American college football season
The 1981 Stanford Cardinals football team represented Stanford University in the Pacific-10 Conference during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season . Led by second-year head coach Paul Wiggin , the Cardinal had an overall record of 4–7 (4–4 in Pac-10, tied for sixth), and played home games on campus at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California . Ranked in the preseason top twenty , Stanford opened with four losses and dropped six of its first seven games to incur their first losing season since 1963 .
From 1972 until November 17, 1981, Stanford's official nickname was Cardinals, in reference to one of the school colors , not the bird.[ 1] Cardinal .
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance Source September 12 12:20 p.m. at Purdue * No. 19 ABC L 19–2762,778 [ 2] September 19 1:00 p.m. San Jose State * USA L 6–2867,888 [ 3] September 26 1:00 p.m. No. 8 Ohio State * Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA ESPN L 19–2476,102 [ 4] October 3 7:00 p.m. at Arizona USA L 13–1741,110 [ 5] October 10 1:00 p.m. No. 17 UCLA Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA USA W 26–2370,103 [ 6] October 17 1:00 p.m. at No. 7 USC L 17–2576,291 [ 7] October 24 1:00 p.m. No. 17 Arizona State Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA L 36–6252,855 [ 8] October 31 1:30 p.m. at No. 18 Washington L 31–4255,856 [ 9] November 7 1:00 p.m. at Oregon State W 63–922,000 [ 10] November 14 1:00 p.m. Oregon Stanford Stadium Stanford, CA USA W 42–336,106 [ 11] November 21 1:00 p.m. California USA W 42–2184,536 [ 12] *Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Pacific time
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1981 Stanford Cardinal football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain(S) Suspended(I) Ineligible
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^ "What is the history of Stanford's mascot and nickname?" . Stanford Athletics website . Retrieved January 21, 2013 .^ "Smith's 3 TDs lead Purdue win" . The Kokomo Tribune . September 13, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Willhite leads San Jose State upset of Stanford, 28–6" . The Tampa Tribune-Times . September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Ohio State, Schlichter beat Stanford, Elway" . Chicago Tribune . September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Holland runs, passes Wildcats over Cardinals 17–13" . The Sacramento Bee . October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Stanford outlasts UCLA 26–23 in Pac-10 action" . The Idaho Statesman . October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "USC guns down Stanford, 25–17" . Mount Vernon Argus . October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Arizona State shells Stanford, 62–36" . Santa Cruz Sentinel . October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Huskies stamp Stanford 42–31" . The Sunday Oregonian . November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Remarkable Nelson rips OSU" . The Sunday Oregonian . November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Stanford dumps hapless Oregon" . The Modesto Bee . November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Nelson, Stanford have a really big game" . The Los Angeles Times . November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .^ "1981 Stanford Cardinal Schedule and Results" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 2, 2024 .^ "Starting lineups" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). November 7, 1981. p. 2B.^ "Starting lineups" . Eugene Register-Guard . (Oregon). November 14, 1981. p. 2B.
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