1983 Miami Hurricanes football team

American college football season

1983 Miami Hurricanes football

Consensus national champion
Orange Bowl champion

Orange Bowl, W 31–30 vs. Nebraska

Conference| Independent
Ranking
Coaches| No. 1
AP| No. 1
Record| 11–1
Head coach|

* Howard Schnellenberger (5th season)

Offensive coordinator| Gary Stevens (1st season)
Offensive scheme| Pro-style
Defensive coordinator| Tom Olivadotti (3rd season)
Base defense| 5–2
Home stadium| Orange Bowl

Seasons

<- 1982

1984 ->

1983 NCAA Division I-A independents football records

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 Miami (FL) |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 11  | - | 1  | - | 0
Virginia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 19 Boston College |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 16 West Virginia |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 20 East Carolina |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 18 Pittsburgh |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 1
Penn State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 1
Southern Miss |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Memphis State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 1
Florida State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 4  | - | 0
Notre Dame |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 5  | - | 0
Syracuse |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
South Carolina |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Cincinnati |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 1
Southwestern Louisiana |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Temple |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Tulane |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Louisville |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Navy |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Rutgers |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Army |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1983 Miami Hurricanes football team represented the University of Miami during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their 58th season of football, the independent Hurricanes were led by fifth-year head coach Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at the Orange Bowl.

Unranked, Miami lost their opener at Florida by 25 points, but finished the regular season at 10–1, ranked fifth, and were invited to the Orange Bowl. Playing at home on January 2, the underdog Hurricanes upset top-ranked Nebraska 31–30, denying a two-point conversion attempt with less than a minute remaining.[1][2][3][4] They climbed to first in the major polls to win the school's first national championship.[5]

## Schedule[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Rank| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 3| | at No. 16 Florida| |

* Florida Field
* Gainesville, FL (rivalry)

| | L 3–28| 73,907| [6]
September 10| | at Houston| |

* Houston Astrodome
* Houston, TX

| | W 29–7| 20,000|
September 17| | Purdue| |

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL

| | W 35–0| 37,150|
September 24| 9:00 pm| No. 13 Notre Dame| |

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL (rivalry)

| CBS| W 20–0| 52,480|
October 1| 3:50 pm| at Duke| No. 15|

* Wallace Wade Stadium
* Durham, NC

| ABC| W 56–17| 28,750| [7]
October 8| | Louisville| No. 12|

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL

| | W 42–14| 30,073|
October 15| | at Mississippi State| No. 10|

* Scott Field
* Starkville, MS

| | W 31–7| 29,456| [8]
October 22| | at Cincinnati| No. 8|

* Riverfront Stadium
* Cincinnati, OH

| | W 17–7| 14,163|
October 29| | No. 12 West Virginia| No. 7|

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL

| | W 20–3| 63,881| [9]
November 5| | East Carolina| No. 5|

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL

| | W 12–7| 39,225| [10]
November 12| 7:00 pm| at Florida State| No. 6|

* Doak Campbell Stadium
* Tallahassee, FL (rivalry)

| WSVN| W 17–16| 57,333|
January 2, 1984| 8:00 pm| vs. No. 1 Nebraska| No. 5|

* Miami Orange Bowl
* Miami, FL (Orange Bowl) (rivalry)

| NBC| W 31–30| 72,596|

* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Eastern time

## Game summaries[edit]

### At Florida[edit]

Miami (FL) at Florida  |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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Hurricanes | 0 | 0| 0| 3 | 3
• No. 16 Gators | 13 | 0| 12| 3 | 28

* Date: September 3
* Location: Florida Field • Gainesville, Florida
* Game attendance: 73,907

See also: 1983 Florida Gators football team and Florida–Miami football rivalry

### At Houston[edit]

See also: 1983 Houston Cougars football team

### Purdue[edit]

See also: 1983 Purdue Boilermakers football team

Purdue Boilermakers at Miami (FL) Hurricanes

Period | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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Purdue | 0 | 0 | 0| 0| 0
Miami (FL) | 7 | 21 | 7| 0| 35

at Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida

* Date: September 17
* Game attendance: 34,557

Game information

Purdue

* Everett
16/22, 186 Yds, 2 INT
* Hawthorne
12 Rush, 37 Yds
* Griffin
5 Rec, 64 Yds

Miami (FL)

* Kosar
12/20, 182 Yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
* Bentley
15 Rush, 78 Yds
* Shakespeare
4 Rec, 68 Yds, 2 TD

|

[11]

Scoring summary

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

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Plays | Yards  | TOP | PUR  | MIA
1  |  |  |  |  | Miami (FL)  | Kosar 1-yard touchdown run, Davis kick good  | 0  | 7
2  |  |  |  |  | Miami (FL)  | Shakespeare 35-yard touchdown reception from Kosar, Davis kick good  | 0  | 14
2  |  |  |  |  | Miami (FL)  | Vanderwende 1-yard touchdown run, Davis kick good  | 0  | 21
2  |  |  |  |  | Miami (FL)  | Shakespeare 12-yard touchdown reception from Kosar, Davis kick good  | 0  | 21
3  |  |  |  |  | Miami (FL)  | Griffin 17-yard touchdown reception from Kosar, Davis kick good  | 0  | 28
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 0  | 28

### Notre Dame[edit]

See also: 1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

### At Duke[edit]

See also: 1983 Duke Blue Devils football team

### Louisville[edit]

See also: 1983 Louisville Cardinals football team

### At Mississippi State[edit]

See also: 1983 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

### At Cincinnati[edit]

See also: 1983 Cincinnati Bearcats football team

### West Virginia[edit]

See also: 1983 West Virginia Mountaineers football team

### East Carolina[edit]

See also: 1983 East Carolina Pirates football team

### At Florida State[edit]

See also: 1983 Florida State Seminoles football team and Florida State–Miami football rivalry

Jeff Davis game-winning 19-yard field goal as time expired [12]

### Orange Bowl (vs Nebraska)[edit]

#1 Nebraska at #5 Miami (FL)  |  | 1 | 2| 3| 4| Total

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No.1 Cornhuskers | 0 | 14| 3| 13 | 30
• No. 5 Hurricanes | 17 | 0| 14| 0 | 31

* Date: January 2
* Location: Miami Bowl Stadium, Miami, Florida
* Game start: 8:05 p.m. EST
* Game attendance: 72,596
* Game weather: 66 °F (19 °C), partly cloudy, Wind N 10 mph (16 km/h)
* Referee: Jimmy Harper (SEC)
* TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie

* Source: Box Score Archived 2019-08-22 at the Wayback Machine

| Scoring summary

Q1| 9:18| MIA| Dennison 2-yard pass from Kosar (Davis kick)| MIA 7–0
Q1| 4:51| MIA| Davis 45-yard field goal| MIA 10–0
Q1| 1:08| MIA| Dennison 22-yard pass from Kosar (Davis kick)| MIA 17–0
Q2| 8:54| Neb| Steinkuhler 19-yard fumble return (Livingston kick)| MIA 17–7
Q2| 2:17| Neb| Gill 1-yard run (Livingston kick)| MIA 17–14
Q3| 13:09| Neb| Livingston 34-yard field goal| Tied 17–17
Q3| 9:37| MIA| Highsmith 1-yard run (Davis kick)| MIA 24–17
Q3| 4:44| MIA| Bentley 7-yard run (Davis kick)| MIA 31–17
Q4| 6:55| Neb| Smith 1-yard run (Livingston kick)| MIA 31–24
Q4| 0:48| Neb| Smith 24-yard run (Gill pass to Smith failed)| MIA 31–30

Main article: 1984 Orange Bowl

See also: 1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team and Miami–Nebraska football rivalry

[13][14]

## Personnel[edit]

1983 Miami Hurricanes football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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RB | `` | Jimmy Austin | So
RB | `16` | Albert Bentley | Sr
OL | `79` | Paul Bertucelli | Fr
WR | `40` | Eddie Brown | Jr
OL | `69` | Juan Comendeiro
TE | `86` | Glenn Dennison | Sr
RB | `44` | Keith Griffin | Sr
OL | `52` | David Heffernan
OL | `` | Chris Hembrough
RB | `30` | Alonzo Highsmith | Fr
WR | `` | David Kintigh | Fr
QB | `20` | Bernie Kosar | RFr
OL | `` | Mike Moore
RB | `` | Speedy Neal | Sr
OL | `77` | Paul O’Connor
RB | `` | Darryl Oliver | Fr
RB | `` | Mel Bratton | Fr
WR | `` | Kenny Oliver | Fr
WR | `6` | Stanley Shakespeare
OL | `76` | Ian Sinclair
WR | `7` | John Smatana
RB | `` | Todd Stanish | Fr
QB | `14` | Vinny Testaverde | Fr
WR | `` | Lawrence Thompson | Sr
QB | `` | Kyle Vanderwende | So
OL | `72` | Alvin Ward
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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DB | `4` | Rodney Bellinger | Sr
LB | `53` | Jay Brophy | Sr
DL | `41` | Danny Brown
DT | `98` | Jerome Brown | Fr
DB | `2` | Ken Calhoun
DL | `` | Dallas Cameron
DB | `43` | Doug McFadden | Fr
LB | `92` | Winston Moss | Fr
LB | `99` | Julio Cortes
DB | `` | Dave Ditthardt
DT | `95` | Kevin Fagan | So
LB | `51` | Jack Fernandez
DL | `62` | Tony Fitzpatrick
LB | `` | Bruce Fleming
DL | `` | Joe Kohlbrand
DL | `93` | John McVeigh | So
DL | `` | Fred Robinson
LB | `36` | Ken Sisk
DB | `` | Reggie Sutton | Fr
DB | `` | Keith Walker
DB | `29` | Eddie Williams
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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K | `3` | Jeff Davis
P | `` | Steve Minie | Jr
P | `12` | Rick Tuten

Head coach

* Howard Schnellenberger

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Hubbard Alexander (TE)
* Harold Allen (DL)
* Mike Archer (DB)
* Joe Brodsky (RB)
* Tom Olivadotti (DC/LB)
* Gary Stevens (OC/WR)
* Marc Trestman (QB)
* Bill Trout (DE)
* Chris Vagotis (OL)
* Ray Ganong (Str + Cond)
* Art Kehoe (GA)
* Bob Maddox (GA)
* George Halas (GA)
* Mike Rodriguez (Volunteer)

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## Awards and honors[edit]

### All-Americans[edit]

* Jay Brophy, LB
* Glenn Dennison, TE

### Jack Harding University of Miami MVP Award[edit]

* Glenn Dennison, TE

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Miami topples No. 1 Nebraska". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. January 3, 1984. p. 13.
2. ^ Smizik, Bob (January 3, 1983). "Miami claims No. 1 after beating Nebraska". Pittsburgh Press. p. D1.
3. ^ "Hurricanes say there's no doubt". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. January 3, 1984. p. 1D.
4. ^ Underwood, John (January 9, 1984). "No team was ever higher". Sports Illustrated. p. 14.
5. ^ Finder, Chuck (January 1, 1987). "Miami's '83 champions: Where are they now?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 37.
6. ^ "For Gators, a Peace-full victory". St. Petersburg Times. September 4, 1983. Retrieved November 4, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Devils swept away by Miami". The Rocky Mount Telegram. October 2, 1983. Retrieved January 29, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Hurricanes breeze 31–7". The Palm Beach Post. October 16, 1983. Retrieved November 3, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Hurricanes blow past West Virginia". The Grand Island Independent. October 30, 1983. Retrieved January 29, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Hurricanes survive East Carolina, 12–7". The Orlando Sentinel. November 6, 1983. Retrieved March 5, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ Gainesville Sun. September 18, 1983.
12. ^ "100 Greatest Plays in Miami History: #9-Game Winning Field Goal vs FSU 1983". August 14, 2019.
13. ^ Wilbon, Michael (January 3, 1984). "Nebraska Falls, 31-30, On Day of Upsets". The Washington Post. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
14. ^ "MIAMI IS CHOSEN AS NO. 1 AFTER UPSET OF NEBRASKA". The New York Times. January 4, 1984. Retrieved August 21, 2019.

* v
* t
* e

1983 Miami Hurricanes football—consensus national champions

* Rodney Bellinger
* Albert Bentley
* Jay Brophy
* Willie Broughton
* Eddie Brown
* Jerome Brown
* Julio Cortes
* Glenn Dennison
* Andy Dickerson
* Kevin Fagan
* Keith Griffin
* Alonzo Highsmith
* Bernie Kosar
* Willie Martinez
* Winston Moss
* Speedy Neal
* Paul O'Connor
* Gregg Rakoczy
* Alfredo Roberts
* Fred Robinson
* Stanley Shakespeare
* Ian Sinclair
* Willie Smith
* Reggie Sutton
* Vinny Testaverde
* Rick Tuten

* Head coach: Howard Schnellenberger

* Assistant coaches: Hubbard Alexander
* Mike Archer
* Joe Brodsky
* Marc Trestman
* Earl Morrall
* Gary Stevens
* Tom Olivadotti

* v
* t
* e

Miami Hurricanes football

Venues|

* Miami Orange Bowl (1937–2007)
* Hard Rock Stadium (2008–present)

Bowls and rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Florida
* Florida State
* Nebraska
* Virginia Tech

Culture and lore|

* 1998 UCLA game
* 2011 athletics scandal
* Band of the Hour
* Catholics vs. Convicts
* FIU–Miami brawl
* Florida Cup
* Hail Flutie
* Miami 4–3 defense
* Quarterback U
* Sebastian the Ibis
* Whammy in Miami
* Wide Right I
* Wide Right II
* Confusion Bowl
* 2023 Georgia Tech game

Documentaries|

* Catholics vs. Convicts
* The U

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Early years (1926 to 1978)|

* Miami Hurricanes football (1926 to 1978)

Seasons|

* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 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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College football national champions (poll era)

1936–1949|

* 1936: Minnesota (AP)
* 1937: Pittsburgh
* 1938: TCU
* 1939: Texas A&M
* 1940: Minnesota
* 1941: Minnesota
* 1942: Ohio State
* 1943: Notre Dame
* 1944: Army
* 1945: Army (AP) / Oklahoma A&M (Coaches)
* 1946: Notre Dame
* 1947: Notre Dame
* 1948: Michigan
* 1949: Notre Dame

1950s|

* 1950: Oklahoma (AP, Coaches)
* 1951: Tennessee
* 1952: Michigan State
* 1953: Maryland
* 1954: Ohio State (AP) / UCLA (FWAA, Coaches)
* 1955: Oklahoma
* 1956: Oklahoma
* 1957: Auburn (AP) / Ohio State (Coaches, FWAA)
* 1958: LSU (AP, Coaches) / Iowa (FWAA)
* 1959: Syracuse (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF)

1960s|

* 1960: Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
* 1961: Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
* 1962: USC
* 1963: Texas
* 1964: Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
* 1965: Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
* 1966: Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
* 1967: USC
* 1968: Ohio State
* 1969: Texas

1970s|

* 1970: Nebraska (AP, FWAA) / Texas (NFF, Coaches) / Ohio State (NFF)
* 1971: Nebraska
* 1972: USC
* 1973: Notre Dame (AP, FWAA, NFF) / Alabama (Coaches)
* 1974: Oklahoma (AP) / USC (FWAA, NFF, Coaches)
* 1975: Oklahoma
* 1976: Pittsburgh
* 1977: Notre Dame
* 1978: Alabama (AP, FWAA, NFF) / USC (Coaches)
* 1979: Alabama

1980–1991|

* 1980: Georgia
* 1981: Clemson
* 1982: Penn State
* 1983: Miami (FL)
* 1984: BYU
* 1985: Oklahoma
* 1986: Penn State
* 1987: Miami (FL)
* 1988: Notre Dame
* 1989: Miami (FL)
* 1990: Colorado (AP, FWAA, NFF, USAT/CNN) / Georgia Tech (Coaches)
* 1991: Miami (FL) (AP) / Washington (Coaches, FWAA, UPI/NFF)

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number