Tiger n Miami AU83 25 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Article by Tony Barnhart on the Sugar Bowl website about the '83 team. I think it is an old article, but I had not read it before. Barnhart can be a good writer at times, he wrote a piece after the 2010 BCSNC game I really liked as well in which he mentioned the '83 uncrowned national champion AU Tigers. By the way, I chose my username on another site 5 years or so ago specifically to pay respects to the 1983 team and so that more people would ask and be aware of the true national champions of the 1983 season. http://www.allstatesugarbowl.org/site47.php From the article: Dye is old school and not one to complain. His generation of coaches believed their job was to win games and then let others decide who gets the hardware. But he still points out, even to this day, that Auburn played the toughest schedule in the country that season. The Tigers only played one bad game all season, that coming in a 20-7 loss to No. 3 Texas in Auburn when Jackson had only 35 yard rushing. That's why Auburn did finish No. 1 in the New York Times computer poll at the end of the season. "The computers aren't political. They just look at who you play and who you beat. We were a pretty salty team after that (loss to Texas) and at the end of the year we were playing as well as anybody in the country," said Dye. "Look at how we finished." Auburn had an incredible closing stretch in 1983 beating No. 5 Florida (28-21), No. 7 Maryland (35-23), No. 4 Georgia (13-7), which would go on to upset No. 2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, and No. 19 Alabama (23-20) in Tuscaloosa. "That run deserved a national championship," said Housel. "But it just wasn't to be." Despite the disappointment of not winning the national championship, the 1983 Auburn team remains one of the most revered in school history. It gave Auburn its first SEC championship since 1957 and only the second in school history. After watching Alabama and Bear Bryant dominate the SEC for 25 years, the 1983 Auburn team put the Tigers back on the college football map and gave their fans hope for the first time in a long time. And when it was all over, polls or no polls, Auburn brought home a Sugar Bowl trophy. All in all, it was a great, great year. "That was a good great group of men who made up their minds that they were going to win a championship," Dye said. "We almost got the big one but came up a little short. That doesn't take anything away from what they did for Auburn. I was proud to be their coach." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au03cobrafan 0 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Yeah that season proved then the poll system was a total sham and beauty contest (even before the Beauty Contest series started). I think Miami played maybe two or three ranked teams all season and none nearly as highly ranked as Auburn did. I fixed their wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Miami_Hurricanes_football_team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger n Miami AU83 25 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 :laugh: Nice work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahsaaref 0 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 I remember the Texas game well, They scored 20 in the first half, then we started playing and shut then down the rest of the game. I can't remember if it was the season opener or not, but seems like it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger n Miami AU83 25 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Second game I believe. The game is actually on youtube, posted by some UT fan. I watched it about a year ago. The game is pretty bizzare. We lost the game with questionable play calling. UT had maybe the best defense in their entire history and for some crazy reason, we came out in the first half trying to throw the ball. Campbell had a couple of bad passes in the first half that changed the game. A couple of overthrows of wide open guys 30 yards downfield that might have run for touchdowns, then an int on a jumpball in the first half. Couple that with a long 70 yard or so TD UT got on a jump ball in the first half and that was it. In Dye's book he takes the blame for the loss saying if he knew Texas was "going to be puking their guts out on the sideline in the 4th quarter", he would not have been throwing the ball in the first half. That is what cost us the game. We crushed them in the 2nd half but had dug ourself too big a hole trying to throw early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ahsaaref 0 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 You are correct, I looked it up and we beat Southern Miss the first game 24-3. Was that the Year Tommie Agee had a field day against the Terps and Boomer spent all day on his backside? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger n Miami AU83 25 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Yep. Same year. Boomer went crazy in that game though I believe. Think he threw for some insane number of yards (considering how good our D was). By the way, I looked up the Texas game. In the second half we had the ball for 20 minutes to 10 for Texas and totally dominated them. However, the two interceptions, an 80 yard TD pass and a couple of long punt returns in a disaster of a first half (when we thought we were going to trick them by throwing the ball all over the place) staked Texas to their lead early and our wishbone was not built to come from behind. ETA: Looked up the Terps game as well. They were 7-1 ranked #7 with Boomer Esiason and Bobby Ross as coach. Boomer threw for 355 yards. But we rushed for 450. Bo, Agee, and Lionel James all had over 100 yards each with 219 for Agee. That schedule in 1983 was just ridiculous. Even half our OC games were against top 5 or top 10 teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dp4au 2 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Ahsaaref what was your comment I was distracted That Tx game was a tough one and it seemed that the pollsters looked only at the bowl game rather than the entire season. As my group left the Superdome we were all sure of our place as National champions. ARRGH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuburnKev 15 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Everytime I think of 1983 and 2004 it burns my biscuits! The biased media sux! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinForAuburn 128 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 What I would like to know is, if there has ever before or since been a team that has beaten 5 straight ranked opponents and not moved up in the polls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger n Miami AU83 25 Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 What I would like to know is, if there has ever before or since been a team that has beaten 5 straight ranked opponents and not moved up in the polls. I sorta doubt it has ever happened before in NCAA history. Not only beating 5 ranked opponents in a row, but 4 of the 5 ranked in the top 10 and 2 in the top 5. A historically great 5 game run, one that I am not sure has ever happened, but I feel almost certain no team has ever made a run that that and not even budged in the polls. Make no mistake, the 1983 Auburn Tigers were the national champions. Nebraska (who beat 1 ranked team all year) and Miami (who beat 1 team that even made it to a bowl during the regular season) are not even in the discussion. The contenders are AU, Texas, and UGA. Those were the 3 best teams in the country in 1983. Considering Miami beat Nebraska by 1 point in a home game, only because Nebraska went for 2 and I put Nebraska at #4 and Miami at #5. Considering the schedule the Gators played and the fact their only loses were to AU and UGA and they embarrassed Miami 28-7, I think the real 1983 rankings might even should have UF at #5 and Miami at #6. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest All Ways War Eagle Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 It's great to be compared to the 1983 team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SumterAubie 3,033 Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 In addition the great finish Auburn also beat tennessee and fsu that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milehighfan 1,240 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I never will forget thinking AU would be named National Champions and then, to my dismay, find out they remained at #3. Another thing to take into consideration about Miami's win over Nebraska, the Canes had 56 days to get ready for that game. Without a doubt, AU's schedule that year was the toughest in the nation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auburntiger77 0 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Miami got killed by Florida 3-28 during the opening week of the season.. We beat Florida... We lost to Texas early... I remember thinking we would get at least 1/2 of it (coaches poll), but it did not happen... 1983 and 2004 are two seasons, I will always cherish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Manhunter1345162906 0 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 The 1983 team got a raw deal. After that brutal schedule, being number three going into the bowl games, numbers one and two lose, then staying at number three after beating the number eight team...disgusting. War Eagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfordpi 91 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Yep. Same year. Boomer went crazy in that game though I believe. Think he threw for some insane number of yards (considering how good our D was). By the way, I looked up the Texas game. In the second half we had the ball for 20 minutes to 10 for Texas and totally dominated them. However, the two interceptions, an 80 yard TD pass and a couple of long punt returns in a disaster of a first half (when we thought we were going to trick them by throwing the ball all over the place) staked Texas to their lead early and our wishbone was not built to come from behind. ETA: Looked up the Terps game as well. They were 7-1 ranked #7 with Boomer Esiason and Bobby Ross as coach. Boomer threw for 355 yards. But we rushed for 450. Bo, Agee, and Lionel James all had over 100 yards each with 219 for Agee. That schedule in 1983 was just ridiculous. Even half our OC games were against top 5 or top 10 teams. Also, if I remember correctly, 7 or 8 of the teams we played that year had an open week before playing us. That makes it even more impressive and more of a travesty that we were not NC. I remember listening to the Maryland game on the radio and hearing Sully say over and over again how impressed he was with the Maryland QB and how he was sure to play at the next level. Was that the game that nobody lined up to cover our wideout on about the 3 yard line and RC just stood up and lobbed it to him for a TD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronMan70 3,277 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 To this day I think Auburn should claim the '83 title. In addition to all the facts mentioned in the thread so far, like strength of schedule, there are these very important points. 1. '83 Auburn was voted #1 in more post bowl polls , 19 to 14, than any other team in the country. 2. '83 Auburn was voted #1 by more AP pollsters than any other team in the country. 3. '83 Auburn at #3 was the highest ranked pre-bowl team to win their bowl game. #1 Nebraska lost, #2 Texas lost. There are teams in the country that have claimed titles with a lot less credibility than just those above points. In fact item #1 alone, called the "majority polls" rule, has had more than one team use it to claim a title. coughcough,notredame-alabama,coughcough In general, I don't take poll titles serious and have always supported a conference champions playoff. However, if there is going to be these mythical poll titles out there and certain fan bases (2) want to think they are real and want to act like they somehow validate their program, I see no reason not to make a valid claim. The fact is that Auburn has several teams, '13,'14,'58,'83,'93,'04 that are better than 75% of these so called "national champion" teams claimed by those other (2) schools. '83 should definitely be claimed and since they are mythical titles anyway, I see no reason not to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfordpi 91 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 To this day I think Auburn should claim the '83 title. In addition to all the facts mentioned in the thread so far, like strength of schedule, there are these very important points. 1. '83 Auburn was voted #1 in more post bowl polls , 20 to 14, than any other team in the country. 2. '83 Auburn was voted #1 by more AP pollsters than any other team in the country. 3. '83 Auburn at #3 was the highest ranked pre-bowl team to win their bowl game. #1 Nebraska lost, #2 Texas lost. There are teams in the country that have claimed titles with a lot less credibility than just those above points. In fact item #1 alone, called the "majority polls" rule, has had more than one team use it to claim a title. coughcough,notredame-alabama,coughcough In general, I don't take poll titles serious and have always supported a conference champions playoff. However, if there is going to be these mythical poll titles out there and certain fan bases (2) want to think they are real and want to act like they somehow validate their program, I see no reason not to make a valid claim. The fact is that Auburn has several teams, '13,'14,'58,'83,'93,'04 that are better than 75% of these so called "national champion" teams claimed by those other (2) schools. '83 should definitely be claimed and since they are mythical titles anyway, I see no reason not to. I AGREE 100% and I DO. Actually, we did win the NY times computer poll that year and I think the players got rings. Granted, that is not the AP or coaches poll, but at that the time it was a distant 3rd. Definitely more legitimate than what some schools claim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger n Miami AU83 25 Posted July 13, 2012 Author Share Posted July 13, 2012 I claim the 1983 title 7 days a week and twice on Sunday. Always will. We were the national champs in 1983. End of story. ETA: By the way, I have educated MANY Canes down here about 1983. One former female co-worker, whose brother played on the 1983 Miami team, somehow mentioned it in conversation one day and I filled her up with "knowledge". Even tried to get her to get her brother on the phone to discuss it. A current co-worker played for the Canes in the late 80's (huge offensive lineman that goes about 350 today). I have pounded him into submission and gotten him to agree AU was more deserving in 1983. I will fight about the 1983 team with anyone, anytime until they submit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronMan70 3,277 Posted July 13, 2012 Share Posted July 13, 2012 I claim the 1983 title 7 days a week and twice on Sunday. Always will. We were the national champs in 1983. End of story. ETA: By the way, I have educated MANY Canes down here about 1983. One former female co-worker, whose brother played on the 1983 Miami team, somehow mentioned it in conversation one day and I filled her up with "knowledge". Even tried to get her to get her brother on the phone to discuss it. A current co-worker played for the Canes in the late 80's (huge offensive lineman that goes about 350 today). I have pounded him into submission and gotten him to agree AU was more deserving in 1983. I will fight about the 1983 team with anyone, anytime until they submit. HAHA, good for you. Now the University needs to claim it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Droxside 0 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Everytime I think of 1983 and 2004 it burns my biscuits! The biased media sux! your comments are spot on. In any other sport the 1983 team would have won a play-off (no one would have beat them at the end as proven by the teams they did beat down the stretch and I still think it to be the best team in Auburn history based on overall body of work). To be number 3, beat michigan in the Sugar bowl while the #1 and #2 teams lost and not only not finish #1, but remain at #3 is the joke that a sport so great as college football relies on opinion instead of the teams playing it out on the field which will remain the fact until there is at least an 8 team play-off. The 2004 team speaks for its self, again a joke. College football is the best sport to watch in the world and the worst in determining an overall champion behind everything from Tennis to Swimming to Women's volleyball...Look at the past 10 season's in the NFL or NBA and you will see why the season matters more in every other sport despite the paradox of opinion brainwashed into so many by the media and powers that be who get paid to push powerful people's agencies much like politics. Rarely has the team with the best overall record won the Superbowl or NBA title, the team that got better as the season progressed and had the mental toughness in the end did...It is what it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Flight 0 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 To this day I think Auburn should claim the '83 title. In addition to all the facts mentioned in the thread so far, like strength of schedule, there are these very important points. 1. '83 Auburn was voted #1 in more post bowl polls , 20 to 14, than any other team in the country. 2. '83 Auburn was voted #1 by more AP pollsters than any other team in the country. 3. '83 Auburn at #3 was the highest ranked pre-bowl team to win their bowl game. #1 Nebraska lost, #2 Texas lost. There are teams in the country that have claimed titles with a lot less credibility than just those above points. In fact item #1 alone, called the "majority polls" rule, has had more than one team use it to claim a title. coughcough,notredame-alabama,coughcough In general, I don't take poll titles serious and have always supported a conference champions playoff. However, if there is going to be these mythical poll titles out there and certain fan bases (2) want to think they are real and want to act like they somehow validate their program, I see no reason not to make a valid claim. The fact is that Auburn has several teams, '13,'14,'58,'83,'93,'04 that are better than 75% of these so called "national champion" teams claimed by those other (2) schools. '83 should definitely be claimed and since they are mythical titles anyway, I see no reason not to. I AGREE 100% and I DO. Actually, we did win the NY times computer poll that year and I think the players got rings. Granted, that is not the AP or coaches poll, but at that the time it was a distant 3rd. Definitely more legitimate than what some schools claim. In addition to NYTimes, we were also declared champs by Grantland Rice,Football Writers Assoc. of America, Houlgate, and 2 other selectors. Have never understood why we don't claim it as a championship. As a matter of fact, till 1985, we did claim it. In the same year Alabama went from 6 to 11, we went from 6 (1910,13,14,57,58, and 1983) to 1. Makes no sense to me. When you win it on the field, though it is mythical, and you can state the case they deserve it more than other teams, why should we not claim it? Like another poster said, those teams are more worthy than 75% of the teams who claim titles previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronMan70 3,277 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 To this day I think Auburn should claim the '83 title. In addition to all the facts mentioned in the thread so far, like strength of schedule, there are these very important points. 1. '83 Auburn was voted #1 in more post bowl polls , 19 to 14, than any other team in the country. 2. '83 Auburn was voted #1 by more AP pollsters than any other team in the country. 3. '83 Auburn at #3 was the highest ranked pre-bowl team to win their bowl game. #1 Nebraska lost, #2 Texas lost. There are teams in the country that have claimed titles with a lot less credibility than just those above points. In fact item #1 alone, called the "majority polls" rule, has had more than one team use it to claim a title. coughcough,notredame-alabama,coughcough In general, I don't take poll titles serious and have always supported a conference champions playoff. However, if there is going to be these mythical poll titles out there and certain fan bases (2) want to think they are real and want to act like they somehow validate their program, I see no reason not to make a valid claim. The fact is that Auburn has several teams, '13,'14,'58,'83,'93,'04 that are better than 75% of these so called "national champion" teams claimed by those other (2) schools. '83 should definitely be claimed and since they are mythical titles anyway, I see no reason not to. I AGREE 100% and I DO. Actually, we did win the NY times computer poll that year and I think the players got rings. Granted, that is not the AP or coaches poll, but at that the time it was a distant 3rd. Definitely more legitimate than what some schools claim. In addition to NYTimes, we were also declared champs by Grantland Rice,Football Writers Assoc. of America, Houlgate, and 2 other selectors. Have never understood why we don't claim it as a championship. As a matter of fact, till 1985, we did claim it. In the same year Alabama went from 6 to 11, we went from 6 (1910,13,14,57,58, and 1983) to 1. Makes no sense to me. When you win it on the field, though it is mythical, and you can state the case they deserve it more than other teams, why should we not claim it? Like another poster said, those teams are more worthy than 75% of the teams who claim titles previously. Actually, as I stated in the previous post, Auburn was voted #1 in 19 post season polls v 14 for Miami. '83 Auburn: 19 #1 polls 1st-N-Goal, Angelo Louisa, ARGH Power Ratings, Billingsley Report, College Football Researchers Association, David Wilson, DKC Ratings, Foundation for the Analysis of Competitions and Tournaments, James Howell, Jeff Self, Massy Ratings, New York Times, Nutshell Sports Football Ratings, Quality Champions, Soren Sorensen, Sparks Achievement Ratings, Steve Eck, The Fleming System, Thomas Jech. '83 Miami: 14 #1 polls Associated Press, Bob Royce, Dunkel System, Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Harry Frye, National Championship Foundation, National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame, Patrick Premo, Sports Illustrated, The Sporting News, The State's National Champions, United Press International, USA Today/CNN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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