1981 NAIA Division I football season

1981 NAIA Division I football season
Regular season	August–November 1981
Postseason	December 5–19, 1981
National Championship	Burlington Memorial Stadium Burlington, NC
Champions	Elon (2)

The 1981 NAIA Division I football season, as part of the 1981 college football season in the United States and the 26th season of college football sponsored by the NAIA, was the 12th season of play of the NAIA's top division for football.

The season was played from August to November 1981 and culminated in the 1981 NAIA Division I Champion Bowl, played this year on December 19, 1981 at Burlington Memorial Stadium in Burlington, North Carolina (near the campus of Elon College).

Defending national champion Elon defeated Pittsburg State in the Champion Bowl, 3–0, to win their second NAIA national title.

Conference standings

1981 Central States Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 6 Pittsburg State $^ 7 – 0 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 No. 12 Missouri Western 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 0 Missouri Southern * 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 4 – 1 Kearney State 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Fort Hays State 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 5 – 0 Wayne State (NE) 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Washburn 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Emporia State 0 – 7 – 0 1 – 9 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant * – Missouri Southern forfeited a non-conference win over Evangel. Rankings from NAIA Division I poll	1981 Evergreen Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 15 Oregon Tech $ 4 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 Eastern Oregon 3 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Central Washington 2 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0 Western Oregon 1 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Western Washington 0 – 4 – 0 0 – 9 – 0 Southern Oregon *   –   6 – 4 – 0 $ – Conference champion * – Southern Oregon was ineligible for the conference titlepoll=NAIA Division I poll Rankings from AP Poll	1981 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T Grand Valley State $ 6 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0 No. 3 Hillsdale ^ 5 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0 Ferris State 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0 Wayne State (MI) 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 0 Northwood 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Saginaw Valley State 2 – 4 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Michigan Tech 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division I playoff participant Rankings from NAIA Division I poll
1981 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team W   L   T W   L   T No. 19 New Mexico Highlands $ 7 – 1 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Mesa 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 No. 20 Southern Utah 6 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 0 Western State (CO) 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0 Adams State 3 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 1 Fort Lewis 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0 Southern Colorado 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 6 – 0 Colorado Mines 2 – 5 – 1 3 – 5 – 1 Western New Mexico 1 – 7 – 0 1 – 8 – 0 $ – Conference champion Rankings from NAIA Division I poll

Conference champions

Conference	Champion	Record
Arkansas Intercollegiate	Central Arkansas	6–0
Central States	Pittsburg State	7–0
Evergreen	Oregon Tech	5–0
NIC	Moorhead State (MN)	6–0
Oklahoma	Northeastern State	3–1
RMAC	New Mexico Highlands	7–1
South Atlantic	Elon	6–1
WVIAC	Concord (WV) Fairmont State	7–1
WSUC	Wisconsin–Eau Claire	8–0

Postseason

Quarterfinals December 5, 1981 Campus sites

Semifinals December 12, 1981 Campus sites

1981 Champion Bowl December 19, 1981 Burlington, NC

Cameron†

48

Central Arkansas

24

Vacant

–

Pittsburg State

–

Moorhead State

13

Pittsburg State

14

Pittsburg State

0

Elon*

3

Hillsdale

14

Fairmont State

12

Hillsdale

13

Elon

41

Elon

38

Concord

8

• † Cameron was disqualified after their first round win over Central Arkansas after it was discovered they had been using ineligible players.

See also

• 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1981 NCAA Division II football season
• 1981 NCAA Division III football season