pos=RB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Lamar|last=Windham|pos=RB}}

|defensive_players=

|special_teams_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=|first=Artie|last=Crosby|pos=K}}

}}Mike McDonald pos=center

{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=|accessdate=

|head_coach=

|asst_coach=

}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Mississippi State Bulldogs football navbox}}

Mississippi State

Category:Mississippi State Bulldogs football seasons

Mississippi State Bulldogs football

{{collegefootball-1983-season-stub}}