1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

College football game

This article is about the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game. For the Division I-A (now FBS) champions, see 1982 Penn State Nittany Lions football team.

College football game

1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship

I-AA National Championship Game
Pioneer Bowl
| Eastern Kentucky Colonels | Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens

|

(12–0) | (12–1)
Ohio Valley | Independent
17 | 14
Head coach:
Roy Kidd | Head coach:
Tubby Raymond
| NCAA| Seed

|

1| 1
| NCAA| Seed

|

3| 3
|  | 1| 2| 3| 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Eastern Kentucky | 0| 10| 7| 0 | 17
Delaware | 0| 0| 0| 14 | 14
Date| December 18, 1982
Season| 1982
Stadium| Memorial Stadium
Location| Wichita Falls, Texas
Attendance| 11,257[1]
United States TV coverage
Network| CBS Sports
Announcers| Lindsey Nelson (play-by-play), Steve Davis (color)[2]
|  NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship

< 1981 | 1983 >

The 1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. The game was played on December 18, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Eastern Kentucky, 17–14.[3]

The game was also known as the Pioneer Bowl,[4] a name that had been used starting in 1971 for various NCAA playoff games held in Wichita Falls. The Colonels, making their fourth consecutive appearance in the I-AA championship game, became the first program to capture two I-AA titles, having previously won in 1979.

## Teams

[edit]

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1982 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 12-team bracket.[5]

### Eastern Kentucky Colonels

[edit]

See also: 1982 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team

Eastern Kentucky finished their regular season with an undefeated 10–0 record (7–0 in conference).[6] Ranked first in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[7] and seeded first in the tournament, the Colonels received a first-round bye then defeated Idaho and fourth-seed Tennessee State to reach the final. This was the fourth appearance for Eastern Kentucky in a Division I-AA championship game, having won in 1979 and having lost in 1980 and 1981.

### Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens

[edit]

See also: 1982 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

Delaware finished their regular season with a 10–1 record; its only loss was an away game at Temple.[8] Ranked third in the final NCAA I-AA in-house poll[7] and seeded third in the tournament, the Fightin' Blue Hens received a first-round bye then defeated Colgate and second-seed Louisiana Tech to reach the final. This was the first appearance for Delaware in a Division I-AA championship game, though the team had recently been the 1979 Division II champion before moving up to Division I-AA in 1980.

## Game summary

[edit]

### Scoring summary

[edit]

Scoring summary

| Quarter  | Time  | Drive | Team  | Scoring information  | Score

|
|
|
|
|

Plays | Yards  | TOP | EKU  | DEL
2  | 9:40  |  |  |  | EKU  | Delaware FG attempt blocked by Gus Parks, Richard Bell returned 77 yards for touchdown, Jamie Lovett kick good  | 7  | 0
2  | 3:10  |  | 33  |  | EKU  | 37-yard field goal by Lovett  | 10  | 0
3  | 13:28  | 4  | 21  |  | EKU  | Nick Yeast 1-yard touchdown run, Lovett kick good  | 17  | 0
4  | 9:35  | 1  | 20  |  | DEL  | Mark Steimer 20-yard touchdown reception from Kelvin Phelan, 2-point run by Rick Titus failed†  | 17  | 6
4  | 5:38  | 3  | 55  |  | DEL  | Tim Sager 5-yard touchdown reception from Rick Scully, 2-point pass good (Steimer from Scully)  | 17  | 14
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 17  | 14

† Delaware's attempt to kick the extra point was blocked, but Eastern Kentucky was ruled offside on the play. Delaware then attempted a two-point conversion, with the ball being snapped 1+1⁄2 yards from the end zone.
[1][9][10]

### Game statistics

[edit]

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Colonels | 0  | 10  | 7  | 0 | 17
Fightin' Blue Hens  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 14 | 14
Eastern Kentucky head coach Roy Kidd in 2011 Statistics  | EKU  | DEL

|
|

First downs | 13 | 18
Plays–yards | 63–270 | 73–351
Rushes–yards | 50–209 | 41–160
Passing yards | 61 | 191
Passing: comp–att–int | 6–13–1 | 13–32–0
Time of possession | 31:41 | 28:19
Team | Category | Player | Statistics

|
|
|

Eastern Kentucky  | Passing | Tuck Woolum | 6–13, 61 yds, 1 INT
Rushing | Terrence Thompson | 24 car, 112 yds
Receiving | Steve Bird | 3 rec, 28 yds
Delaware  | Passing | Rick Scully | 12–31, 171 yds, 1 TD
Rushing | Cliff Clement | 7 car, 42 yds
Receiving | Cliff Clement | 5 rec, 60 yds

[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Freeman, Denne H. (December 19, 1982). "Eastern Kentucky wins Div. I-AA title". The Times and Democrat. Orangeburg, South Carolina. AP. p. 4b. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
2. ^ "Hens bid for first I-AA football title". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. December 18, 1982. p. A1. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Eastern Kentucky Wins Title". The New York Times. UPI. December 19, 1982. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via nytimes.com.
4. ^ "Eastern Kentucky vs. Delaware". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. December 18, 1982. p. B 11. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Blue Hens Get Berth; Earn Opening Bye". The Daily Times. Salisbury, Maryland. AP. November 22, 1982. p. 10. Retrieved February 6, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Eastern Kentucky Colonels 1982 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
7. ^ a b "Div. I-AA TOP 20". Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee, Florida. AP. November 25, 1982. p. 2B. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens 1982 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
9. ^ Sutton, Stan (December 19, 1982). "Title was no easy Kidd's stuff". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. p. A 20. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via newspapers.com.
10. ^ "EKU 17, Delaware 14". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. December 19, 1982. p. D10. Retrieved May 9, 2019 - via newspapers.com.

## Further reading

[edit]

* "1982 Football Team Team of Distinction". ekusports.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* 100 Years of Eastern Kentucky University Football - Part 4 (1982) via YouTube
* FCS Top Championship Game Moments - Rick Titus (72-yard punt) via YouTube

* v
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NCAA Division I Football Championship Game

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* v
* t
* e

Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football

Venues|

* Frazer Field (1913–1946)
* Wilmington Park (1940–1952)
* Delaware Stadium (1952–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* 1974 Grantland Rice Bowl
* Delaware State: Route 1 Rivalry
* James Madison
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* West Chester
* William & Mary

Culture & lore|

* YoUDee
* "The Delaware Fight Song"
* Marching Band
* Winged football helmet

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

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National championship seasons in bold

* v
* t
* e

Eastern Kentucky Colonels football

Venues|

* Hanger Stadium (1938–1968)
* Roy Kidd Stadium (1969–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* 1955 Tangerine Bowl
* 1967 Grantland Rice Bowl
* Morehead State: Old Hawg Rifle
* Western Kentucky: Battle of the Bluegrass

Culture & lore|

* The Colonel
* "Rally Maroon and White"
* Marching Colonels

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901–1908
* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
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* 1938
* 1939
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* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
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* 1998
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* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

National championship seasons in bold

* v
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1982–83 NCAA Division I championships

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† Inaugural championship – ‡ Inaugural co-ed championship
*[comp]: Completions
*[att]: Attempts
*[int]: Interceptions
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