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1981 SMU Mustangs football team

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1981 SMU Mustangs football
Co-national champion (NCF)
SWC champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
APNo. 5
Record10–1 (7–1 SWC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeOption
Defensive coordinatorSteve Sidwell (6th season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumTexas Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 SMU $ 7 – 1 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 2 Texas 6 – 1 – 1 10 – 1 – 1
Houston 5 – 2 – 1 7 – 4 – 1
Arkansas 5 – 3 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Texas A&M 4 – 4 – 0 7 – 5 – 0
Rice 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Baylor 3 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
TCU 1 – 6 – 1 2 – 7 – 2
Texas Tech 0 – 7 – 1 1 – 9 – 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Ron Meyer in his sixth and final season as head coach, the Mustangs compiled an overall record 10–1 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the SWC title.

The Mustangs had been put on probation by the NCAA for recruiting violations and were banned from participating in any bowl game in 1981. Since SMU's performance would have given them an automatic berth in the Cotton Bowl Classic, the team decided to treat its final regular season game at Arkansas as their bowl game and nicknamed it the "Polyester Bowl". SMU defeated the Razorbacks 32–18.

SMU finished at No. 5 in the final AP Poll. Because its rules prevent schools under probation from being considered, the Mustangs were not ranked in the Coaches Poll at all during the season. At season's end, the Mustangs were recognized as one of five co-national champions by the National Championship Foundation (NCF).[1]: 112–114 

The team's offense scored 365 points while the defense allowed 137 points.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5Texas–Arlington*
W 48–020,130[2]
September 12North Texas State*
W 34–720,400[3]
September 19Grambling State*
  • Texas Stadium
  • Irving, TX
W 59–2745,700[4]
September 26at TCUNo. 20
W 20–925,862[5]
October 10BaylorNo. 14
  • Texas Stadium
  • Irving, TX
W 37–2033,110[6]
October 17at HoustonNo. 10
W 38–2236,892[7]
October 24No. 10 TexasNo. 8
  • Texas Stadium
  • Irving, TX
L 7–962,777[8]
October 31at Texas A&MNo. 13
W 27–762,646[9]
November 7RiceNo. 10
W 33–1228,750[10]
November 14Texas TechNo. 8
  • Texas Stadium
  • Irving, TX
W 30–624,410[11]
November 21at No. 16 ArkansasNo. 6
W 32–1843,842[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

Roster

[edit]
1981 SMU Mustangs football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
RB 19 Eric Dickerson Jr
FB 28 Charles Drayton Jr
OL 77 Perry Hartnett Sr
RB 32 Craig James Jr
QB 11 Lance McIlhenny So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DL 75 Harvey Armstrong Sr
DT 74 Michael Carter Jr
DL 99 Eric Ferguson Sr
DL Jerry Kovar  Jr
DB 20 James Mobley Sr
DB 29 Russell Carter So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 1 Eddie Garcia Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

[14]

Rankings

[edit]
See also: 1981 NCAA Division I-A football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre12345678910111213Final
AP———201514108131086655

Team players drafted into the NFL

[edit]
Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Perry Hartnett Tackle 5 116 Chicago Bears
Harvey Armstrong Defensive tackle 7 190 Philadelphia Eagles
Eddie Garcia Kicker 10 264 Green Bay Packers

[15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  2. ^ "Mustangs mash Mavericks". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 6, 1981. p. B1. Retrieved January 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "SMU runners slash NT, 34–7". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 13, 1981. Retrieved October 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Mustangs rally past Grambling, 59–27". Longview News-Journal. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Mustangs stay unbeaten by whipping TCU 20–9". Winston-Salem Journal. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "SMU tramples Baylor, 37–20". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "SMU rolls past Coogs, 38–22". The Victoria Advocate. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "UT bounces back with defense". Austin American-Statesman. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "SMU handles A&M, 27–7". Austin American-Statesman. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "SMU corrals Rice, 33–12". The Tyler Courier-Times. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "SMU eases by Texas Tech". The Galveston Daily News. November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "SMU belts Arkansas, rules SWC". St. Petersburg Times. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1981 SMU Mustangs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  14. ^ "1981 SMU Mustangs Roster". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  15. ^ "1982 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
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