1981 Indiana Hoosiers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1981
| team = Indiana Hoosiers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Ten Conference
| short_conf = Big Ten
| record = 3–8
| conf_record = 3–6
| head_coach = Lee Corso
| hc_year = 9th
| off_coach =
| oc_year =
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Ron Corradini
| dc_year = 1st
| def_scheme =
| mvp = Bob Stephenson
| captain = Bob Stephenson
| captain2 = Craig Walls
| stadium = Memorial Stadium
}}
{{1981 Big Ten Conference football standings}}
The 1981 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented the Indiana Hoosiers in the 1981 Big Ten Conference football season. They participated as members of the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. The team was coached by Lee Corso, in his ninth year as head coach of the Hoosiers.
Several Indiana players ranked among the Big Ten leaders, including the following:
- Quarterback Babe Laufenberg ranked third in the conference with a 57.1% pass completion percentage, fifth with 1,788 passing yards, and sixth with a 118.5 passing efficiency rating.{{cite web|title=1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=November 19, 2016|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/big-ten/1981.html}}
- Wide receiver Duane Gunn led the conference with an average of 21.2 yards per reception and 27.3 yards per kickoff return and sixth with 656 receiving yards.
- Marc Longshore ranked fifth in the conference with four interceptions.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1981
| poll = AP
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 12
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Northwestern
| site_stadium = Dyche Stadium
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| score = 21–20
| attend = 22,856
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-south-bend-tribune-iu-lets-cat-ou/158365700/|work=The South Bend Tribune|title=I.U. lets 'Cat out of the bag|date=September 13, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 19
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = USC
| opprank = 2
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| tv = ONTV
| score = 21–0
| attend = 51,167
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chronicle-tribune-allen-runs-through-iu/158341592/|work=Chronicle Tribune|title=Allen runs through IU|date=September 20, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 26
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Syracuse
| site_stadium = Carrier Dome
| site_cityst = Syracuse, NY
| score = 7–21
| attend = 32,060
| source = {{cite news |author= |title=Syracuse runs past Indiana |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press/137576593/ |newspaper=The News-Press |location=Fort Myers, Florida |agency=Associated Press |date=September 27, 1981 |page=7C |access-date=December 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 3
| w/l = l
| opponent = Michigan
| opprank = 8
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| score = 17–38
| attend = 50,612
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-michigan-hammers-h/158366519/|work=Lansing State Journal|title=Michigan hammers Hoosiers|date=October 4, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 10
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Iowa
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Kinnick Stadium
| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA
| score = 28–42
| attend = 60,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/dayton-daily-news-iowa-zaps-indiana/158366595/|work=Dayton Daily News|title=Iowa zaps Indiana|date=October 11, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 17
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Minnesota
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| score = 17–16
| attend = 46,460
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kokomo-tribune-iu-squeezes-by-gopher/158366701/|work=The Kokomo Tribune|title=IU squeezes by Gophers, 17–16|date=October 18, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 24
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Ohio State
| site_stadium = Ohio Stadium
| site_cityst = Columbus, OH
| score = 10–29
| attend = 87,182
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-enquirer-atha-boots-bucks/158366772/|work=The Cincinnati Enquirer|title=Atha boots Bucks past Indiana, 29–10|date=October 25, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 31
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Michigan State
| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium
| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 3–26
| attend = 60,131
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-humming-spartans-rout/158366851/|work=Detroit Free Press|title=Humming Spartans rout Indiana, 26–3|date=November 1, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 7
| w/l = l
| opponent = Wisconsin
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| score = 7–28
| attend = 44,218
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/journal-and-courier-badgers-beat-hoosier/158366939/|work=Journal and Courier|title=Badgers beat Hoosiers, gain tie for Big Ten lead|date=November 8, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 14
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Illinois
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Champaign, IL
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 14–35
| attend = 56,143
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-illini-rout-indi/158367024/|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|title=Illini rout Indiana, 35–14|date=November 15, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 21
| w/l = w
| opponent = Purdue
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Bloomington, IN
| gamename = Old Oaken Bucket
| score = 20–17
| attend = 48,466
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/anderson-herald-classic-finish-returns-b/158367092/|work=Anderson Herald|title=Classic finish returns Bucket to Indiana|date=November 22, 1981|accessdate=November 3, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=1981 Indiana Hoosiers Schedule and Results |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/indiana/1981-schedule.html |website=College Football @ Sports-Reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference |access-date=December 28, 2023 }}{{cite web |author= |title=1981 Football Schedule |url=https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/football/schedule/1981 |publisher=Indiana University |access-date=December 28, 2023 }}{{cite web |author= |title=Indiana Football 2023 Record Book |url=https://static.iuhoosiers.com/custompages/pdf/fb/2023/23-FB-Record_Book_Full.pdf |publisher=Indiana University |page=15 |access-date=December 28, 2023 }}{{cite web|title=1981 Homecoming|publisher=Indiana Arbutus (yearboook)|access-date=October 14, 2015|url=http://www.static.getsnworks.com/ids/arbutus/1982/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814231747/http://static.getsnworks.com/ids/arbutus/1982/|archive-date=August 14, 2017}}
Game summaries
=Purdue=
Doug Smith kicked the go-ahead 39-yard field goal with 8:30 left in the game and Indiana's defense stopped two ensuing Purdue drives with interceptions to preserve the victory.
Roster
- WR Duane Gunn
- QB Babe Laufenberg, Jr.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Indiana Hoosiers football navbox}}
Category:Indiana Hoosiers football seasons
{{collegefootball-1981-season-stub}}