1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season

The 1982 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1982 and concluded with the 1982 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 18, 1982, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Eastern Kentucky Colonels won their second I-AA championship, defeating the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens in the Pioneer Bowl, 17−14.[1][2][3]

1982 NCAA Division I-AA season
Regular season
Number of teams91
DurationAugust–November
Playoff
DurationNovember 27–December 18
Championship dateDecember 18, 1982
Championship siteMemorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, Texas
ChampionEastern Kentucky
NCAA Division I-AA football seasons

Conference changes and new programs

Upon the expiration of the four-year limit for compliance with Division I-A football criteria (set in January 1978), 41 NCAA Division I-A teams were reclassified from Division I-A to Division I-AA:[4]

  • Ivy League — all eight members. Yale met the requirements to stay in I-A, but voluntarily chose to downgrade to I-AA to remain with the rest of the Ivy League.
  • Southern Conference — all eight members
  • Southland Conference — five members. McNeese State and Southwestern Louisiana met the requirements to remain in I-A; McNeese State voluntarily chose to downgrade to I-AA to remain with the rest of the Southland, while Southwestern Louisiana remained in Division I-A as an Independent.
  • Missouri Valley Conference — five members, with New Mexico State, Tulsa, and Wichita State remaining in I-A but also remaining in the conference. This was the onset of a four-year period in which the MVC functioned as a hybrid I-A/I-AA conference.
  • Mid-American Conference — eight members, with only Central Michigan and Toledo maintaining I-A status. Several of the demoted schools appealed the demotion, with the result that all eight MAC members reclassified to I-AA for 1982 were returned to I-A as of 1983.[5]
  • Independent Cincinnati was reclassified to I-AA along with the MAC schools but filed an injunction against the NCAA to postpone their demotion until after the 1982 season, and was successful in remaining in I-A.[6]

The successful appeals of Cincinnati (effective 1982) and the MAC schools (effective 1983) meant that 40 Division I-A members joined I-AA in 1982, of which 32 remained in 1983.

School1981 Conference1982 Conference
Alabama StateD-II IndependentSWAC (I-AA)
Appalachian StateSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
Arkansas StateSouthland (I-A)Southland (I-AA)
Ball StateMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
Bowling GreenMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
BrownIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
ChattanoogaSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
ColgateI-A IndependentI-AA Independent
ColumbiaIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
CornellIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
DartmouthIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
DrakeMissouri Valley (I-A)Missouri Valley (I-AA)
East Tennessee StateSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
Eastern MichiganMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
FurmanSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
HarvardIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
Holy CrossI-A IndependentI-AA Independent
Illinois StateMissouri Valley (I-A)Missouri Valley (I-AA)
Indiana StateMissouri Valley (I-A)Missouri Valley (I-AA)
Kent StateMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
LamarSouthland (I-A)Southland (I-AA)
Northeast LouisianaI-A IndependentSouthland (I-AA)
Louisiana TechSouthland (I-A)Southland (I-AA)
MarshallSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
McNeese StateSouthland (I-A)Southland (I-AA)
Miami (OH)MAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
North Texas StateI-A IndependentI-AA Independent
Northern IllinoisMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
OhioMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
PennIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
PrincetonIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)
RichmondI-A IndependentI-AA Independent
Southern IllinoisMissouri Valley (I-A)Missouri Valley (I-AA)
Texas–ArlingtonSouthland (I-A)Southland (I-AA)
The CitadelSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
VMISouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
West Texas StateMissouri Valley (I-A)Missouri Valley (I-AA)
Western CarolinaSouthern (I-A)Southern (I-AA)
Western KentuckyOhio ValleyI-AA Independent
Western MichiganMAC (I-A)MAC (I-AA)
William & MaryI-A IndependentI-AA Independent
YaleIvy (I-A)Ivy (I-AA)

Conference standings
1982 Association of Mid-Continent Universities football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 5 Eastern Illinois +^ 2 –0 –111 –1 –1
Northern Iowa + 2 –0 –14 –6 –1
Southwest Missouri State 1 –2 –05 –6 –0
Western Illinois 0 –3 –02 –8 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll
1982 Big Sky Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 19 Montana $^ 5 –2 –06 –6 –0
No. 11 Idaho ^ 5 –2 –09 –4 –0
Montana State 5 –2 –06 –5 –0
No. 15 Boise State 4 –3 –08 –3 –0
Nevada 3 –4 –06 –5 –0
Northern Arizona 3 –4 –04 –7 –0
Weber State 2 –5 –04 –7 –0
Idaho State 1 –6 –03 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Poll
1982 Ivy League football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Harvard + 5 –2 –07 –3 –0
Penn + 5 –2 –07 –3 –0
Dartmouth + 5 –2 –05 –5 –0
Princeton 3 –4 –03 –7 –0
Yale 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Brown 3 –4 –05 –5 –0
Cornell 3 –4 –04 –6 –0
Columbia 1 –6 –01 –9 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
1982 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Bowling Green $ 7 –2 –07 –5 –0
Western Michigan 5 –2 –27 –2 –2
Miami (OH) 5 –3 –07 –4 –0
Central Michigan 5 –3 –16 –4 –1
Ohio 5 –4 –06 –5 –0
Toledo 5 –4 –06 –5 –0
Northern Illinois 5 –4 –05 –5 –0
Ball State 4 –4 –05 –6 –0
Eastern Michigan 1 –7 –11 –9 –1
Kent State 0 –9 –00 –11 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • The conference was a hybrid of NCAA Division I-A and I-AA programs. Central Michigan and Toledo were I-A while the other teams were classified as I-AA for the 1982 season only.
1982 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 South Carolina State $^ 4 –1 –09 –3 –0
Florida A&M 4 –1 –06 –5 –0
Bethune–Cookman 3 –2 –05 –5 –0
Howard 2 –3 –06 –5 –0
Delaware State 2 –3 –04 –7 –0
North Carolina A&T 0 –5 –02 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll
1982 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Tulsa $ 6 –0 –010 –1 –0
Wichita State 4 –1 –08 –3 –0
Southern Illinois 4 –1 –06 –5 –0
Indiana State 3 –2 –05 –6 –0
Drake 2 –4 –04 –7 –0
New Mexico State 1 –4 –03 –8 –0
West Texas State 1 –4 –03 –8 –0
Illinois State 0 –5 –02 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • The conference was a hybrid of NCAA Division I-A and I-AA programs. New Mexico State, Tulsa, and Wichita State were I-A and the other teams were I-AA.
1982 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Eastern Kentucky $^ 7 –0 –013 –0 –0
Akron 5 –2 –06 –5 –0
Middle Tennessee 4 –3 –08 –3 –0
Youngstown State 4 –3 –06 –5 –0
Morehead State 2 –5 –05 –6 –0
Murray State 2 –5 –04 –7 –0
Austin Peay 2 –5 –03 –7 –0
Tennessee Tech 1 –6 –03 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll
1982 Southern Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Furman $^ 6 –1 –09 –3 –0
No. 17 Chattanooga 5 –1 –07 –4 –0
Western Carolina 4 –2 –06 –5 –0
The Citadel 3 –4 –05 –6 –0
Appalachian State 3 –4 –04 –7 –0
VMI 2 –3 –05 –6 –0
East Tennessee State 2 –5 –02 –9 –0
Marshall 1 –6 –03 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll
1982 Southland Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Louisiana Tech $^ 5 –0 –010 –3 –0
No. 12 Northeast Louisiana 4 –1 –08 –3 –0
Arkansas State 2 –3 –05 –6 –0
McNeese State 2 –3 –04 –6 –1
Lamar 1 –4 –04 –7 –0
Texas–Arlington 1 –4 –03 –8 –0
North Texas State 0 –0 –02 –9 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll
1982 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Jackson State $^ 6 –0 –09 –3 –0
Southern 5 –1 –08 –3 –0
No. 10 Grambling State 4 –2 –08 –3 –0
Alcorn State 3 –3 –05 –6 –0
Mississippi Valley State 2 –4 –05 –5 –0
Texas Southern 1 –5 –01 –9 –1
Prairie View A&M 0 –6 –01 –10 –0
Alabama State 0 –0 –02 –6 –1
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll
1982 Yankee Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Maine + 3 –2 –07 –4 –0
Boston University +^ 3 –2 –05 –6 –0
Connecticut + 3 –2 –05 –6 –0
UMass + 3 –2 –05 –6 –0
Rhode Island 2 –3 –07 –4 –0
New Hampshire 1 –4 –04 –6 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
1982 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 3 Delaware ^   –  12 –2 –0
No. 4 Tennessee State ^   –  10 –1 –1
No. 13 Holy Cross   –  8 –3 –0
James Madison   –  8 –3 –0
No. 9 Colgate ^   –  8 –4 –0
No. 20 Lafayette   –  7 –3 –0
Nicholls State   –  7 –4 –0
No. 18 Northwestern State   –  6 –5 –0
Western Kentucky   –  5 –5 –0
Bucknell   –  4 –6 –0
Lehigh   –  4 –6 –0
Southeastern Louisiana   –  4 –7 –0
Northeastern   –  3 –6 –0
William & Mary   –  3 –8 –0
Richmond   –  0 –10 –0
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee

Conference champions
See also: List of NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football seasons
Conference champions

Big Sky Conference – Montana (tiebreaker over Idaho, Montana State)
Ivy League – Dartmouth, Harvard, and Penn
Mid-Continent Conference – Eastern Illinois
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference – South Carolina State
Ohio Valley Conference – Eastern Kentucky
Southern Conference– Furman
Southland Conference – Louisiana Tech
Southwestern Athletic Conference – Jackson State
Yankee Conference – Boston University, Connecticut, Maine, and Massachusetts

Postseason

The playoffs expanded from eight to twelve teams this season; four years later, in 1986, the field was expanded to sixteen teams.

NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket

The top four teams were seeded, and received first-round byes.[7]

First Round
November 27
Campus sites 		Quarterfinals
December 4
Campus sites 		Semifinals
December 11
Campus sites 		National Championship Game
December 18
Memorial Stadium
Wichita Falls, Texas
(1) Eastern Kentucky* 38
Idaho* 21 Idaho 30
Montana 7 (1) Eastern Kentucky* 13
(4) Tennessee State 7
(4) Tennessee State* 20
Eastern Illinois* 16 Eastern Illinois 19
Jackson State 13 (1) Eastern Kentucky 17
(3) Delaware 14
(2) Louisiana Tech* 38
Furman* 0 South Carolina State 3
South Carolina State 17 (2) Louisiana Tech* 0
(3) Delaware 17
(3) Delaware* 20
Colgate* 21 Colgate 13
Boston University 7

* Next to team name denotes host institution[8]

References
  1. "1982 NCAA Division I Football Championship" (PDF). NCAA.org. p. 14. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  2. "Breaks seal Colonels' win". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 19, 1982. p. 10F.
  3. "E. Kentucky 17, Delaware 14". Beaver County Times. (Pennsylvania). December 19, 1982. p. C14.
  4. "The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts on August 28, 1982 · 32".
  5. "The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio on August 27, 1982 · Page 19".
  6. "The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio on September 24, 1982 · Page 23".
  7. "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.
  8. "Playoffs, NCAA Div. I-AA". Detroit Free Press. November 27, 1982. p. 4D. Retrieved February 9, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
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