1981 North Dakota State Bison football
NCC champion
ConferenceNorth Central Conference
Record10–3 (7–0 NCC)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorMike Daly (3rd season)
Home stadiumDacotah Field
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 North Dakota State $^ 7 – 0 – 0 10 – 3 – 0
North Dakota 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Northern Colorado 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
South Dakota * 3 – 3 – 1 5 – 6 – 0
Nebraska–Omaha 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
South Dakota State * 2 – 4 – 1 4 – 6 – 0
Morningside 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Augustana (SD) 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
  • * – South Dakota and South Dakota State split two head-to-head games, which counted as a tie for each team in the conference standings.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 North Dakota State Bison football team was an American football team that represented North Dakota State University during the 1981 NCAA Division II football season as a member of the North Central Conference. In their third year under head coach Don Morton, the team compiled a 10–3 record, finished as NCC champion, and lost to Southwest Texas State in the NCAA Division II Championship Game.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5at Northern Michigan*
L 0–385,806[1]
September 12at Northern Arizona*
L 17–2311,750[2]
September 19at Northern Colorado
W 17–71,987[3]
September 26No. 1 North Dakota
W 31–714,100[4]
October 3at Morningside
W 34–03,000[5]
October 10South Dakota State
W 49–247,600[6]
October 17Augustana (SD)
  • Dacotah Field
  • Fargo, ND
W 21–149,250[7]
October 24at South DakotaNo. 10
W 43–76,800[8]
October 31Nebraska–OmahaNo. 9
  • Dacotah Field
  • Fargo, ND
W 14–07,350[9]
November 7Simon Fraser*No. 8
  • Dacotah Field
  • Fargo, ND
W 42–73,600[10]
November 28at No. 3 Puget Sound*No. 6
W 24–104,500[11]
December 5at No. 8 Shippensburg*No. 6
W 18–67,400[12]
December 12vs. No. 4 Southwest Texas State*No. 6
L 13–429,415[13]

[14]

References

  1. ^ "Wildcats claw ND State, 38–0". Detroit Free Press. September 6, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "NAU holds off N.D. State for 23–17 victory". Arizona Daily Star. September 13, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Bison drop UNC". Rapid City Journal. September 20, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Nellermore stars". Rapid City Journal. September 27, 1980. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "North Dakota State trims Morningside". The Des Moines Register. October 4, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "North Dakota St. beats Law-less SDSU". Argus-Leader. October 11, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "NDSU holds off Augustana". Argus-Leader. October 18, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Bison beat Coyotes, claim NCC championship". Rapid City Journal. October 25, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "N. Dak St. 14, UNO 0". The Lincoln Star. November 1, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Bison buries Clan". The Province. November 8, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Bison veer, Logger mistakes add up: 24–10, NDS". The News Tribune. November 29, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "North Dakota State eliminates Shippensburg". Sunday-The Daily News. December 6, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Southwest Texas reigns". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. December 13, 1981. Retrieved October 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Final 1981 Cumulative Football Statistics Report". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 8, 2022.


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