1983 Akron Zips football team

1983 Akron Zips football
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Record	8–3 (5–2 OVC)
Head coach	Jim Dennison (11th season)
Captain	Dave Arango James Black Darren Morgan
Home stadium	Rubber Bowl

1983 Ohio Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 8 Eastern Kentucky $^	6	–	1	–	0			7	–	2	–	1
No. 16 Middle Tennessee	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
Akron	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Murray State	4	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Austin Peay	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Youngstown State	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Tennessee Tech	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
Morehead State	1	–	6	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1983 Akron Zips football team represented Akron University in the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. Led by 11th-year head coach Jim Dennison, the Zips played their home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. They finished the season with a record of 8–3 overall and 5–2 in OVC play to tie for second place.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 3	Kent State*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Wagon Wheel)	W 13–6	37,111	[1]
September 10	at Eastern Michigan*		Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	W 13–0	5,173	[2]
September 17	Western Kentucky*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 14–13	8,845	[3]
September 24	at No. 3 Eastern Kentucky	No. 7	Hanger Field Richmond, KY	L 5–10	14,600	[4]
October 1	Middle Tennessee	No. 12	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 3–26	10,214	[5]
October 8	No. T–19 Eastern Illinois*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 7–10		[6]
October 15	at Morehead State		Jayne Stadium Morehead, KY	W 31–0	6,000	[7]
October 22	Murray State		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 6–3	2,016	[8]
October 29	at Tennessee Tech		Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 43–12	4,119	[9]
November 5	Youngstown State		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Steel Tire)	W 49–21		[10]
November 19	at Austin Peay		Municipal Stadium Clarksville, TN	W 26–3		[11]
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

^[12]

References

1. "Akron hands Kent 14th loss in row". The Plain Dealer. September 4, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Eastern bows to Akron". The Muskegon Chronicle. September 11, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Field goal at :05 saves Akron's win over Western". The Courier-Journal. September 18, 1983. Retrieved November 11, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Zips lose in battle of defenses". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 25, 1983. Retrieved March 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Blue Raiders stun Akron Zips 26–3". The Daily News-Journal. October 2, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Zips come up short in comeback try". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 9, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Akron U stays on the ground, in command". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 16, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Akron deals a jolt to Murray's hopes". The Courier-Journal. October 23, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Zips whip Tennessee Tech 43–12; Black surpasses 1,000-yard mark". The Akron Beacon Journal. October 30, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Zips zap Penguins". The Leaf-Chronicle. November 6, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Akron wins, ties for 2nd". The Daily News-Journal. November 20, 1983. Retrieved November 12, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "2019 Akron Zips Football Media Guide: Records" (PDF). University of Akron. p. 170. Retrieved May 6, 2020.