1981 Southwest Texas State Bobcats football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1981

| team = Southwest Texas State Bobcats

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Lone Star Conference

| short_conf = LSC

| record = 13–1

| conf_record = 6–1

| head_coach = Jim Wacker

| hc_year = 3rd

| off_scheme = I formation

| def_coach = Tom Mueller

| dc_year = 3rd

| def_scheme = 5–2

| captain =

| stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| champion = NCAA Division II champion
LSC champion

| bowl = NCAA Division II Championship Game

| bowl_result = W 42–13 vs. North Dakota State

}}

The 1981 Southwest Texas State Bobcats football team was an American football team that represented Southwest Texas State University—now known as Texas State University–as a member of the Lone Star Conference (LSC) during the 1981 NCAA Division II football season. The Bobcats played their home games at the newly opened Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos, Texas. Led by third-year head coach Jim Wacker, Southwest Texas State compiled an overall record of 13–1 and claimed the LSC title with a conference mark of 6–1. They won the NCAA Division II Football Championship with a win over North Dakota State, 42–13, in the Palm Bowl.{{cite web |last=DeLassus |first=David |url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/t/texas_state/1980-1984_yearly_results.php |title=1980-1984 - Southwest Texas St. Yearly Results |publisher=College Football Data Warehouse |year=2016 |accessdate=July 18, 2016 |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905184453/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/t/texas_state/1980-1984_yearly_results.php |url-status=dead }}{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86385336/southwest-texas-reigns/|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Southwest Texas reigns|date=December 13, 1981|accessdate=October 2, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1981

| rankdivision = NCAA Division II

| poll = NCAA Division II Football Committee

| timezone = Central

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 5

| time =

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Prairie View A&M

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| score = 56–0

| attend = 8,500

| source = {{cite news|title=SWT shows no mercy to Prairie View|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98261477/swt-shows-no-mercy-to-prairie-view/|newspaper=The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise|date=September 6, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 12

| time =

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Texas Lutheran Bulldogs|title=Texas Lutheran}}

| site_stadium = Bulldog Stadium

| site_cityst = Seguin, TX

| score = 59–0

| attend = 7,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Bobcats cruise past TLC in 59–0 victory|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98261586/bobcats-cruise-past-tlc-in-590-victory/|newspaper=The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise|date=September 13, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 19

| time =

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Southeastern Louisiana

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| score = 35–10

| attend = 10,000

| source = {{cite news|title=SWT wins with 2nd half spurt|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98261761/swt-wins-with-2nd-half-spurt/|newspaper=San Angelo Standard-Times|date=September 20, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 26

| time =

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank = 3

| opponent = Lamar

| site_stadium = Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Beaumont, TX

| score = 24–7

| attend = 17,050

| source = {{cite news|title=SWT trips Lamar|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98261867/swt-trips-lamar/|newspaper=The Corpus Christi Caller-Times|date=September 27, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 10

| time =

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Howard Payne Yellow Jackets|title=Howard Payne}}

| site_stadium = Gordon Wood Stadium

| site_cityst = Brownwood, TX

| score = 41–0

| attend = 3,500

| source = {{cite news|title=Southwest Texas 41, Howard Payne 0|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262028/southwest-texas-41-howard-payne-0/|newspaper=The Odessa American|date=October 11, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 17

| time =

| w/l = w

| rank = 1

| opponent = Sam Houston State

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 38–14

| attend = 11,211

| source = {{cite news|title=Southwest Texas rips Sam Houston, 38–14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262130/southwest-texas-rips-sam-houston-3814/|newspaper=Corpus Christi Caller-Times|date=October 18, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 24

| time =

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks|title=Stephen F. Austin}}

| site_stadium = Lumberjack Stadium

| site_cityst = Nacogdoches, TX

| score = 38–6

| attend = 12,137

| source = {{cite news|title=SWT rips SFA, 38–6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262199/swt-rips-sfa-386/|newspaper=The Tyler Courier-Times|date=October 25, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 31

| time =

| w/l = w

| rank = 1

| opponent = East Texas State

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| score = 38–7

| attend = 10,000–10,899

| source = {{cite news|title=SWT rolls over East Texas, 38–7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262339/swt-rolls-over-east-texas-387/|newspaper=Austin American-Statesman|date=November 1, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1981 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (East Texas State) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/199/stats/13169 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=July 4, 2022 }}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 7

| time =

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Angelo State Rams|title=Angelo State}}

| site_stadium = San Angelo Stadium

| site_cityst = San Angelo, TX

| score = 31–7

| attend = 13,000

| source = {{cite news|title=No. 1 Southwest Texas batters Angelo State|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262463/no-1-southwest-texas-batters-angelo-sta/|newspaper=San Angelo Standard-Times|date=November 8, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 14

| time =

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Abilene Christian Wildcats|title=Abilene Christian}}

| opprank = T–10

| site_stadium = Shotwell Stadium

| site_cityst = Abilene, TX

| score = 38–31

| attend = 13,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Pass interception wins for SW Texas|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262581/pass-interception-wins-for-sw-texas/|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=November 15, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 21

| time =

| w/l = l

| rank = 1

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1981|team=Texas A&I Javelinas|title=Texas A&I}}

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| score = 14–21

| attend = 17,600

| source = {{cite news|title=Texas A&I nabs upset victory|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262681/texas-ai-nabs-upset-victory/|newspaper=The Tyler Courier-Times|date=November 22, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 28

| time =

| w/l = w

| rank = 4

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Jacksonville State

| opprank = 5

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| gamename = NCAA Division II Quarterfinal

| score = 38–22

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|title=Bobcats rock 'good' JSU|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262775/bobcats-rock-good-jsu/|newspaper=The Anniston Star|date=November 29, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 5

| time =

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 4

| opponent = Northern Michigan

| opprank = 1

| site_stadium = Bobcat Stadium

| site_cityst = San Marcos, TX

| gamename = NCAA Division II Semifinal

| score = 62–0

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|title=SWT in 'Cat' fight Saturday: Face Northern Michigan|newspaper=The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise|date=December 3, 1981|page=4A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seguin-gazette-enterprise-swt-in-ca/133484480/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Southwest Texas crushes NMU, 62–0|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262890/southwest-texas-crushes-nmu-620/|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=December 6, 1981|access-date=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 12

| time =

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| rank = 4

| opponent = North Dakota State

| opprank = 6

| site_stadium = McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = McAllen, TX

| gamename = NCAA Division II Championship—Palm Bowl

| score = 42–13

| attend = 9,415

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86385336/southwest-texas-reigns/|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Southwest Texas reigns|date=December 13, 1981|accessdate=March 23, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

{{cite web |author= |title=Final 1981 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Southwest Texas State) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/670/stats/13169 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=July 4, 2022 }}