1984 NCAA Division I-A football season


The 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season was topsy-turvy from start to finish. It ended with the BYU Cougars being bestowed their first and only national championship by beating Michigan in the Holiday Bowl. While the Cougars finished with a perfect 13-0 record and were the consensus National Champions, some commentators maintain this title was undeserved citing their weak schedule and argue that the championship should have gone to the 11-1 Washington Huskies. Despite this the Cougars were voted #1 in the final AP and UPI polls. The Huskies declined an invitation to play BYU in the Holiday Bowl; they decided instead to play Oklahoma in the more prestigious 1985 Orange Bowl. All subsequent national champions have come from what are now known as the Power Five conferences + Notre Dame.

Rule changes

AP Final poll

  1. BYU
  2. Washington
  3. Florida
  4. Nebraska
  5. Boston College
  6. Oklahoma
  7. Oklahoma State
  8. SMU
  9. UCLA
  10. USC
  11. South Carolina
  12. Maryland
  13. Ohio State
  14. Auburn
  15. LSU
  16. Iowa
  17. Florida State
  18. Miami
  19. Kentucky
  20. Virginia

    Coaches Final Poll

  21. BYU
  22. Washington
  23. Nebraska
  24. Boston College
  25. Oklahoma State
  26. Oklahoma
  27. Florida
  28. SMU
  29. University of Southern California
  30. UCLA
  31. Maryland
  32. Ohio State
  33. South Carolina
  34. Auburn
  35. Iowa
  36. LSU
  37. Virginia
  38. West Virginia
  39. Kentucky
  40. Florida St.

    Notable rivalry games

The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award is given to the Most Outstanding Player of the year.
  1. Doug Flutie, QB, Boston College
  2. Keith Byars, RB, Ohio State
  3. Robbie Bosco, QB, Brigham Young
  4. Bernie Kosar, QB, Miami
  5. Kenneth Davis, RB, TCU
  6. Bill Fralic, OT, Pittsburgh
  7. Greg Allen, RB, Florida State
  8. Chuck Long, QB, Iowa
  9. Jerry Rice, WR, Mississippi Valley State
  10. Rueben Mayes, RB, Washington State

    Other annual awards