1983 NCAA Division II football season


The 1983 NCAA Division II football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began in August 1983, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 10, 1983, at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas. During the game's five-year stretch in McAllen, the "City of Palms", it was referred to as the Palm Bowl. The North Dakota State Bison defeated the Central State, 41–21, to win their first Division II national title.

Conference changes and new programs

Conference standings

Conference summaries

Conference Champions

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Virginia Union
Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Saginaw Valley State
Gulf South Conference – North Alabama
Lone Star Conference – East Texas State and Southwest Texas State
Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Central Missouri State and Missouri–Rolla
North Central Conference – Nebraska–Omaha and North Dakota State
Northern California Athletic Conference – UC Davis
Northern Intercollegiate Conference – Winona State
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Clarion
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Colorado Mesa
South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Fort Valley State

Postseason

The 1983 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 11th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium in McAllen, Texas, for the third consecutive time.

Playoff bracket