From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 |
---|
September 12 | 1:30 p.m. |
Cincinnati | No. 9 | |
ESPN (tape delay) | W 52–0 | 84,342 | |
September 26 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 15
Nebraska | No. 3 | | ESPN (tape delay) | W 30–24 | 76,308 | |
October 3 | 1:30 p.m. |
Temple | No. 2 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| | W 30–0 | 84,562 | |
October 10 | 1:30 p.m. |
Boston College | No. 2 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA
| ESPN (tape delay) | W 38–7 | 84,473 | |
October 17 | 1:30 p.m. | at
Syracuse | No. 2 | | | W 41–16 | 50,037 | |
October 24 | 1:30 p.m. |
West Virginia | No. 1 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (
rivalry)
| ESPN (tape delay) | W 30–7 | 85,012 |
[3] |
October 31 | 4:00 p.m. | at
Miami (FL) | No. 1 | |
ABC | L 14–17 | 32,117 | |
November 7 | 1:00 p.m. | at
NC State | No. 6 | | | W 22–15 | 48,800 |
[4] |
November 14 | 12:20 p.m. | No. 6
Alabama | No. 5 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (
rivalry)
| ABC regional | L 16–31 | 85,133 |
[5] |
November 21 | 1:00 p.m. |
Notre Dame | No. 13 | - Beaver Stadium
- University Park, PA (
rivalry)
| ESPN (tape delay) | W 24–21 | 84,175 | |
November 28 | 12:25 p.m. | at No. 1
Pittsburgh | No. 11 | | ABC | W 48–14 | 60,260 | |
| 1:30 p.m. | vs. No. 8
USC | No. 7 | |
NBC | W 26–10 | 71,053 | |
|
Roster
1981 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
|
Defense
|
Special teams
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
-
Injured
-
Redshirt
Roster
|
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 |
---|
| 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 |
|
[6]
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 |
---|
| 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 |
|
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.
[7]
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 |
|
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.
-
^
"Warner substitute leads Penn State past W. Va". Sunday News Journal. October 25, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 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.
-
^ 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.
|
---|
Venues | |
---|
Bowls & rivalries | |
---|
Culture & lore | |
---|
People | |
---|
Seasons | |
---|
National championship seasons in bold |