1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football Independent 7–5 Gerry Faust 3rd Jim Johnson Blair Kiel Stacey Toran Notre Dame Stadium Liberty Bowl champion Liberty Bowl W Won 19–18 vs. Boston College The 1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team was an American football team that represented the University of Notre Dame as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third year under head coach Gerry Faust, the Irish compiled a 7–5 record, outscored opponents by a total of 297 to 159, and were unranked for the third consecutive year in both the final AP and UPI polls. Despite losing the last three games of the regular season, the Irish were invited to play in the Liberty Bowl where they defeated No. 13 Boston College, 19–18.1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Schedule and Results https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1983-schedule.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 25, 2026Irish Eye, vol. 4, No. 1 University of Notre Dame Sports Information Department March 1, 1984 https://archives.nd.edu/Football/Football-1983.pdf Notre Dame Archives Running back Allen Pinkett led the team with 1,394 rushing yards, 28 pass receptions, and 108 points scored and received first-team honors from Football News and The Sporting News on the 1983 All-America college football team. The team's other statistical leaders included quarterback Steve Beuerlein (1,061 passing yards), wide receiver Joe Howard (464 receiving yards), and linebacker Tony Furjanic (142 tackles).1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/notre-dame/1983.html Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 24, 2026Irish Eye, p. 60. The team played its home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana. Schedule 1983 AP Eastern September 10 2:30 p.m. w y 5 Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN rivalry 52–6 69,782 https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-notre-dame-rolls-over-purdue/166504405/ News-Press Notre Dame rolls over Purdue 52–6 September 11, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com September 17 2:30 p.m. l 4 Michigan State Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 23–28 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-parker-led-michigan-st/166504518/ Asbury Park Press Parker-led Michigan State startles Notre Dame September 18, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com September 24 9:00 p.m. l y 13 Miami (FL) Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL rivalry CBS 0–20 52,480 https://www.newspapers.com/article/evansville-press-miami-of-florida-shocks/166498196/ Evansville Courier & Press Miami of Florida shocks Irish September 25, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 1 3:30 p.m. w y Colorado Folsom Field Boulder, CO KWGN 27–3 52,692 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-grand-rapids-press-frosh-qb-pinkett/166504655/ The Grand Rapids Press Frosh QB, Pinkett pace Irish October 2, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 8 7:00 p.m. w y South Carolina Williams–Brice Stadium Columbia, SC 30–6 74,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/journal-and-courier-frosh-beuerlein-lead/139841113/ Journal and Courier Frosh Beuerlein leads Irish past Gamecocks October 9, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 15 1:00 p.m. w y Army Giants Stadium East Rutherford, NJ rivalry 42–0 75,131 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-star-ledger-75131-see-beuerlein-lif/166504793/ The Star-Ledger 75,131 see Beuerlein lift ND by Army, 42–0 October 16, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 22 2:30 p.m. w USC Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 27–6 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-irish-in-green-f/166492236/ The Cincinnati Enquirer Irish in green for 27–6 rout of old rivals October 23, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 29 12:00 p.m. w 19 Navy Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry 28–12 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-crescent-notre-dame-sinks-navy/166504882/ The Post-Crescent Notre Dame sinks Navy October 30, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com November 5 3:45 p.m. l 18 Pittsburgh Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry CBS 16–21 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-mccall-helps-pitt-throttle/166500706/ Star Tribune McCall helps Pitt throttle Irish 21–16 November 6, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com November 12 1:00 p.m. l y Penn State Beaver Stadium University Park, PA rivalry 30–34 85,899 https://www.newspapers.com/article/centre-daily-times-strang-runs-lions-pas/166503040/ Centre Daily Times Strang runs Lions past Fighting Irish, 34–30 November 13, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com November 19 12:35 p.m. l Air Force Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN rivalry ABC 22–23 59,075 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kalamazoo-gazette-air-force-blocks-f/166411902/ The Kalamazoo Gazette Air Force blocks field goal to beat Notre Dame November 20, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com December 29 8:00 p.m. w y Boston College 13 Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN Liberty Bowl) (rivalry Katz 19–18 47,071 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-nd-1983/161714687/ The Commercial Appeal Irish stew Eagles in B-r-r-r Bowl December 30, 1983 February 23, 2025 Newspapers.com Roster 1983 Notre Dame Fighting Irish f 82 Jr Mark Bavaro TE y 28 Sr Greg Bell Greg Bell (running back, born 1962) RB y 5 Sr Blair Kiel QB y 20 So Allen Pinkett RB y 75 Jr Larry Williams Larry Williams (American football) G y 9 Sr Chris Brown Chris Brown (defensive back) CB y 71 So Eric Dorsey DT y 43 So Rick DiBernardo LB y 58 So Tony Furjanic LB y 78 Jr Mike Gann DE y 55 Jr Mike Golic DE y 30 Sr Stacey Toran CB y *Gerry Faust Game summaries Purdue Notre Dame 17 14 14 7 Purdue 0 0 0 6 September 10 Ross–Ade Stadium 69,782 yes Q1 ND Bell 9 yard pass from Kiel (Johnston kick) ND 7–0 Q1 ND Bell 1 yard run (Johnston kick) ND 14–0 Q1 ND Johnston 31 yard field goal ND 17–0 Q2 ND Bell 2 yard run (Johnston kick) ND 24–0 Q2 ND Bavaro 17 yard pass from Kiel (Johnston kick) ND 31–0 Q3 ND Pinkett 1 yard run (Johnston kick) ND 38–0 Q3 ND Bell 5 yard run (Johnston kick) ND 45–0 Q4 ND Abraham 3 yard run (Johnston kick) ND 52–0 Q4 PUR Brunner 18 yard pass from Everett (kick failed) ND 52–6 yes Allen Pinkett 15 Rush, 115 Yds Gainesville Sun. 1983 Sept 11. Retrieved 2015-Sep-20. Colorado Notre Dame 10 7 7 3 Colorado 3 0 0 0 October 1 Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado Source: yes 1 ND Pinkett 10-yard run (Johnston kick) ND 7-0 1 COL Field 43-yard field goal ND 7-3 1 ND Johnston 21-yard field goal ND 10-3 2 ND Brooks 31-yard run (Johnston kick) ND 17-3 3 ND Smith 29-yard run (Johnston kick) ND 24-3 4 ND Johnston 39-yard field goal ND 27-3 yes USC USC 0 0 6 0 Notre Dame 7 10 10 0 October 22 Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN Source: yes 1 ND Pinkett 11-yard run (Johnston kick) ND 7-0 2 ND Pinkett 9-yard run (Johnston kick) ND 14-0 2 0:29 ND Johnston 30-yard field goal ND 17-0 3 ND Pinkett 11-yard run (Johnston kick) ND 24-0 3 USC Harper 1-yard run (run failed) ND 24-6 3 0:02 ND Johnston 39-yard field goal ND 27-6 yes The game came to be known as the "Green Jerseys II" game. Notre Dame snapped a five-game losing streak to USC as Allen Pinkett rushed 21 times for 122 yards, his fourth straight 100-yard game and the first Irish player to do so since Jim Stone in 1980. "We felt could have beat USC in blue. We felt we could have beat them in T-shirts," said Pinkett. The game took place six years to the day from the original "Green Jersey" game in 1977 but head coach Gerry Faust had already made the decision to wear the jerseys over the summer. Liberty Bowl Notre Dame was invited to the Liberty Bowl where they faced Boston College and their prized quarterback Doug Flutie. Boston College scored first on a 13-yard touchdown pass but missed the extra point. Notre Dame came back as Allen Pinkett and Chris Smith each rushed for 100-plus yards, while Pinkett scored two touchdowns as Notre Dame beat Boston College, 19–18, to win their first bowl game since the 1979 Cotton Bowl. Statistics Team statistics Notre Dame gained 4,713 yards of total offense, an average of 5.9 yards per play and 428.5 yards per game. Of that total, 2,727 yards were gained by rushing, an average of 4.9 yards per carry and 238.8 yards per game. The Irish also tallied 2,086 passing yards, an average of 189.6 yard per game.Irish Eye, p. 60. On defense, they gave up 3,154 yards of total offense (286.7 per game) by opponents, consisting of 1,473 rushing yards (133.9 per game) and 1,681 passing yards (152.8 per game). Passing Steve Beuerlein - 75-of-145 (.517) for 1,061 yards, 6 interceptions, 4 touchdowns Blair Kiel - 64-of-115 (.557) for 910 yards, 7 interceptions, 7 touchdowns Rushing Allen Pinkett - 1,394 yards, 5.5-yard average, 16 touchdowns Chris Smith - 421 yards, 5.5-yard average, 1 touchdown Hiawatha Francisco - 194 yards, 5.1-yard average, 0 touchdowns Mark Brooks - 180 yards, 5.1-yard average, 2 touchdowns Greg Bell - 169 yards, 4.6-yard average, 4 touchdowns Receiving Allen Pinkett - 28 receptions for 288 yards, 10.3-yard average, 2 touchdowns Joe Howard - 27 receptions, 464 yards, 17.2-yard average, 2 touchdowns Milt Jackson - 23 receptions, 438 yards, 19.0-yard average, 3 touchdowns Mark Bavaro - 23 receptions, 376 yards, 16.3-yard average, 3 touchdowns Chris Smith - 13 receptions, 142 yards, 10.9-yard average, 1 touchdown Mark Favorite - 8 receptions, 123 yards, 15.4-yard average, 0 touchdowns Scoring Allen Pinkett - 110 points on 18 touchdowns and a two-point conversion Mike Johnston - 69 points, 33 of 34 PAT and 12 of 21 field goals Greg Bell - 30 points, 5 touchdowns Tackles Tony Furjanic - 142 tackles Rick Naylor - 71 tackles Mike Kovaleski - 62 tackles Mike Golic - 59 tackles (team-high 10 tackles for loss) Pat Ballage - 55 tackles Mike Gann - 52 tackles Joe Johnson - 50 tackles Awards and honors Allen Pinkett received first-team honors from Football NewsAll-America November 30, 1983 The Sioux City Journal C2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72113120/ February 26, 2021 Newspapers.com and The Sporting NewsThe 1983 Sporting News All-America College Football team Times-Advocate (Escondido, CA) December 14, 1983 C6 https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate-the-sporting-news-1983-al/147139453/ Newspapers.com on the 1983 All-America college football team. He also received second-team All-America honors from the Associated PressAssociated Press All-American Team Herald and Review (Decatur, IL) December 6, 1983 B3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4574657/associated_press_allamerican_team/ Newspapers.com and United Press International.Offensive Titans Nebraska, BYU Dominate UPI All-America Dave Raffo Tyrone Daily Herald December 8, 1983 5 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4574714/offensive_titans_nebraska_byu_dominate/ Newspapers.com He finished 16th in voting for the Heisman Trophy.http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/nd-m-footbl-archive.html/ NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH - Football 2008-12-30 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081217101247/http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/nd-m-footbl-archive.html 2008-12-17 Offensive tackle Larry Williams received second-team All-America honors from Football News. Former Fighting Irish players Bill Fischer and Bill Shakespeare were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame References Notre Dame Category:Notre Dame Fighting Irish football seasons Category:Liberty Bowl champion seasons Notre Dame Fighting Irish football