1983 Illinois State Redbirds football team

1983 Illinois State Redbirds football
Conference	Missouri Valley Conference
Record	6–4–1 (2–2–1 MVC)
Head coach	Bob Otolski (3rd season)
Home stadium	Hancock Stadium
Seasons ←  1982 1984  →

1983 Missouri Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Tulsa $	5	–	0	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
No. 1 Southern Illinois ^	4	–	1	–	0			13	–	1	–	0
No. 5 Indiana State ^	3	–	2	–	0			9	–	4	–	0
New Mexico State	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Illinois State	2	–	2	–	1			6	–	4	–	1
Wichita State	3	–	3	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Drake	1	–	6	–	0			1	–	10	–	0
West Texas State	0	–	5	–	1			0	–	10	–	1
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant The conference was a hybrid of NCAA Division I-A and I-AA programs. New Mexico State, Tulsa, and Wichita State were I-A and the other teams were I-AA. Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1983 Illinois State Redbirds football team was an American football team that represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their third year under head coach Bob Otolski, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 6–4–1 with a mark of 2–2–1 in conference play, placing fifth out of eight teams in the MVC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	Eastern Illinois *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL (rivalry)	L 7–38		[1]
September 10	at Marshall *	Fairfield Stadium Huntington, WV	W 27–3	12,800	[2]
September 17	Western Michigan *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	L 14–41		[3]
September 24	at Drake	Drake Stadium Des Moines, IN	W 36–17		[4]
October 1	No. 7 Indiana State	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 37–20	14,503	[5]
October 8	at West Texas State	Kimbrough Memorial Stadium Canyon, TX	T 24–24		[6]
October 15	at Tulsa	Skelly Stadium Tulsa, OK	L 25–39	21,107	[7]
October 22	at Nicholls State *	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	W 34–29		[8]
October 29	Western Illinois *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 45–7	9,096	[9]
November 5	at No. 1 Southern Illinois	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	L 26–28	16,600	[10]
November 12	Southwest Missouri State *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 34–7	6,101	[11]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "Eastern is off to flying start". Chicago Tribune. September 4, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
2. "ISU runs past Marshall". The Pantagraph. September 11, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
3. "WMU storms back to win". Battle Creek Enquirer. September 18, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Coppens lifts Illinois State". Herald and Review. September 25, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Turnovers aid Illinois State". The Rock Island Argus. October 2, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Buffaloes tie Illinois State". Abilene Reporter-News. October 9, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Tulsa sweeps table in offensive banquet". The Daily Oklahoman. October 16, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Coppens boosts Illinois State". The South Bend Tribune. October 23, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
9. "ISU drubs Western 45–7 in homecoming". The Pantagraph. October 30, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Salukis survive scare to go 10–0". Southern Illinoisan. November 6, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
11. "ISU enjoys happy ending (34–7 win)". The Pantagraph. November 13, 1983. Retrieved November 10, 2024– via Newspapers.com.