1983 Akron Zips football team

1983 Akron Zips football
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Record	8–3 (5–2 OVC)
Head coach	Jim Dennison (11th season)
Captain	Dave Arango James Black Darren Morgan
Home stadium	Rubber Bowl

1983 Ohio Valley Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 8 Eastern Kentucky $^	6	–	1	–	0			7	–	2	–	1
No. 16 Middle Tennessee	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	2	–	0
Akron	5	–	2	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Murray State	4	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Austin Peay	3	–	4	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Youngstown State	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	7	–	0
Tennessee Tech	2	–	5	–	0			2	–	8	–	0
Morehead State	1	–	6	–	0			2	–	9	–	0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1983 Akron Zips football team represented Akron University in the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference. Led by 11th-year head coach Jim Dennison, the Zips played their home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio. They finished the season with a record of 8–3 overall and 5–2 in OVC play to tie for second place.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
September 3	Kent State*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Wagon Wheel)	W 13–6
September 10	at Eastern Michigan*		Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	W 13–0
September 17	Western Kentucky*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 14–13	8,845
September 24	at No. 3 Eastern Kentucky	No. 7	Hanger Field Richmond, KY	L 5–10
October 8	No. 17 Middle Tennessee		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 3–26
October 11	No. 14 Eastern Illinois*		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 7–10
October 15	at Morehead State		Jayne Stadium Morehead, KY	W 31–0
October 22	Murray State		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 6–3
October 29	at Tennessee Tech		Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN	W 43–12
November 5	Youngstown State		Rubber Bowl Akron, OH (Steel Tire)	W 49–21
November 19	at Austin Peay		Clarksville Municipal Stadium Clarksville, TN	W 26–3
*Non-conference game Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game