1983 Carson–Newman Eagles football team

1983 Carson–Newman Eagles football
NAIA Division I national champion
SAC champion
Palm Bowl, W 36–28 vs. Mesa State
ConferenceSouth Atlantic Conference
Record10–3 (6–1 SAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumBurke–Tarr Stadium
1983 South Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 12 Carson–Newman $^ 6 1 010 3 0
Presbyterian 4 2 15 5 1
No. 18 Elon 4 3 07 3 0
Gardner–Webb 4 3 05 6 0
Mars Hill 3 3 14 7 1
Newberry 3 4 06 5 0
Lenoir–Rhyne 2 5 04 6 0
Catawba 0 7 00 9 1
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

The 1983 Carson–Newman Eagles football team was an American football team that represented Carson–Newman College (renamed Carson–Newman University in 2012) as a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) during the 1983 NAIA Division I football season. In its fourth year under head coach Ken Sparks, the team compiled a 10–3 record (6–1 against conference opponents), won the SAC championship, and defeated Mesa State in the Palm Bowl to win the NAIA national championship.

It was the first of five national championships (1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1989) won by Carson–Newman during the 1980s.