1981 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

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1981 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football
ConferenceIndependent
Record9–3
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorTed Kempski (14th season)
Offensive scheme Delaware Wing-T
Base defense 5–2
CaptainEd Braceland
Home stadium Delaware Stadium
Seasons
←  1980
1982  →
1981 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 8 Lafayette  – 9 –2 –0
No. 7 Delaware ^  – 9 –3 –0
No. 6 Tennessee State ^  – 9 –3 –0
Southeastern Louisiana  – 8 –3 –0
Lehigh  – 8 –3 –0
Nicholls State  – 5 –5 –1
Northwestern State  – 4 –6 –0
Bucknell  – 4 –6 –0
Northeastern  – 3 –7 –0
James Madison  – 3 –8 –0
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1981 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team was an American football team that represented the University of Delaware as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Delaware ended the regular season ranked No. 7 in the nation, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

In their 16th year under head coach Tubby Raymond, the Hens compiled a 9–3 record (9–2 regular season). Ed Braceland was the team captain.

Starting the year on a three-game winning streak, the Hens were ranked No. 1 in the first two weeks of the weekly rankings. Though they dropped out of the top 10 in the middle of the year, a strong ending to the season saw them climb back to No. 7 in time to qualify for the eight-team playoff.

Delaware played its home games at Delaware Stadium on the university campus in Newark, Delaware.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12 at Western Kentucky
W 38–14 13,000 [1]
September 19 Temple
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 13–7 22,379 [2]
September 24 at Princeton No. 1
W 61–8 10,110 [3]
October 3 Lehigh No. 1
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE (rivalry)
L 21–24 22,784 [4]
October 10 UMass No. T–7
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 38–15 19,581 [5]
October 17 Youngstown State No. T–6
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
L 21–24 18,645 [6]
October 24 Rhode Island Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 35–15 20,135 [7]
November 7 at Penn
W 40–6 10,117 [8]
November 14 Maine No. T–10
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 42–35 16,743 [9]
November 21 West Chester No. 8
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE (rivalry)
W 31–14 17,767 [10]
November 27 at Connecticut No. 7
W 35–26 5,084 [11]
December 5 at No. 1 Eastern Kentucky No. 7
L 28–35 8,100 [12]

References

  1. ↑ Tomashek, Tom (September 13, 1981). "Hens Ride 38-Point First Half to Victory". Sunday News Journal . Wilmington, Del. p. D-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ Simmons, Bill (September 20, 1981). "Delaware Massacres Princeton". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ Shister, Gail (September 27, 1981). "Delaware Overcomes Owls, 13-7". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 1-D – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Simmons, Bill (October 4, 1981). "Lehigh Rallies from Big Deficit, Beats Delaware". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-F – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Monahan, Bob (October 11, 1981). "UMass Thumped". Boston Sunday Globe . Boston, Mass. p. 71 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ Tomashek, Tom (October 18, 1981). "Hens Fall to Youngstown 24-21". Sunday News Journal . Wilmington, Del. p. D-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Tomashek, Tom (October 18, 1981). "Hens Climb from Hole, Overtake Rhode Island". Sunday News Journal . Wilmington, Del. p. D-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Simmons, Bill (November 8, 1981). "Delaware Routs Penn to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-F – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Simmons, Bill (November 15, 1981). "Delaware Fights Off Unrelenting Maine in Last Minute, 42-35". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-E – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Simmons, Bill (November 22, 1981). "Delaware Keeps Its Streak Alive, Whipping West Chester State, 31-14". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 10-E – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Tomashek, Tom (November 28, 1981). "Dougherty Rushes Hens Past UConn". The News Journal . Wilmington, Del. p. B-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Simmons, Bill (December 6, 1981). "Delaware Knocked Out of Playoffs". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-E – via Newspapers.com.
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