1982 NCAA Division I-A football season

The 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Paul "Bear" Bryant retire as head coach at Alabama with 323 career victories in 38 seasons.

The Penn State Nittany Lions won their first consensus national championship, closing out an 11-1 season by defeating Georgia and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker in the Sugar Bowl 27-23, and edging out undefeated SMU for the National Championship. It was Joe Paterno's first national championship, after three undefeated non-championship seasons.

UCLA moved from the LA Coliseum to the Rose Bowl and fulfilled a promise made by coach Terry Donahue by closing out their season there as well, beating Michigan in the post-season Rose Bowl game, 24-14.

It is also the year of “The Play”, a near impossible finish to the annual rivalry game between Cal and Stanford.

The Aloha Bowl premiered in Honolulu, Hawaii.

This was the first season the Ivy League competed at the I-AA (FCS) level. Through the 2009 season, the Ivy League has yet to participate in the post-season tournament, despite an automatic bid, citing academic concerns.

Classic Games

 * #8 Penn St 27, #2 Nebraska 24
 * Cal 25, Stanford 20 (The Play)
 * UCLA 20, USC 19 - USC trailed 20-13 and had 4th & Goal from the one-yard line with 0:01 left in the game. USC scored a touchdown and decided to go for the two-point conversion. USC announcer Tom Kelly remarked, "Typical of this great rivalry--even when it's over, it isn't over!" On the ensuing try for two by USC, UCLA's Karl Morgan sacked USC QB Scott Tinsley. This occurred within minutes of The Play, which was happening 400 miles to the north in Berkeley.
 * Auburn 23, Alabama 22
 * Tulane 31, #7 LSU 28 (Tulane's first win at Tiger Stadium since 1948)

Bowl Games

 * Sugar Bowl: #2 Penn St. 27, #1 Georgia 23
 * Orange Bowl: #3 Nebraska 21, #13 LSU 20
 * Cotton Bowl Classic: #4 SMU 7, #6 Pittsburgh 3
 * Rose Bowl: #5 UCLA 24, #19 Michigan 14
 * Sun Bowl: North Carolina 26, #8 Texas 10
 * Gator Bowl: Florida St. 31, #10 West Virginia 12
 * Tangerine Bowl: #18 Auburn 33, Boston College 26
 * Liberty Bowl: Alabama 21, Illinois 15
 * Bluebonnet Bowl: #14 Arkansas 28, Florida 24
 * Peach Bowl: Iowa 28, Tennessee 22
 * Fiesta Bowl: #11 Arizona State 32, #12 Oklahoma 21
 * Independence Bowl: Wisconsin 14, Kansas St. 3
 * Hall of Fame Classic: Air Force 36, Vanderbilt 28
 * Holiday Bowl: #17 Ohio State 47, Brigham Young 17
 * Aloha Bowl: #9 Washington 21, Maryland 20
 * California Bowl: Fresno State 29, Bowling Green 28

Final AP Poll

 * 1) Penn St.
 * 2) Southern Methodist
 * 3) Nebraska
 * 4) Georgia
 * 5) UCLA
 * 6) Arizona St.
 * 7) Washington
 * 8) Clemson
 * 9) Arkansas
 * 10) Pittsburgh
 * 11) Louisiana St.
 * 12) Ohio St.
 * 13) Florida St.
 * 14) Auburn
 * 15) Southern California
 * 16) Oklahoma
 * 17) Texas
 * 18) North Carolina
 * 19) West Virginia
 * 20) Maryland

Final Coaches Poll

 * 1) Penn St.
 * 2) Southern Methodist
 * 3) Nebraska
 * 4) Georgia
 * 5) UCLA
 * 6) Arizona St.
 * 7) Washington
 * 8) Arkansas
 * 9) Pittsburgh
 * 10) Florida St.
 * 11) Louisiana St.
 * 12) Ohio St.
 * 13) North Carolina
 * 14) Auburn
 * 15) Michigan
 * 16) Oklahoma
 * 17) Alabama
 * 18) Texas
 * 19) West Virginia
 * 20) Maryland

Other Major Awards
Heisman Memorial Trophy: Herschel Walker, Georgia

Outland Trophy(Interior Lineman): David Rimington, Nebraska

Vince Lombardi/Rotary Award(Lineman or Linebacker): Dave Rimington, Nebraska

Walter Camp Award(back): Herschel Walker, Georgia

Davey O'Brien Award(Quarterback): Todd Blackledge, Penn State

Maxwell Award(college player of the year): Herschel Walker, Georgia