1981 Drake Bulldogs football
MVC co-champion
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record10–1 (5–1 MVC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJohn Hancock (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorMaury Waugh (1st season)
Home stadiumDrake Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Drake + 5 – 1 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Tulsa + 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Southern Illinois 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
West Texas State 3 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Wichita State 3 – 3 – 1 4 – 6 – 1
Indiana State 2 – 4 – 1 5 – 5 – 1
New Mexico State 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Illinois State 0 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1981 Drake Bulldogs football team represented the Drake University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Chuck Shelton, Drake compiled an overall record of 10–1 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, sharing the MVC title with Tulsa.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 51:30 p.m.Northern Iowa
W 39–30[1]
September 121:30 p.m.Indiana State
  • Drake Stadium
  • Des Moines, IA
W 17–1412,230[2]
September 191:30 p.m.Western Illinois
  • Drake Stadium
  • Des Moines, IA
W 21–610,185[3]
September 261:30 p.m.at Kansas State*
W 18–1731,220
October 31:30 p.m.Long Beach State*dagger
  • Drake Stadium
  • Des Moines, IA
W 18–716,730[4]
October 101:30 p.m.at Wichita State
W 24–2324,914[5]
October 241:30 p.m.West Texas State
  • Drake Stadium
  • Des Moines, IA
W 21–1313,849[6]
October 317:30 p.m.at Tulsa
L 6–5919,741
November 71:30 p.m.at Southern Illinois
W 22–1717,000
November 141:30 p.m.at Illinois State
W 13–107,514[7]
November 211:00 p.m.Nebraska–Omaha*
  • Drake Stadium
  • Des Moines, IA
W 53–0

References

  1. ^ Missouri Valley Conference 75 1981 Football/Anniversary Issue. Missouri Valley Conference. p. Page 7.
  2. ^ "Mike-Mayer kick lifts Drake, 17–14". The Des Moines Register. September 13, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Grett, Wayne (September 20, 1981). "Unbeaten Drake pins Leathernecks, 21-6". Des Moines Register. p. 1D. Retrieved November 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "The Rain Helps End a Reign as Long Beach Loses, 18-7". The Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. October 4, 1981. p. III-3. Retrieved February 10, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  5. ^ "Another big finish lifts unbeaten Drake, 24–23". The Des Moines Register. October 11, 1981. Retrieved February 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Unbeaten Bulldogs do it again, 21–13". The Des Moines Register. October 25, 1981. Retrieved May 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Drake downs Illinois State". The Rock Island Argus. November 15, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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