1981 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

Last updated

1981 Eastern Illinois Panthers football
Mid-Con co-champion
Conference Association of Mid-Continent Universities
Record6–5 (2–1 Mid-Con)
Head coach
Home stadium O'Brien Stadium
Seasons
←  1980
1982  →
1981 Association of Mid-Continent Universities football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Northern Iowa + 2 –1 –07 –4 –0
Eastern Illinois + 2 –1 –06 –5 –0
Western Illinois + 2 –1 –05 –6 –0
Southwest Missouri State 0 –3 –03 –5 –2
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1981 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Association of Mid-Continent Universities during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season, and completed the 80th season of Panther football. The Panthers were led by fourth-year head coach Darrell Mudra and played their home games at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Illinois. Eastern Illinois finished the season with an overall record of 6–5 and shared the conference title with Northern Iowa and Western Illinois. [1] [2] [3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5at South Dakota *
W 19–17 [4]
September 12 Southwest Missouri State
W 23–14 [5]
September 19at Northeast Missouri State *
L 14–21 [6]
September 26 Central State (OH) *
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 58–0 [7]
October 10at Illinois State *
L 3–257,808 [8]
October 17 Western Illinois
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 20–85,000 [9]
October 24at Youngstown State *
L 16–48 [10]
October 31at Northern Iowa
L 17–38 [11]
November 7 Ferris State *
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 42–14 [12]
November 14 Indiana State *
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
L 14–27 [13]
November 21 Delaware State *
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 24–16 [14]
  • *Non-conference game

[15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrell Mudra</span> American football coach (1929–2022)

Darrell E. Mudra Sr., nicknamed "Dr. Victory", was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Adams State College (1959–1962), North Dakota State University (1963–1965), the University of Arizona (1967–1968), Western Illinois University (1969–1973), Florida State University (1974–1975), Eastern Illinois University (1978–1982), and the University of Northern Iowa (1983–1987), compiling a career college football record of 200–81–4. Mudra was also the head coach of the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for one season in 1966. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2000.

The 1978 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University during the 1978 NCAA Division II football season, and completed the 78th season of Panther football. The Panthers played their home games at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Illinois. The 1978 team came off a 1–10 record from the previous season. The 1978 team was led by coach Darrell Mudra. The team finished the regular season with a 9–2 record and made the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Panthers defeated Delaware, 10–9, in the National Championship Game en route to the program's first NCAA Division II Football Championship.

The 1970 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as an independent during the 1970 NCAA College Division football season. The Panthers played their home games at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Illinois. Led by sixth-year head coach Clyde Biggers, they compiled a 2–8 record.

The 1986 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference (GCAC) during the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Al Molde, the Panthers played their home games at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, Illinois. Eastern Illinois finished the season with an overall record of 11–2 and won the GCAC title with a mark of 5–1 in conference play. The team was invited to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they beat Murray State in the first round before losing to Eastern Kentucky in the quarterfinals.

The 2000 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 14th-year head coach Bob Spoo, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 8–4, finishing second in OVC with a conference mark of 6–1. Eastern Illinois was invited to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Montana. The Bobcats were ranked 17th in the final Sports Network poll. Their starting quarterback, Tony Romo, went on to play 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL).

The 2001 Eastern Illinois Panthers represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2001 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 15th-year head coach Bob Spoo, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 9–2, winning the OVC title with a conference mark of 6–1. Eastern Illinois was invited to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Northern Iowa. The Bobcats were ranked ninth in the final Sports Network poll.

The 1968 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team was an American football team that represented Eastern Illinois University in the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1968 NCAA College Division football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Clyde Biggers, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 4–5 with a mark of 1–2 in conference play, tying for third place in the IIAC. The team played its home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois.

The 1955 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois State College—now known as Eastern Illinois University—as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1955 college football season. Led by Maynard O'Brien in his ninth and final year head coach, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 3–6 with a mark of 1–5 in conference play, placing sixth in the IIAC.

The 2007 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The team was led by 20th-year head coach Bob Spoo and played their home games at O'Brien Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with an 8–4 record overall and a 7–1 record in conference play. The team received an at-large bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where they lost to Southern Illinois in the first round. Eastern Illinois was ranked No. 18 in The Sports Network's postseason ranking of NCAA Division I FCS teams.

The 1969 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1969 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Clyde Biggers and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 2–7 record overall and an 0–3 record in conference play.

The Chicago Circle Chikas football team represented the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (UICC) from the 1965 through 1973 season. Between 1950 through 1964, UICC was known as University of Illinois Chicago Undergraduate Division located at Navy Pier, and competed as a junior college. Known as the Chicago Illini during their years competing at Navy Pier, with the move to their new campus, the athletic teams were inspired by the Chickasaw and renamed Chikas. UICC played its home games at multiple stadiums throughout their history with the most recent being Soldier Field. The Chikas program was dropped by the University at the conclusion of their 1973 season.

The 1967 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1967 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by third-year head coach Clyde Biggers and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 2–6–1 record overall and a 1–2 record in conference play.

The 1966 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1966 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by second-year head coach Clyde Biggers and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 1–6–1 record overall and a 1–1–1 record in conference play.

The 1965 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1965 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by first-year head coach Clyde Biggers and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 3–5 record overall and a 1–3 record in conference play.

The 1964 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1964 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by eighth-year head coach Ralph Kohl and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 3–6 record overall and a 1–3 record in conference play.

The 1963 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1963 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by seventh-year head coach Ralph Kohl and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 2–7 record overall and a 1–3 record in conference play.

The 1962 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1962 NCAA College Division football season. The team was led by sixth-year head coach Ralph Kohl and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 1–7 record overall and an 0–4 record in conference play.

The 1961 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1961 college football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Ralph Kohl and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 4–3–1 record overall and a 3–2–1 record in conference play.

The 1960 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1960 college football season. The team was led by fourth-year head coach Ralph Kohl and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers finished the season with a 2–7 record overall and a 1–5 record in conference play.

The 1957 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team represented Eastern Illinois University as a member of the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) during the 1957 college football season. The team was led by first-year head coach Ralph Kohl and played their home games at Lincoln Field in Charleston, Illinois. The Panthers lost every game they played, finishing the season with a 0–8 record overall and a 0–6 record in conference play.

References

  1. ↑ "EIU linemen inexperienced". Journal Gazette . August 15, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. ↑ "Eastern faces task of rebuilding both lines". Journal Gazette . August 15, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ "EIU coach disappointed". Journal Gazette . November 27, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. ↑ "Late field goal try misses; USD falls". The Sioux City Journal. September 6, 1981. Retrieved October 29, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Christensen, Eastern post 23–14 victory". The Pantagraph. September 13, 1981. Retrieved October 29, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Interceptions choke Eastern Illinois 21–14". Herald and Review. September 20, 1981. Retrieved October 29, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "Eastern Illinois' aerial show routs Central State 58–0". The Belleville News-Democrat. September 27, 1981. Retrieved October 29, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Redbirds shock EIU crew". The Sunday Dispatch. October 11, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Eastern Illinois .............. 20 Western Illinois ............... 8". Springfield Leader and Press . October 18, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ "YSU Penguins score win". The Tribune. October 25, 1981. Retrieved October 29, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Eastern Illinois loses". The Southern Illinoisan . Associated Press. November 1, 1981. p. 14. Retrieved November 13, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Eastern Illinois 42, Ferris State 14". The Flint Journal. November 8, 1981. Retrieved October 29, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Panthers lose 27-14". Journal Gazette . November 16, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  14. ↑ "Rowe shines as DelState drops finale". Sunday News Journal. November 22, 1981. Retrieved August 26, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "EIU Football Online Guide, 2019" (PDF). Eastern Illinois athletics. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
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