1983 Fiesta Bowl
12th edition
Arizona State Sun Devils Oklahoma Sooners
(9–2) (8–3)
Pacific-10 Big Eight
32 21
Head coach: 
Darryl Rogers		 Head coach: 
Barry Switzer
APCoaches
1111
APCoaches
1210
1234 Total
Arizona State 011714 32
Oklahoma 7680 21
DateJanuary 1, 1983
Season1982
StadiumSun Devil Stadium
LocationTempe, Arizona
MVPMarcus Dupree (OU HB)
Jim Jeffcoat     (ASU DL)
FavoriteOklahoma by 2½ points[1]
RefereeBill Parkinson
Attendance66,484
United States TV coverage
NetworkNBC
AnnouncersCharlie Jones, Len Dawson
Nielsen ratings7.9
Senator Barry Goldwater at the 1983 Fiesta Bowl Parade

The 1983 Fiesta Bowl was the twelfth edition of the college football bowl game, played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona on Saturday, January 1.[2] Part of the 1982–83 bowl game season, it matched the eleventh-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils of the Pacific-10 Conference and the #12 Oklahoma Sooners of the Big Eight Conference. A slight underdog,[1] Arizona State rallied in the fourth quarter to win on its home field, 32–21.[3][4][5]

Teams

This was the first-ever meeting between these two programs.[5]

Arizona State

The Sun Devils opened with nine wins and were ranked third, but lost to Washington at home and at rival Arizona. This was ASU's sixth Fiesta Bowl appearance, which remains their only one since leaving the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) in 1978.

Oklahoma

The Sooners' first two home games in September were losses, to West Virginia and USC. They won seven straight but lost to rival Nebraska on the road. This was their second appearance in the Fiesta Bowl.

Game summary

Televised by NBC, the game kicked off shortly after 11:30 a.m. MST, as did the Cotton Bowl on CBS.[2] The weather was sunny and 65 °F (18 °C).[5]

Oklahoma scored first on a one-yard run from running back Stanley Wilson, giving the Sooners a 7–0 lead. In the second quarter, Arizona State got a field goal from kicker Luis Zendejas to cut the lead to 7–3. Their defense later forced a safety, to make it 7–5. Zendejas kicked another 22-yard field goal to give Arizona State its first lead of the game at 8–7.

Wilson scored on his second rushing touchdown of the game to give Oklahoma a 13–8 lead. Zendejas answered with a 54-yard field goal to cut Oklahoma's lead to 13–11 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Darryl Clack scored on a 15-yard run and Arizona State regained the lead at 18–13. Sooner running back Fred Sims rushed 19 yards for a touchdown, and the ensuing two-point conversion attempt was successful, giving Oklahoma a 21–18 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Sun Devils got a one-yard touchdown run from Alvin Moore to take a 25–21 lead. ASU quarterback Todd Hons threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Ron Brown to make the score 32–21. The Sun Devils hung on to post that final score.

Though Arizona State won the game, Oklahoma tailback Marcus Dupree was named the offensive MVP with 239 rushing yards on 17 carries (14.0 avg.).[5] Amazingly, Dupree played only a little over half of the game, leaving three times due to a broken finger, an ankle injury, a rib injury, and a pulled hamstring. He set the rushing record for yards in the Fiesta Bowl, which still stands. ASU defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat was the defensive MVP.[5]

Scoring

First quarter

Second quarter

  • ASU – Luis Zendejas 32-yard field goal
  • ASU – Safety; quarterback Kelly Phelps tackled in end zone
  • ASU – Zendejas 22-yard field goal
  • OU – Wilson 1-yard run (run failed)
  • ASU – Zendejas 54-yard field goal

Third quarter

  • ASU – Darryl Clack 15-yard run (Zendejas kick)
  • OU – Fred Sims 19-yard run (Johnny Fontenette pass from Phelps)

Fourth quarter

  • ASU – Alvin Moore 1-yard run (Zendejas kick)
  • ASU – Ron Brown 52-yard pass from Todd Hons (Zendejas kick)
Source[3]

Statistics

StatisticsArizona State  Oklahoma  
First Downs2519
Yards Rushing43–10063–417
Yards Passing32940
Passing17–35–24–10–1
Return Yards−335
Total Offense78–42973–457
Punts–Average6–43.54–29.5
Fumbles–Lost3–06–4
Turnovers25
Penalties–Yards7–648–68
Time of Possession30:3129:29
Source[3]

Aftermath

Arizona State climbed to sixth in the final AP poll, and Oklahoma fell to sixteenth.

References

  1. 1 2 "The latest line". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 1, 1983. p. 13.
  2. 1 2 "Fiesta Bowl". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services reports. January 1, 1983. p. 3B.
  3. 1 2 3 "ASU gives Sooners a devil of a time, 32–21". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 2, 1983. p. 4D.
  4. ↑ "ASU enjoys Fiesta feast". The Bulletin. (Bend, Oregon). UPI. January 2, 1983. p. F1.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Devils down OU, 32–21". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. January 2, 1983. p. 7B.
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