1984 Big Ten Conference football season
The 1984 Big Ten Conference football season was the league’s 89th season and part of the 1984 NCAA Division I-A season. Ten teams competed for the title, and Ohio State emerged as the champion with a 9–3 overall record. They led the conference in scoring and earned a spot in the Rose Bowl, where they lost to USC 20–17. Keith Byars of Ohio State set a Big Ten rushing record and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the league’s MVP; he was also a consensus All-American. Guard Jim Lachey was another consensus All-American for the Buckeyes.
Iowa, coached by Hayden Fry, went 8–4–1. They led the Big Ten in scoring defense and defeated Texas in the Freedom Bowl, finishing No. 15 in the final poll. Linebacker Larry Station was a consensus All-American. Quarterback Chuck Long charged the offense with a high efficiency rating, and running back Ronnie Harmon earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Illinois, under Mike White, finished 7–3 and tied for second. Wide receiver David Williams set Big Ten records with 101 receptions and 1,278 receiving yards and was a consensus All-American. Purdue, also at 7–5 and tied for second, lost to Virginia in the Peach Bowl. Leon Burtnett was named Big Ten Coach of the Year, and quarterback Jim Everett led the conference with more than 3,200 passing yards.
Six Big Ten teams played in bowl games, but the conference went 1–5 in those bowls. This season was the last of three straight with a full round-robin schedule in the conference.
Key individual leaders included Keith Byars as the top rusher in the conference, Jim Everett and Chuck Long as top passers, and David Williams as the leading receiver. Several Big Ten players were recognized as All-Americans, and the season set the stage for the 1985 NFL draft. BYU finished as the consensus national champion after bowls.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:28 (CET).