Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 13 Western Carolina * W 26–109,313 [ 1]
September 20 at Northeast Missouri State * W 28–20[ 2]
September 27 No. 1 Murray State Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN L 3–1013,600 [ 3]
October 4 at Tennessee–Martin * W 30–287,750 [ 4]
October 11 No. 7 (D-II ) Jacksonville State * Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN L 3–78,000 [ 5]
October 18 No. 4 Western Kentucky Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN L 17–2811,600 [ 6]
October 25 at Morehead State W 31–29[ 7]
November 1 at No. 7 (D-II) Troy State L 3–528,100 [ 8]
November 8 No. T–5 Eastern Kentucky Tucker Stadium Cookeville, TN L 7–486,000 [ 9]
November 15 at Austin Peay L 10–13[ 10]
November 22 at Middle Tennessee L 7–21[ 11]
^ "Anderson boots Tech to victory" . The Tennessean . September 14, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tennessee Tech triumphs" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . September 21, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Defense leads No. 1 Murray to 10–3 win" . The Courier-Journal . September 28, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tennessee Tech trips Pacers" . The Jackson Sun . October 5, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Big-play defense sends Jax State past Tech, 7–3" . The Anniston Star . October 12, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "TTU loses homecoming" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . October 19, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Morehead defeated" . The Advocate-Messenger . October 26, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tennessee Tech walloped" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . November 2, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Eastern's defense, offense turn Tennessee Tech 48–7" . The Courier-Journal . November 9, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Govs battle back" . The Leaf-Chronicle . November 16, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "MTSU tops Tennessee Tech" . The Tennessean . November 23, 1980. Retrieved October 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .