1983 Holy Cross Crusaders football team

1983 Holy Cross Crusaders football
ConferenceIndependent
Record9–2–1
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorMark Duffner (3rd season)
Captains
  • Harry Flaherty
  • Matt Martin
  • Rob Porter
Home stadiumFitton Field
Seasons
← 1982
1984 →
1983 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Holy Cross ^     9 1 1
No. 17 Tennessee State     8 2 1
No. 7 Colgate ^     8 3 0
Lehigh     8 3 0
Lafayette     6 4 0
Northeastern     6 4 1
Southeastern Louisiana     6 5 0
William & Mary     6 5 0
Nicholls State     5 6 0
Bucknell     4 5 1
Delaware     4 7 0
Northwestern State     4 7 0
James Madison     3 8 0
Richmond     3 8 0
Western Kentucky     2 8 1
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1983 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Crusaders ranked No. 3 nationally but lost in the quarterfinals of the Division I-AA playoff.

In their third year under head coach Rick E. Carter, the Crusaders compiled a 9–2–1 record (9–1–1 regular season). Harry Flaherty, Matt Martin and Rob Porter were the team captains.[1]

An eight-game winning streak to open the campaign saw Holy Cross steadily climb in the weekly national rankings, reaching No. 1 in time for their last regular-season game. After suffering their first loss of the year in that season-ender—to Division I-A Boston College, in a game played at the New England Patriots' home stadium—the Crusaders dropped to No. 3 in the Division I-AA rankings, and earned a playoff first-round bye before being eliminated in the second round.

Holy Cross played its home games, including its first-ever home playoff game, at Fitton Field on the college campus in Worcester, Massachusetts.

  1. ^ "2019 Holy Cross Football Fact Book" (PDF). Worcester, Mass.: College of the Holy Cross. p. 124. Retrieved June 15, 2020.