American college football season
The 1981 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season.[1] The team was selected national champion by Dunkel, an NCAA-designated major selector,[2] while Clemson, who finished the season 12–0, was the consensus national champion.
Schedule
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 12 | 1:30 p.m. | Cincinnati | No. 9 | | ESPN (tape delay) | W 52–0 | 84,342 | [3] |
September 26 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 15 Nebraska | No. 3 | | ESPN (tape delay) | W 30–24 | 76,308 | [4] |
October 3 | 1:30 p.m. | Temple | No. 2 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| | W 30–0 | 84,562 | [5] |
October 10 | 1:30 p.m. | Boston College | No. 2 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| ESPN (tape delay) | W 38–7 | 84,473 | [6] |
October 17 | 1:30 p.m. | at Syracuse | No. 2 | | | W 41–16 | 50,037 | [7] |
October 24 | 1:30 p.m. | West Virginia | No. 1 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (rivalry)
| ESPN (tape delay) | W 30–7 | 85,012 | [8] |
October 31 | 4:00 p.m. | at Miami (FL) | No. 1 | | ABC | L 14–17 | 32,117 | [9] |
November 7 | 1:00 p.m. | at NC State | No. 6 | | | W 22–15 | 48,800 | [10] |
November 14 | 12:20 p.m. | No. 6 Alabama | No. 5 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (rivalry)
| ABC regional | L 16–31 | 85,133 | [11] |
November 21 | 1:00 p.m. | Notre Dame | No. 13 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (rivalry)
| ESPN (tape delay) | W 24–21 | 84,175 | [12] |
November 28 | 12:25 p.m. | at No. 1 Pittsburgh | No. 11 | | ABC | W 48–14 | 60,260 | [13] |
| 1:30 p.m. | vs. No. 8 USC | No. 7 | | NBC | W 26–10 | 71,053 | [14] |
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Roster
1981 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
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Players
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Coaches
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
Roster
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Game summaries
At Nebraska
Penn State at #15 Nebraska
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• #3 Penn State |
3 |
14 | 3 | 10 |
30 |
#15 Nebraska |
0 |
10 | 14 | 0 |
24 |
|
Boston College
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Boston College |
0 |
0 | 0 | 7 |
7 |
• Penn St |
10 |
14 | 7 | 7 |
38 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| Q1 | | PSU | Warner 7 yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 7–0 |
| Q1 | | PSU | Franco 33 yard field goal | PSU 10–0 |
| Q2 | | PSU | Meade 1 yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 17–0 |
| Q2 | | PSU | Jackson 39 yard pass from Blackledge (Franco kick) | PSU 24–0 |
| Q3 | | PSU | Warner 1 yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 31–0 |
| Q4 | | PSU | Williams 36 yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 38–0 |
| Q4 | | BC | Nizolek 23 yard pass from Flutie (Cooper kick) | PSU 38–7 |
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[15]
Notre Dame
Notre Dame at #13 Penn St
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
Notre Dame |
7 |
7 | 7 | 0 |
21 |
• Penn St |
14 |
3 | 0 | 7 |
24 |
|
|
Scoring summary |
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| 1 | | PSU | Williams 4-yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 7–0 |
| 1 | | ND | Carter 1-yard run (Oliver kick) | Tied 7–7 |
| 1 | | PSU | Blackledge 1-yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 14–7 |
| 2 | | PSU | Franco 27-yard field goal | PSU 17–7 |
| 2 | | ND | Hunter 17-yard pass from Kiel (Oliver kick) | PSU 17–14 |
| 3 | | ND | Sweeney 4-yard pass from Kiel (Oliver kick) | ND 21–17 |
| 4 | 3:48 | PSU | Blackledge 1-yard run (Franco kick) | PSU 24–21 |
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Following the game, Penn State accepted an invitation to the Fiesta Bowl.
Pittsburgh
#11 Penn St at #1 Pittsburgh
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• Penn St |
0 |
14 | 17 | 17 |
48 |
Pittsburgh |
14 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
14 |
|
The Nittany Lions snapped the Panthers' 17-game winning streak in convincing fashion.[16]
Vs. USC (Fiesta Bowl)
#7 Penn State vs. #8 USC
|
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
• No. 7 Nittany Lions |
7 |
10 | 9 | 0 |
26 |
No. 8 Trojans |
7 |
0 | 3 | 0 |
10 |
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NFL Draft
Ten Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1982 NFL draft.
Awards
- Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
References
- ^ "Penn State Yearly Results (1980-1984)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on August 5, 2015. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
- ^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 114. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "Lions impressive in 1981 opener". The Sunday Times. September 13, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Penn State tailback runs over Nebraska". The Kansas City Star. September 27, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State stuffs Owls in 'funny game'". The Patriot-News. October 4, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Penn St. Crushes B.C. 38–7". The Palm Beach Post. October 11, 1981. p. E6. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Penn St. wallops Syracuse 41–16". The Journal News. October 18, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Warner substitute leads Penn State past W. Va". Sunday News Journal. October 25, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Miami upsets Penn State, 17–14". Sunday News. November 1, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Lions stave off Wolfpack". The Tampa Tribune. November 8, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Penn State falls to Alabama, 31–16". Sunday News. November 15, 1981. Retrieved February 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Notre Dame inches and 3 points shy at Penn State". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 22, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Penn State stuns top-ranked Pitt". The Times and Democrat. November 29, 1981. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Penn State pounds USC in Fiesta Bowl". The Arizona Republic. January 2, 1982. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Eugene-Register Guard. 1981 Oct 11.
- ^ John Feinstein (November 29, 1981). "Penn State Stuns No. 1 Pitt. 48-14. Bryant Wins No. 315". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
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National championship seasons in bold |