1983 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

1983 Northern Illinois Huskies football
MAC champion
California Bowl champion
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record10–2 (8–1 MAC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorJoe Novak (4th season)
MVPTim Tyrrell
CaptainScott Bolzan, Steve Hirsch, Jim Mukite
Home stadiumHuskie Stadium
Seasons
← 1982
1984 →
1983 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Northern Illinois $ 8 1 0 10 2 0
Toledo 7 2 0 9 2 0
Bowling Green 7 2 0 8 3 0
Central Michigan 7 2 0 8 3 0
Ball State 4 4 0 6 5 0
Western Michigan 4 5 0 6 5 0
Miami (OH) 3 5 0 4 7 0
Ohio 3 6 0 4 7 0
Kent State 1 8 0 1 10 0
Eastern Michigan 0 9 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1983 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during 1983 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Bill Mallory in his fourth and final season as head coach, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 10–2 with a mark of 8–1 in conference play, winning he MAC title. Northern Illinois was invited to the California Bowl, where they beat played Cal State Fullerton. The team played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

The Huskies won their conference championship since 1965, since the 1965 team won the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) title during the final years of the conference's existence. The Huskies' trip to the California Bowl was also their first bowl game since 1965 and first bowl win since the 1963 team won the Mineral Water Bowl and was ranked atop the AP small college football rankings.