The 1981 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its fourth season under head coach Dwight Wallace, the team compiled a 4–7 record (2–6 against MAC opponents) and finished in eighth place out of ten teams in the conference.[1][2] The team played its home games at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana.
| 1981 Ball State Cardinals football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Mid-American Conference |
| Record | 4–7 (2–6 MAC) |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Ball State Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Toledo $ | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (OH) | 6 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Central Michigan | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling Green | 5 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Michigan | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ohio | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kent State | 3 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ball State | 2 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northern Illinois | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Michigan | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 11 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team's statistical leaders included Doug Freed with 1,517 passing yards, Terry Lymon with 633 rushing yards, Stevie Nelson with 635 receiving yards, and Mike Schafer with 49 points scored.[3]
Schedule
edit| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | McNeese State* | W 24–21 | 14,337 | [4] | |||
| September 19 | at Toledo | L 0–40 | 19,204 | [5] | |||
| September 26 | at Ohio | L 27–30 | [6] | ||||
| October 3 | Northern Illinois |
| W 23–0 | 16,879 | [7] | ||
| October 10 | at Indiana State* | L 7–31 | [8] | ||||
| October 17 | Kent State |
| L 7–17 | [9] | |||
| October 24 | at Western Michigan | L 3–14 | 14,027 | [10] | |||
| October 31 | Eastern Michigan |
| W 35–13 | 5,122 | [11] | ||
| November 7 | Bowling Green |
| L 10–14 | [12] | |||
| November 14 | Central Michigan |
| L 7–28 | [13] | |||
| November 21 | at Illinois State* | W 14–10 | 4,832 | [14] | |||
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References
edit- ↑ "2007 Ball State Football Media Guide". Ball State University. 2007. p. 98. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ↑ "1981 Ball State Cardinals Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ↑ "1981 Ball State Cardinals Statistics". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
- ↑ "BSU tops McNeese St. behind Freed, 24–21". The Indianapolis Star. September 13, 1981. Retrieved March 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Toledo humbles Ball State, 40–0, in MAC opener". The Muncie Star. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Bobcats edge Ball State". Palladium-Item. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Ball State blanks MAC for No. Illinois, 23–0". The Indianapolis Star. October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Sycamores rip Ball State, 31–7". Palladium-Item. October 11, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Boise is busy in BSU defeat". Chronicle Tribune. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Broncos rally to stay in race". The Muskegon Chronicle. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Cardinals thump Eastern Michigan". The Muncie Star. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Sputtering Cardinals fall again as Bowling Green gets 14–10 win". Anderson Herald. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Mitchell lifts Chippewas". Detroit Free Press. November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Ball State defense stiffens to secure a winning finale". The Muncie Star. November 22, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.