1981 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

1981 Eastern Illinois Panthers football
Mid-Con co-champion
ConferenceAssociation of Mid-Continent Universities
Record6–5 (2–1 Mid-Con)
Head coach
Home stadiumO'Brien Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Association of Mid-Continent Universities football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Northern Iowa + 2 – 1 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Eastern Illinois + 2 – 1 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Western Illinois + 2 – 1 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Southwest Missouri State 0 – 3 – 0 3 – 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 12Southwest Missouri State
W 23–14[5]
September 19at Northeast Missouri State*
L 14–21[6]
September 26Central State (OH)*
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 58–0[7]
October 10at Illinois State*
L 3–257,808[8]
October 17Western 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 7Ferris State*
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 42–14[12]
November 14Indiana State*
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
L 14–27[13]
November 21Delaware State*
  • O'Brien Stadium
  • Charleston, IL
W 24–16[14]
  • *Non-conference game

[15]

References

  1. ^ "EIU linemen inexperienced". Journal Gazette. August 15, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "Eastern faces task of rebuilding both lines". Journal Gazette. August 15, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "EIU coach disappointed". Journal Gazette. November 27, 1981 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  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 icon
  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 icon
  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.