| 1983 Idaho Vandals football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Conference | Big Sky Conference | ||
| 1983 record | 8-3 (4-3 Big Sky) | ||
| Head coach | Dennis Erickson | ||
| Offensive coordinator | Dan Cozzetto | ||
| Defensive coordinator | John L. Smith | ||
| Home stadium | Kibbie Dome | ||
Seasons
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The 1983 Idaho Vandals football team represented the University of Idaho in the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Vandals, led by second-year head coach Dennis Erickson, were members of the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at the Kibbie Dome, an indoor facility on campus in Moscow, Idaho.
Led by senior quarterback Ken Hobart, the Vandals finished 8-3 in the regular season and 4-3 in the Big Sky to tie for third with rival Boise State, whom they defeated for the second straight year and for the first time in six tries in Moscow; it was the second of twelve straight over the Broncos.
The Vandals won four of five home games in 1983, losing to nemesis Nevada, the 1983 Big Sky champion, for the fifth year in a row. The Vandals also lost to the conference runner-up, Idaho State; both of whom were selected for the 12-team I-AA playoffs. Idaho won all four of its non-conference games, but three were against Division II and NAIA opponents.
Although Idaho missed the I-AA playoffs, the 1983 season marked the first time in over four decades that the Vandals had consecutive winning seasons in football; it was last accomplished in 1938.[1]
Senior quarterback Ken Hobart led the 1983 Vandals to an 8-3 record and named a Division I-AA All-American. Selected in the second round of 1984 USFL Draft by Jacksonville, he was traded to Denver during the season and then spent six seasons (1985-90) in the CFL. He was selected tenth in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft by the New York Jets, but never played in the NFL.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 10 | Southern Colorado - (NAIA)* | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 43-28 | 12,500 | ||||
| Sep 17 | at Montana State | Reno H. Sales Stadium • Bozeman, MT | W 23-0 | |||||
| Sep 24 | at Idaho State | ISU MiniDome • Pocatello, ID | L 31-41 | |||||
| Oct 01 | Eastern Washington - (Div. II)* | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | W 38-24 | 12,500 | ||||
| Oct 08 | at Portland State - (Div. II)* | Civic Stadium • Portland, OR | W 17-16 | 3,853 | ||||
| Oct 15 | at Weber State | Stewart Stadium • Ogden, UT | L 10-28 | 15,632 | ||||
| Oct 22 | Montana | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID - (Little Brown Stein) | W 45-24 | 16,400 | ||||
| Oct 29 | at Pacific - (Div. I-A)* | Pacific Memorial Stadium • Stockton, CA | W 31-19 | 11,500 | ||||
| Nov 05 | at Northern Arizona | Walkup Skydome • Flagstaff, AZ | W 40-10 | 7,138 | ||||
| Nov 12 | Nevada-Reno | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID | L 24-43 | 15,000 | ||||
| Nov 19 | Boise State | Kibbie Dome • Moscow, ID - (BSU-UI rivalry) | W 45-24 | 15,400 | ||||
| *Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to game. | ||||||||
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