The 1981 Virginia Union Panthers football team represented Virginia Union University as a member of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) during the 1981 NCAA Division II football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Willard Bailey, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 11–1 and a mark of 7–0 in conference play, and finished as CIAA champion after they defeated North Carolina Central in the first CIAA Championship Game. Virginia Union finished their season with a loss against Shippensburg State in the Division II playoffs. At the conclusion of the season, the Panthers were also recognized as black college national champion.
| 1981 Virginia Union Panthers football | |
|---|---|
Black college national champion CIAA champion | |
CIAA Championship Game, W 45–7 vs. North Carolina Central | |
NCAA Division II First Round, L 27–40 vs. Shippensburg State | |
| Conference | Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| Northern Division | |
| Record | 11–1 (7–0 CIAA) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Hovey Field |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | North Carolina Central | W 27–7 | 5,500 | [1] | ||
| September 19 | at Hampton | W 34–14 | 5,100 | [2] | ||
| September 26 | Winston-Salem State | No. 5 |
| W 36–7 | 3,000 | [3] |
| October 3 | at Saint Paul's (VA) | No. 4 | W 55–6 | 700 | [4] | |
| October 10 | at Clark (GA)* | No. 4 | W 42–0 | [5] | ||
| October 17 | Bowie State | No. 3 |
| W 25–0 | 1,300 | [6] |
| October 24 | Norfolk State | No. 3 |
| W 43–13 | 6,300 | [7] |
| October 31 | vs. Virginia State | No. 3 |
| W 14–12 | 12,000 | [8] |
| November 7 | Morgan State* | No. 3 |
| W 38–0 | [9] | |
| November 14 | No. 5 Elizabeth City State | No. 3 |
| W 16–7 | [10] | |
| November 21 | vs. North Carolina Central | No. 3 |
| W 45–7 | 12,500 | [11] |
| November 28 | No. 8 Shippensburg State* | No. 2 |
| L 27–40 | [12] | |
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References
edit- ^ "Dillon's feats stop Central". Durham Morning Herald. September 13, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wyche unashamed after Union spanks Hampton Institute 34–14". Daily Press. September 20, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Union blitzes Rams". Richmond Times-Dispatch. September 27, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Union rips Saint Paul's 55–6". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 4, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Va. Union mops up stadium with Clark College 42–0". The Atlanta Constitution. October 11, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Union held by problems to 25–0 win". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 18, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Classy Va. Union raps Norfolk State". Daily Press. October 25, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Panthers given a scare but reach CIAA final". Richmond Times-Dispatch. November 1, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Union tramples Morgan by 38–0". Richmond Times-Dispatch. November 8, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Virginia Union nips ECSU for 10th win". The News and Observer. November 15, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Union dissolves N.C. Central". The Charlotte Observer. November 22, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Shippensburg rolls past Virginia Union into semifinals". The Morning News. November 29, 1981. Retrieved April 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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