1983 Plymouth State Panthers football | |
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NEFC co-champion | |
New England Bowl, W 35–24 vs.
Massachusetts Maritime | |
Conference | New England Football Conference |
Record | 9–2 (8–1 NEFC) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Gary Emanuel (1st season) |
Defensive coordinator | Lou Desloges (6th season) |
Home stadium | Currier Field |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Plymouth State + | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Massachusetts Maritime + | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nichols | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Connecticut State | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bridgewater State | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western New England | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Framingham State | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maine Maritime | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Westfield State | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Curry | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1983 Plymouth State Panthers football team was an American football team that represented Plymouth State University as a member of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) during the 1983 NCAA Division III football season. In their third year under head coach Jay Cottone, the Panthers compiled a 9–2 record (8–1 against NEFC opponents), shared the NEFC championship, outscored opponents by a total of 358 to 120, [1] and won the inaugural ECAC New England Bowl over Massachusetts Maritime.
Plymouth State entered the season with a nineteen-game win streak that spanned to the beginning of the 1981 season. [2] [3] [4] It was the longest win streak at any level of college football. [5]
The team was led by quarterback John Sperzel who finished the season with 619 passing yards, twelve touchdowns, and five interceptions. [1] The original starter was Larry Cummings, but he suffered a back injury and a shoulder tear in the third week. [6] Sophomore running back Joe Dudek rushed for 1,483 yards on 247 carries (134.8 yards per game), scored fifteen touchdowns, and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. [1] [7]
The team played its home games at Currier Field in Plymouth, New Hampshire. The field was renamed in honor of former head coach and offensive coordinator Charlie Currier who died after the 1982 season. [8] Offensive line coach and head basketball coach Gary Emanuel was promoted to offensive coordinator following Currier's death. [9]
Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
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September 10 | at Norwich* |
| L 0–31 | 4,500 | [10] [11] | ||
September 17 | at Nichols | Dudley, MA | W 33–7 | 2,500 | [12] [13] | ||
September 24 | Western Connecticut |
| W 27–0 | 3,113 | [14] | ||
October 1 | Westfield State |
| W 40–0 | 5,492 | [15] | ||
October 8 | at Massachusetts Maritime | Buzzards Bay, MA | L 19–22 | 1,500 | [16] [17] | ||
October 15 | Framingham State |
| W 38–0 | 3,207 | [18] | ||
October 22 | at Maine Maritime |
| W 42–21 | 1,500 | [19] | ||
October 29 | Western New England |
| W 34–0 | 1,537 | [20] | ||
November 5 | at Bridgewater State | Bridgewater, MA | W 38–8 | 1,000 | |||
November 12 | Curry |
| W 52–7 | 2,000 | [21] [22] [23] | ||
November 19 | at Massachusetts Maritime* | Buzzards Bay, MA ( New England Bowl) | W 35–24 | [24] [25] | |||
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