1981 NAIA Division II football season

American college football season

1981 NAIA Division II football season

Regular season| August–November 1981
Postseason| November–December 1981
National Championship| Louis Calder Stadium
Sherman, TX
Champions| Austin
Concordia–Moorhead (3)

* ←1980
* NAIA Division II football season
* 1982→

The 1981 NAIA Division II football season, as part of the 1981 college football season in the United States and the 26th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 21st season of play of the NAIA's lower division for football.

The season was played from August to November 1981 and culminated in the 1981 NAIA Division II Football National Championship, played at Louis Calder Stadium in Sherman, Texas.[1]

Austin and Concordia–Moorhead tied in the championship game, 24–24, and were declared co-national champions. It was Austin's first NAIA national title and Concordia's third.

## Conference changes

[edit]

* This is the final season that the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is officially recognized as an NAIA football conferences.[2] The MIAC, and it nine members from Minnesota, became an NCAA Division III conference for the 1982 season, where the league continues to sponsor football.

## Conference standings

[edit]

1981 Frontier Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Carroll (MT) $  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Montana Tech | 4  | – | 1  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 2
Rocky Mountain | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0
Western Montana | 0  | – | 5  | – | 1 |  |  | 0  | – | 7  | – | 1

* $ – Conference champion

1981 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 3 William Jewell $^  | 8  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 11  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 17 Missouri Valley | 7  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 18 Baker | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
Graceland | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
Ottawa | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 1
MidAmerica Nazarene | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Central Methodist | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Tarkio | 1  | – | 7  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0
Culver–Stockton | 0  | – | 8  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 10  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 Hoosier–Buckeye Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 8 Anderson (IN) $^  | 8  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 10 Findlay | 7  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 0
Wilmington (OH) | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Hanover | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 1
Defiance | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Earlham | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Taylor | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Manchester (IN) | 1  | – | 7  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Bluffton | 0  | – | 8  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 0

* \+ – Conference co-champions
* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 Illini–Badger Football Conference standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Northeastern Illinois \+  | 3  | – | 1  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 1
Milton \+  | 3  | – | 1  | – | 1 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 1
Concordia (WI) \+  | 2  | – | 1  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 2  | – | 2
Eureka | 2  | – | 2  | – | 1 |  |  | 3  | – | 5  | – | 1
Concordia (IL) | 2  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Lakeland | 0  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 7  | – | 1

* \+ – Conference co-champions

1981 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 13 Bethany (KS) $  | 8  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
Southwestern (KS) | 5  | – | 2  | – | 1 |  |  | 5  | – | 2  | – | 2
Friends | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Sterling | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
St. Mary of the Plains | 4  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Tabor | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 6  | – | 0
Kansas Wesleyan | 2  | – | 5  | – | 1 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 1
McPherson | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Bethel (KS) | 1  | – | 7  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 1 Concordia–Moorhead $^  | 8  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 11  | – | 0  | – | 2
No. 15 Saint John's (MN) | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 19 St. Thomas (MN) | 6  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
Gustavus Adolphus | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Augsburg | 3  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Macalester | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
St. Olaf | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 7  | – | 0
Bethel (MN) | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Hamline | 2  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 12 Concordia (NE) \+  | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
Hastings \+  | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 0
Midland \+  | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Doane | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Nebraska Wesleyan | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Dana | 0  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* \+ – Conference co-champions

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 North Dakota College Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 6 Dickinson State $^  | 6  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 16 Jamestown | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 8  | – | 1  | – | 0
Valley City State | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
North Dakota Science | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 0
Minot State | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 4  | – | 1
Mayville State | 1  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0
Bismarck JC | 0  | – | 6  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 Northwest Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 5 Pacific Lutheran $^  | 5  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 14 Linfield | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
Lewis & Clark | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Whitworth | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Willamette | 2  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Pacific (OR) | 0  | – | 5  | – | 0 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion
* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participantpoll=NAIA Division II poll

Rankings from AP Poll
1981 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
South Dakota Tech \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
Sioux Falls \+  | 5  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 1
South Dakota–Springfield | 4  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Huron | 3  | – | 3  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Dakota State | 2  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Black Hills State | 1  | – | 4  | – | 1 |  |  | 1  | – | 7  | – | 1
Dakota Wesleyan | 0  | – | 5  | – | 1 |  |  | 0  | – | 9  | – | 1

* \+ – Conference co-champions

1981 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
Whittier $  | 5  | – | 0  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
Claremont-Mudd | 4  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 4  | – | 5  | – | 0
Redlands | 3  | – | 2  | – | 0 |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Occidental | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
La Verne | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0
Pomona-Pitzer | 1  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 8  | – | 0

* $ – Conference champion

1981 Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 2 Austin +^  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 11  | – | 1  | – | 1
No. 9 Sul Ross \+  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0 |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
Tarleton State | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0 |  |  | 6  | – | 4  | – | 0
McMurry | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0 |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Trinity (TX) | 2  | – | 8  | – | 0 |  |  | 2  | – | 8  | – | 0
Lubbock Christian | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0 |  |  | 1  | – | 9  | – | 0

* \+ – Conference co-champions
* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll
1981 NAIA Division II independents football records |

* v
* t
* e

| Conf. |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |   | L |   | T |  |  | W |   | L |   | T
No. 4 Westminster (PA) ^  |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 10  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 7 Oklahoma Panhandle State ^  |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 9  | – | 1  | – | 0
No. 11 Cal Lutheran |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 8  | – | 2  | – | 0
No. 20 Peru State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 2  | – | 0
Northwestern (IA) |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 6  | – | 2  | – | 1
Azusa Pacific |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 7  | – | 3  | – | 0
Loras |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 6  | – | 3  | – | 1
Geneva |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 1
Waynesburg |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 3  | – | 1
Westmar |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 4  | – | 0
Chadron State |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 5  | – | 5  | – | 0
Benedictine (KS) |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Texas Lutheran |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 4  | – | 6  | – | 0
Simon Fraser |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 3  | – | 7  | – | 0
Iowa Wesleyan |   |  | – |  |   |  |  | 2  | – | 7  | – | 0

* ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant

Rankings from NAIA Division II poll

## Conference champions

[edit]

Conference  | Champion  | Record

|
|

Frontier | Carroll (MT) | 5–1
Heart of America | William Jewell | 8–0
Hoosier-Buckeye | Anderson (IN) | 8–0
Kansas | Bethany | 8–0
Minnesota | Concordia–Moorhead | 8–0
Nebraska | Concordia–Nebraska
Hastings
Midland Lutheran | 4–1
North Dakota | Dickinson State | 6–0
Northwest | Pacific Lutheran | 5–0
South Dakota | Sioux Falls
South Dakota Tech | 5–1
Texas | Austin
Sul Ross | 9–1

## Postseason

[edit]

| Quarterfinals
Campus sites | | | Semifinals
Campus sites | | | Championship
Sherman, TX |

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  | | |  |  |  | | |  |  |  |
|   | Austin | 27 | | |
|   | Oklahoma Panhandle State* | 16 |
| |   | Austin* | 33 |
|  |
| | |   | William Jewell | 28 |
|   | Pacific Lutheran | 14 |

|   | William Jewell* | 19 |
| |   | Austin* | 24 |
|  |
| | |   | Concordia–Moorhead | 24 |
|   | Dickinson State | 9 | |

|   | Concordia–Moorhead* | 13 |
| |   | Concordia–Moorhead | 23 |
|  |
| | |   | Westminster (PA)* | 17 |
|   | Anderson (IN) | 6 |

|   | Westminster (PA)* | 21 |

## See also

[edit]

* 1981 NAIA Division I football season
* 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season
* 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season
* 1981 NCAA Division II football season
* 1981 NCAA Division III football season

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "NAIA Championship History" (PDF). NAIA. pp. 4–11\. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
2. ^ "NAIA Football Regular Season Records" (PDF). NAIA. p. 21. Retrieved December 11, 2021.

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*[v]: View this template
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