1981 Illinois State Redbirds football team

1981 Illinois State Redbirds football
Conference	Missouri Valley Conference
Record	3–7 (0–5 MVC)
Head coach	Bob Otolski (1st season)
MVP	Anthony Office
Captains	Willie Boyd Anthony Office Wade Mauland
Home stadium	Hancock Stadium
Seasons ←  1980 1982  →

1981 Missouri Valley Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Drake +	5	–	1	–	0			10	–	1	–	0
Tulsa +	5	–	1	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Southern Illinois	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
West Texas State	3	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Wichita State	3	–	3	–	1			4	–	6	–	1
Indiana State	2	–	4	–	1			5	–	5	–	1
New Mexico State	1	–	5	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Illinois State	0	–	5	–	0			3	–	7	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions

The 1981 Illinois State Redbirds football team was an American football team that represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Bob Otolski, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 3–7 with a mark of 0–5 in conference play, placing last out of eight teams in the MVC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 5	Western Illinois *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 31–7	9,179	[1]
September 19	Eastern Michigan *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	W 28–7	13,824	[2]
September 26	at Northern Illinois *	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	L 7–40	15,387	[3]
October 3	at Southern Illinois *	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	L 3–14	14,900	[4]
October 10	Eastern Illinois *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL (rivalry)	W 25–3	7,808	[5]
October 17	New Mexico State	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	L 10–20	11,134	[6]
October 24	at Indiana State	Memorial Stadium Terre Haute, IN	L 14–34	7,618	[7]
October 31	at Wichita State	Cessna Stadium Wichita, KS	L 7–28	8,120	[8]
November 14	Drake	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	L 10–13	7,514	[9]
November 21	Ball State *	Hancock Stadium Normal, IL	L 10–14	4,832	[10]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[11]

References

1. "ISU destroys Western". The Sunday Pantagraph. September 6, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
2. "Strong second half gives ISU triumph". The Sunday Pantagraph. September 20, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Law, Huskies pummel Redbirds". The Daily Chronicle. September 27, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Southern Ill. 14, Illinois St. 3". The Sunday Courier and Press. October 4, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Redbirds shock EIU crew". The Sunday Dispatch. October 11, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Hebert aids Ags in conference win". Albuquerque Journal. October 18, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Sycamores shellack Redbirds". The Sunday Courier and Press. October 25, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Prince paces Wichita by ISU". The Sunday Pantagraph. November 1, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Drake downs Illinois State". The Rock Island Argus. November 15, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Ball State defense stiffens to secure a winning finale". The Muncie Star. November 22, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
11. "1981 Illinois State Redbirds Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference . Retrieved August 17, 2022.