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1981 NAIA Division I football season

American college football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 1981 NAIA Division I football season was the 26th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 12th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

Regular seasonAugust–November 1981
PostseasonDecember 5–19, 1981
National ChampionshipBurlington Memorial Stadium
Burlington, NC
ChampionsElon (2)
Quick facts Regular season, Postseason ...
1981 NAIA Division I football season
Regular seasonAugust–November 1981
PostseasonDecember 5–19, 1981
National ChampionshipBurlington Memorial Stadium
Burlington, NC
ChampionsElon (2)
Close

The season was played from August to November 1981 and culminated in the 1981 NAIA Division I Champion Bowl, played this year on December 19, 1981 at Burlington Memorial Stadium in Burlington, North Carolina (near the campus of Elon College).[1]

Defending national champion Elon defeated Pittsburg State in the Champion Bowl, 3–0, to win their second NAIA national title.[2]

Conference changes

Conference standings

More information Conf., Overall ...
1981 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Central Arkansas $^6–0–08–3–0
No. 11 Arkansas–Monticello5–1–07–2–0
No. 18 Henderson State3–3–07–3–0
No. 14 Southern Arkansas3–3–07–3–0
Arkansas Tech2–4–04–5–1
Ouachita Baptist2–4–03–6–0
Harding0–6–02–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Division
No. 2 Virginia Union xy$^7–0–011–1–0
Elizabeth City State ^6–1–08–3–0
No. 10 Hampton5–2–08–2–0
Norfolk State3–4–04–5–1
Virginia State3–4–04–6–0
Saint Paul's (VA)0–7–00–10–0
Southern Division
North Carolina Central xy6–1–07–4–0
Winston-Salem State4–3–05–5–0
Johnson C. Smith3–4–04–6–0
Fayetteville State2–5–03–5–0
Livingstone1–6–03–7–0
Bowie State *2–5–05–5–0
Championship: Virginia Union 45, North Carolina Central 7
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • * – ineligible for conference title
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll for Virginia Union and NAIA Division I poll for Hampton
1981 Central States Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Pittsburg State $^7–0–010–2–0
No. 12 Missouri Western5–2–08–2–0
Missouri Southern *5–2–06–4–1
Kearney State4–3–05–4–0
Fort Hays State3–4–06–5–0
Wayne State (NE)2–5–04–6–0
Washburn2–5–03–7–0
Emporia State0–7–01–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
    * – Missouri Southern forfeited a non-conference win over Evangel.
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Evergreen Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 15 Oregon Tech $4–0–07–2–0
Eastern Oregon3–1–05–4–0
Central Washington2–2–06–3–0
Western Oregon1–3–05–4–0
Western Washington0–4–00–9–0
Southern Oregon * – 6–4–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • * – Southern Oregon was ineligible for the conference
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Grand Valley State $6–0–07–2–0
No. 3 Hillsdale ^5–1–010–2–0
Ferris State3–3–04–4–0
Wayne State (MI)3–3–04–5–0
Northwood2–4–04–6–0
Saginaw Valley State2–4–03–7–0
Michigan Tech0–6–01–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Lone Star Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Southwest Texas State $^6–1–013–1–0
No. 9 Texas A&I5–2–09–2–0
Abilene Christian5–2–08–2–0
Angelo State5–2–08–3–0
No. 17 East Texas State4–3–07–4–0
Sam Houston State2–5–03–7–0
Howard Payne1–6–03–7–0
Stephen F. Austin0–7–01–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll for Southwest Texas State and Texas A&I and NAIA Division I poll for East Texas State
1981 Northern Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Moorhead State $*6–0–010–1–1
Minnesota Duluth5–1–09–1–0
Minnesota Morris ^4–2–07–3–1
Southwest State (MN)3–3–06–4–0
Northern State2–4–04–6–0
Winona State1–5–01–9–0
Bemidji State0–6–00–10–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division III playoff participant
  • * – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 13 Northeastern State $3–1–09–1–0
SW Oklahoma State2–2–03–8–0
SE Oklahoma State2–2–03–6–0
East Central2–2–02–7–0
NW Oklahoma State1–3–03–7–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • SW Oklahoma State forfeited six victories including conference wins over Northeastern State and SE Oklahoma State.poll=NAIA Division I poll
Rankings from AP Poll
1981 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 19 New Mexico Highlands $7–1–07–3–0
Mesa6–2–07–3–0
No. 20 Southern Utah6–2–07–3–0
Western State (CO)5–3–05–4–0
Adams State3–4–13–5–1
Fort Lewis3–5–03–7–0
Southern Colorado2–6–04–6–0
Colorado Mines2–5–13–5–1
Western New Mexico1–7–01–8–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 South Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 2 Elon $^6–1–012–1–1
Presbyterian5–2–06–5–0
Carson–Newman4–3–07–4–0
Catawba3–4–05–5–0
Gardner–Webb3–4–05–5–0
Mars Hill3–4–05–5–0
Newberry2–5–04–7–0
Lenoir–Rhyne2–5–02–9–0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Concord +^7–1–09–2–0
No. 5 Fairmont State +^7–1–09–2–0
No. 16 Shepherd6–2–07–2–0
West Virginia Tech5–3–06–4–0
Salem3–5–03–6–0
West Virginia State2–5–13–5–1
West Virginia Wesleyan2–5–12–6–1
West Liberty State2–6–02–7–0
Glenville State1–7–01–8–0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Wisconsin State University Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 9 Wisconsin–Eau Claire $8–0–09–1–0
Wisconsin–Whitewater5–3–07–3–0
Wisconsin–Stout5–3–07–4–0
Wisconsin–La Crosse4–4–06–4–0
Wisconsin–Platteville4–4–06–4–0
Wisconsin–Stevens Point4–4–05–5–0
Wisconsin–Oshkosh3–5–05–5–0
Wisconsin–River Falls3–5–05–5–0
Wisconsin–Superior0–8–00–11–0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 NAIA Division I independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 7 Cameron ^ – 5–5–0
Central State (OK) – 7–2–0
Wofford – 6–5–0
Eastern New Mexico – 5–5–0
Guilford – 5–5–0
Kentucky State – 2–6–0
Liberty Baptist – 1–9–0
Langston – 0–10–0
  • ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
Close

Conference champions

More information Conference, Champion ...
Conference Champion Record
Arkansas Intercollegiate Central Arkansas 6–0
Central States Pittsburg State 7–0
Evergreen Oregon Tech 5–0
NIC Moorhead State (MN) 6–0
Oklahoma Northeastern State 3–1
RMAC New Mexico Highlands 7–1
South Atlantic Elon 6–1
WVIAC Concord (WV)
Fairmont State		 7–1
WSUC Wisconsin–Eau Claire 8–0
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Postseason

Quarterfinals
December 5, 1981
Campus sites 		Semifinals
December 12, 1981
Campus sites 		1981 Champion Bowl
December 19, 1981
Burlington, NC
         
Cameron† 48
Central Arkansas 24
Vacant –
Pittsburg State –
Moorhead State 13
Pittsburg State 14
Pittsburg State 0
Elon* 3
Hillsdale 14
Fairmont State 12
Hillsdale 13
Elon 41
Elon 38
Concord 8
  • † Cameron was disqualified after their first round win over Central Arkansas after it was discovered they had been using ineligible players.

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