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1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season
American college football season
American college football season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| year | 1981 |
| image | File:NCAA primary logo 1980.svg |
| number_of_teams | 51 |
| regular_season | September 5–November 28, 1981 |
| playoffs | December 5–December 19, 1981 |
| nc_date | December 19, 1981 |
| championship | Memorial Stadium |
| Wichita Falls, Texas | |
| champions | Idaho State |
Wichita Falls, Texas The 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1981 and concluded with the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game in the Pioneer Bowl on December 19, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The Idaho State Bengals won their first I-AA championship, defeating the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 34−23.
Conference changes and new programs
- Prior to the 1981 season, the Mid-Continent Conference reclassified from Division II to Division I-AA with its four members, Eastern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Western Illinois, and Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). Northern Michigan and Youngstown State, which had been members of the Mid-Continent in the 1980 season, departed the league before the shift; Northern Michigan remained in Division II, and Youngstown State transitioned to I-AA as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference.
| School | 1980 Conference | 1981 Conference |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Illinois | Mid-Continent (D-II) | Mid-Continent (I-AA) |
| Northern Iowa | Mid-Continent (D-II) | Mid-Continent (I-AA) |
| Portland State | I-AA Independent | D-II Independent |
| Southwest Missouri State | Mid-Continent (D-II) | Mid-Continent (I-AA) |
| Tennessee State | I-A Independent | I-AA Independent |
| Western Illinois | Mid-Continent (D-II) | Mid-Continent (I-AA) |
| Youngstown State | Mid-Continent (D-II) | Ohio Valley (I-AA) |
Conference standings
Conference champions
| Conference champions |
|---|
Postseason
After holding four-team playoffs after the first three I-AA seasons, the NCAA increased the bracket size to eight this postseason. It grew to twelve in 1982 and sixteen in 1986. The eight-team field was determined via automatic bids to five conference champions (Idaho State, South Carolina State, Eastern Kentucky, Jackson State, and Rhode Island), a bid to the top-ranked independent team (Tennessee State), and two at-large bids (Boise State and Delaware).
NCAA Division I-AA playoff bracket
December 5 Campus sites December 12 Campus sites Pioneer Bowl December 19 Memorial Stadium—Wichita Falls, TX | RD1-seed1= 7 | RD1-team1= Delaware | RD1-score1= 28 | RD1-seed2= 1 | RD1-team2= Eastern Kentucky* | RD1-score2= 35 | RD1-seed3=4 | RD1-team3= Boise State | RD1-score3= 19 | RD1-seed4=5 | RD1-team4= Jackson State* | RD1-score4= 7 | RD1-seed5= 8 | RD1-team5= Rhode Island | RD1-score5= 0 | RD1-seed6= 2 | RD1-team6= Idaho State* | RD1-score6= 51 | RD1-seed7=6 | RD1-team7= Tennessee State | RD1-score7= 25 | RD1-seed8= 3 | RD1-team8= South Carolina State* | RD1-score8= 26* | RD2-seed1= 1 | RD2-team1= Eastern Kentucky | RD2-score1= 23 | RD2-seed2= 4 | RD2-team2= Boise State* | RD2-score2= 17 | RD2-seed3= 2 | RD2-team3= Idaho State* | RD2-score3= 41 | RD2-seed4= 3 | RD2-team4= South Carolina State | RD2-score4= 12 | RD3-seed1= 1 | RD3-team1= Eastern Kentucky | RD3-score1= 23 | RD3-seed2= 2 | RD3-team2= Idaho State | RD3-score2= 34
- Next to team name denotes host institution
- Next to score denotes overtime Source:
References
References
- "Standings for the 1981 FCS Season".
- "1981 (Admin)".
- "1981 (Admin)".
- "1981 NCAA Division I Football Championship".
- (December 20, 1981). "Bengals win I-AA crown". Eugene Register-Guard.
- (December 20, 1981). "Bengals ride like the wind". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
- Cooper, Barry. (May 1, 1981). "MEAC gets berth in I-AA football playoffs". [[Tallahassee Democrat]].
- (November 29, 1981). "NCAA sets playoffs for I-AA teams". [[Fort Lauderdale News]].
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