1981 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONClemson12–0 overall
HEISMANMarcus AllenUSC · RB
BEST QBJim McMahonBYU · Davey O’Brien Award
#1 PICKKenneth SimsTexas · New England Patriots, 1982 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

6 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1982Fiesta BowlPenn State 26, USC 10
Jan 1, 1982Cotton BowlTexas 14, Alabama 12
Jan 1, 1982Sugar BowlPittsburgh 24, Georgia 20
Jan 1, 1982Orange BowlClemson 22, Nebraska 15
Jan 1, 1982Rose BowlWashington 28, Iowa 0
Dec 31, 1981Peach BowlWest Virginia 26, Florida 6

1981 STANDINGS

14 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

Clemson finished atop the 1981 ACC standings at 6–0 in conference play (12–0 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Clemson6–012–0CLEM 22–15 NEB
North Carolina5–110–2UNC 31–27 ARK
Maryland4–24–6–1–
Duke3–36–5–
NC State2–44–7–
Wake Forest1–54–7–
Virginia0–61–10–

BIG 8

Nebraska finished atop the 1981 Big 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Nebraska7–09–3CLEM 22–15 NEB
Kansas4–38–4MSST 10–0 KU
Oklahoma State4–37–5TA&M 33–16 OKST
Oklahoma4–2–17–4–1OU 40–14 HOU
Missouri3–48–4MIZ 19–17 USM
Iowa State2–4–15–5–1–
Colorado2–53–8–
Kansas State1–62–9–

BIG TEN

Michigan finished atop the 1981 Big Ten standings at 6–3 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan6–39–3MICH 33–14 UCLA
Ohio State6–29–3OSU 31–28 NAVY
Iowa6–28–4WASH 28–0 IOWA
Wisconsin6–37–5TENN 28–21 WIS
Illinois6–37–4–
Minnesota4–56–5–
Michigan State4–55–6–
Purdue3–65–6–
Indiana3–63–8–
Northwestern0–90–11–

GULF SOUTH

Jacksonville State finished atop the 1981 Gulf South standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Jacksonville State0–00–1

LONE STAR

Texas State finished atop the 1981 Lone Star standings at 1–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Texas State0–01–0

MAC

Toledo finished atop the 1981 MAC standings at 8–1 in conference play (9–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Toledo8–19–3TOL 27–25 SJSU
Central Michigan7–27–3–
Miami (OH)6–1–18–2–1–
Western Michigan5–46–5–
Bowling Green5–3–15–5–1–
Ohio5–45–6–
Kent State3–64–7–
Ball State2–64–7–
Northern Illinois2–73–7–
Eastern Michigan0–90–11–

OVC

Middle Tennessee and Akron finished atop the 1981 OVC standings at 1–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Middle Tennessee0–01–1
Akron0–01–1

PACIFIC 10

Washington finished atop the 1981 Pacific 10 standings at 6–2 in conference play (9–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Washington6–29–2WASH 28–0 IOWA
USC5–29–3PSU 26–10 USC
Arizona State5–28–2–
Washington State5–2–17–3–1BYU 38–36 WSU
UCLA5–2–17–4–1MICH 33–14 UCLA
Arizona4–45–5–
Stanford4–44–7–
California2–62–9–
Oregon1–61–9–
Oregon State0–71–10–

PACIFIC COAST ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

San José State finished atop the 1981 Pacific Coast Athletic Association standings at 5–0 in conference play (5–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
San José State5–05–3TOL 27–25 SJSU
Utah State4–12–5–1–
Fresno State2–33–5–

SEC

Alabama finished atop the 1981 SEC standings at 7–0 in conference play (9–2–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Alabama7–09–2–1TEX 14–12 ALA
Georgia6–010–2PITT 24–20 UGA
Mississippi State4–28–4MSST 10–0 KU
Florida3–37–5WVU 26–6 FLA
Tennessee3–37–4TENN 28–21 WIS
Auburn2–45–6–
Kentucky2–43–8–
Vanderbilt1–54–7–
Ole Miss1–5–14–6–1–
LSU1–4–13–7–1–

SOUTHERN

App State finished atop the 1981 Southern standings at 1–5–1 in conference play (3–7–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
App State1–5–13–7–1
Marshall1–52–9

SOUTHLAND

Arkansas State finished atop the 1981 Southland standings at 3–2 in conference play (5–5 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Arkansas State3–25–5
Louisiana Tech2–2–14–5–1
Louisiana0–4–11–8–1

SOUTHWEST

SMU finished atop the 1981 Southwest standings at 7–1 in conference play (9–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
SMU7–19–1–
Texas6–1–110–1–1TEX 14–12 ALA
Arkansas5–38–4UNC 31–27 ARK
Houston5–2–17–4–1OU 40–14 HOU
Texas A&M4–47–5TA&M 33–16 OKST
Baylor3–55–6–
Rice3–54–7–
TCU1–6–11–7–2–
Texas Tech0–7–11–9–1–

WESTERN ATHLETIC

BYU finished atop the 1981 Western Athletic standings at 7–1 in conference play (10–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
BYU7–110–2BYU 38–36 WSU
Wyoming6–27–3–
Hawai'i5–18–1–
Utah4–1–18–2–1–
San Diego State3–56–5–
New Mexico3–4–14–7–1–
Air Force2–34–7–
UTEP1–61–10–
Colorado State0–80–12–

INDEPENDENTS

Pittsburgh finished atop the 1981 independents at 11–1.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Pittsburgh11–1PITT 24–20 UGA
Penn State10–2PSU 26–10 USC
West Virginia9–3WVU 26–6 FLA
Miami9–2–
Southern Miss8–2–1MIZ 19–17 USM
Virginia Tech7–4–
Navy7–4–1OSU 31–28 NAVY
Cincinnati6–5–
Florida State6–5–
Tulane6–5–
South Carolina6–5–
Notre Dame5–6–
Temple5–5–
UL Monroe5–6–
East Carolina5–6–
UNLV5–6–
Tulsa5–5–
Boston College5–6–
Rutgers5–6–
Louisville4–6–
Syracuse4–6–1–
Delaware3–0–
New Mexico State3–6–
Army3–7–1–
Massachusetts2–1–
North Texas2–8–
UConn1–1–
Georgia Tech1–10–
Memphis1–10–
James Madison1–4–
Sam Houston0–1–
Liberty0–1–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

10 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Dec 31, 1981Postseason gameMississippi State 10, Kansas 0
Dec 31, 1981Postseason gameMichigan 33, UCLA 14
Dec 30, 1981Postseason gameOhio State 31, Navy 28
Dec 28, 1981Postseason gameNorth Carolina 31, Arkansas 27
Dec 26, 1981Postseason gameOklahoma 40, Houston 14
Dec 19, 1981Postseason gameMissouri 19, Southern Miss 17
Dec 19, 1981Postseason gameToledo 27, San José State 25
Dec 18, 1981Postseason gameBYU 38, Washington State 36
Dec 13, 1981Postseason gameTennessee 28, Wisconsin 21
Dec 12, 1981Postseason gameTexas A&M 33, Oklahoma State 16