1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Record4–7 (1–5 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorEd Zaunbrecher (2nd season)
CaptainGame captains
Home stadiumGroves Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Clemson $ 6 – 0 – 0 12 – 0 – 0
No. 9 North Carolina 5 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
Maryland 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 6 – 1
Duke 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
NC State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Wake Forest 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Virginia 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team was an American football team that represented Wake Forest University during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first season under head coach Al Groh, the Demon Deacons compiled a 4–7 record and finished in sixth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.[1]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5South Carolina*
L 6–2329,300[2]
September 12NC State
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry)
L 23–2829,000[3]
September 19at Auburn*
W 24–2163,000[4]
September 26at Virginia Tech*
L 14–3042,200[5]
October 3Appalachian State*
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
W 15–1424,500[6]
October 10at No. 5 North Carolina
L 10–4851,692[7]
October 17Maryland
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
L 33–4524,500[8]
October 24at Virginia
W 24–2124,222[9]
October 31at No. 2 Clemson
L 24–8260,383[10]
November 7Duke
L 10–3122,000[11]
November 14at Richmond*
W 34–2215,285[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
RB 23 Wayne McMillan
WR 88 Tim Ryan
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Team leaders

Category Team Leader Att/Cth Yds
Passing Gary Schofield 241/404 2,572
Rushing Wayne McMillan 90 407
Receiving Phil Denfeld 51 461

References

  1. ^ "1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  2. ^ "S. Carolina drops Wake Forest". The Selma Times-Journal. September 6, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Freshman guns Wolfpack 28–23". The State. September 13, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Schofield rallies Wake to 24–21 win at Auburn". The Charlotte Observer. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Va. Tech passing throws Deacons for a 30–14 loss". The Charlotte Observer. September 27, 1981. Retrieved December 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Deacs' comeback stops Apps". The News and Observer. October 4, 1981. Retrieved December 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tar Heels crush Deacons, 48–10". Anderson Independent-Mail. October 11, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Terps survive Deacs' barrage". The Roanoke Times & World-News. October 18, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Schofield pasing leads Deacons over Cavaliers, 24–21". The Times and Democrat. October 25, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Clemson 'pushes' past Deacs". Asheville Citizen-Times. November 1, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Rush-minded Devils crush defenseless Wake". The Danville Register. November 8, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Deacs outscore Richmond". Rocky Mount Telegram. November 16, 1981. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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