1981 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1981

| team = Southwest Missouri State Bears

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Association of Mid-Continent Universities

| short_conf = Mid-Con

| record = 3–5–2

| conf_record = 0–3

| head_coach = Rich Johanningmeier

| hc_year = 6th

| captain =

| stadium = Briggs Stadium

}}

{{1981 Association of Mid-Continent Universities football standings}}

The 1981 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team represented Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) as a member of the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (Mid-Con) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by sixth-year head coach Rich Johanningmeier, the Bears compiled an overall record of 3–5–2, with a mark of 0–3 in conference play, and finished last in the Mid-Con.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1981

| rankdivision = NCAA Division II

| poll = NCAA Division II Football Committee

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 12

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Eastern Illinois

| site_stadium = O'Brien Field

| site_cityst = Charleston, IL

| score = 14–23

| attend =

| source = {{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pantagraph-christensen-eastern-post/158097498/|newspaper=The Pantagraph|title=Christensen, Eastern post 23–14 victory|date=September 13, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 19

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Harding Bisons|title=Harding}}

| site_stadium = Briggs Stadium

| site_cityst = Springfield, MO

| score = 21–18

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press-bears-hold/158098745/|work=The Springfield News-Leader|title=Bears hold on, claim first win|date=September 20, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 26

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Western Illinois

| site_stadium = Hanson Field

| site_cityst = Macomb, IL

| score = 7–19

| attend = 9,003

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review-western-wins-197/158098923/|work=Herald and Review|title=Western wins 19–7|date=September 27, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 3

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Southeast Missouri State Indians|title=Southeast Missouri State}}

| site_stadium = Briggs Stadium

| site_cityst = Springfield, MO

| score = 23–11

| attend = 6,900

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press-bears-click/158099125/|work=The Springfield News-Leader|title=Bears click, win 2nd|date=October 4, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 10

| w/l = t

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Central Missouri State Mules|title=Central Missouri State}}

| site_stadium = Kennedy Field

| site_cityst = Warrensburg, MO

| score = 6–6

| attend = 8,000

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-sw-missouri-ties-ce/158099362/|work=The Kansas City Star|title=SW Missouri ties Central in second half|date=October 11, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 24

| w/l = l

| opponent = Northern Iowa

| site_stadium = Briggs Stadium

| site_cityst = Springfield, MO

| score = 17–20

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-northern-iowa-ra/158097003/|work=The Des Moines Register|title=Northern Iowa rally upends S.W. Missouri|date=October 25, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 31

| w/l = l

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Northeast Missouri State Bulldogs|title=Northeast Missouri State}}

| site_stadium = Stokes Stadium

| site_cityst = Kirksville, MO

| score = 20–27

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-ottes-2-tds-pa/158099635/|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|title=Otte's 2 TD's pace Northeast Mo., 27–20|date=November 1, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 7

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=North Alabama Lions|title=North Alabama}}

| site_stadium = Briggs Stadium

| site_cityst = Springfield, MO

| score = 21–28

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-selma-times-journal-north-alabama-wi/158099780/|work=The Selma Times-Journal|title=North Alabama wins|date=November 8, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 14

| w/l = w

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Lincoln Blue Tigers|title=Lincoln (MO)}}

| site_stadium = Dwight T. Reed Stadium

| site_cityst = Jefferson City, MO

| score = 47–7

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press-hedgepath-s/158099972/|work=The Springfield News-Leader|title=Hedgepath sparks SMS romp over Lincoln|date=November 15, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 21

| w/l = t

| away = y

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Nicholls State

| site_stadium = John L. Guidry Stadium

| site_cityst = Thibodaux, LA

| score = 20–20

| attend = 3,035

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-advertiser-nicholls-sw-missou/158032060/|work=The Daily Advertiser|title=Nicholls, SW Missouri play to 20–20 tie|date=November 22, 1981|accessdate=October 29, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

References

Southwest Missouri State

Category:Missouri State Bears football seasons

Southwest Missouri State Bears football