1981 NAIA Division I football season

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.

1981 NAIA Division I football season
Regular season	August–November 1981
Postseason	December 5–19, 1981
National Championship	Burlington Memorial Stadium Burlington, NC
Champions	Elon (2)

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).

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

Conference changes

• This is the final season the NAIA officially recognizes a football champion from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the Lone Star Conference. Both the GLIAC and the Lone Star became an NCAA Division II conferences, where both continue to sponsor football (with the exception of a ten-year hiatus for the GLIAC between 1989 and 1999).

Conference standings

1981 Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 8 Central Arkansas $^ 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 No. 11 Arkansas–Monticello 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 No. 18 Henderson State 3 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 No. 14 Southern Arkansas 3 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Arkansas Tech 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 1 Ouachita Baptist 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 Harding 0 – 6 – 0 2 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Division I poll	1981 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Northern No. 2 Virginia Union xy$^ 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 1 – 0 Elizabeth City State ^ 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 No. 10 Hampton 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Norfolk State 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 1 Virginia State 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Saint Paul's (VA) 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 10 – 0 Southern North Carolina Central xy 6 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Winston-Salem State 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Johnson C. Smith 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Fayetteville State 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 5 – 0 Livingstone 1 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Bowie State * 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 6 Pittsburg State $^ 7 – 0 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 No. 12 Missouri Western 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Missouri Southern * 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 1 Kearney State 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Fort Hays State 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 Wayne State (NE) 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Washburn 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Emporia State 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 15 Oregon Tech $ 4 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Eastern Oregon 3 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Central Washington 2 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Western Oregon 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Western Washington 0 – 4 – 0 0 – 9 – 0 Southern Oregon *   –   6 – 4 – 0 $ – Conference champion * – Southern Oregon was ineligible for the conference titlepoll=NAIA Division I poll Rankings from AP Poll	1981 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Grand Valley State $ 6 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 No. 3 Hillsdale ^ 5 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 Ferris State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 Wayne State (MI) 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Northwood 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Saginaw Valley State 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Michigan Tech 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Division I poll	1981 Lone Star Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 4 Southwest Texas State $^ 6 – 1 – 0 13 – 1 – 0 No. 9 Texas A&I 5 – 2 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 Abilene Christian 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Angelo State 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 3 – 0 No. 17 East Texas State 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Sam Houston State 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Howard Payne 1 – 6 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Stephen F. Austin 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 1 Moorhead State $* 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 1 Minnesota Duluth 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0 Minnesota Morris ^ 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 1 Southwest State (MN) 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Northern State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Winona State 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 Bemidji State 0 – 6 – 0 0 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 13 Northeastern State $ 3 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0 SW Oklahoma State 2 – 2 – 0 3 – 8 – 0 SE Oklahoma State 2 – 2 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 East Central 2 – 2 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 NW Oklahoma State 1 – 3 – 0 3 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 19 New Mexico Highlands $ 7 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Mesa 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 No. 20 Southern Utah 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Western State (CO) 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Adams State 3 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1 Fort Lewis 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Southern Colorado 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Colorado Mines 2 – 5 – 1 3 – 5 – 1 Western New Mexico 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 South Atlantic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 2 Elon $^ 6 – 1 – 0 12 – 1 – 1 Presbyterian 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 Carson–Newman 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Catawba 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Gardner–Webb 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Mars Hill 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Newberry 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0 Lenoir–Rhyne 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 4 Concord +^ 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 No. 5 Fairmont State +^ 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0 No. 16 Shepherd 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 West Virginia Tech 5 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Salem 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0 West Virginia State 2 – 5 – 1 3 – 5 – 1 West Virginia Wesleyan 2 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1 West Liberty State 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0 Glenville State 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 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 Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 9 Wisconsin–Eau Claire $ 8 – 0 – 0 9 – 1 – 0 Wisconsin–Whitewater 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Wisconsin–Stout 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0 Wisconsin–La Crosse 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Wisconsin–Platteville 4 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0 Wisconsin–Stevens Point 4 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Wisconsin–Oshkosh 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Wisconsin–River Falls 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0 Wisconsin–Superior 0 – 8 – 0 0 – 11 – 0 $ – Conference champion Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 NAIA Division I independents football records Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   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

Conference champions

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

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.

See also

• 1981 NAIA Division II 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