1981 Week 8 College Football Team Rankings

October 20, 1981By PowerUpRankings.com • Posted in 1981 Season Tags: • No Comments

1981 rankings calculated with the Classic formula (Ken's 2016-based hybrid, applied retroactively); records, NOW and game results come from James Howell's historical college football score archive.

entries per pageSearch:

Rank	Change	Rating	Team	Conf	Record	Win %	Place	NOW	Game Status
1	0	0.548	Pittsburgh (PITTSBURGH)	IND FBSI	5–0	1.000	1	+19	Beat Florida State 42–14
2	8	0.860	Iowa State (IOWA STATE)	IND B8	4–1–1	0.750	28	+17	Beat Missouri 34–13
3	1	0.874	Penn State (PENN STATE)	IND FBSI	5–0	1.000	1	+13	Beat Syracuse 41–16
4	1	0.898	North Carolina (NORTH CAROLINA)	ACC	6–0	1.000	1	+16	Beat NC State 21–10
5	-3	1.044	Arizona State (ARIZONA STATE)	PAC	5–1	0.833	13	+15	Beat California 45–17
6	-3	1.131	Missouri (MISSOURI)	IND B8	5–1	0.833	13	+15	Lost to Iowa State 13–34
7	8	1.263	SMU	IND SWC	6–0	1.000	1	+12	Beat Houston 38–22
8	10	1.297	Virginia Military Institute (VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE)	IND SOCON	4–0–1	0.900	11	+9	Tied App State 14–14
9	7	1.305	Clemson (CLEMSON)	ACC	6–0	1.000	1	+11	Beat Duke 38–10
10	10	1.312	Iowa (IOWA)	B10	5–1	0.833	13	+12	Beat Michigan 9–7
11	3	1.325	Washington State (WASHINGTON STATE)	PAC	5–0–1	0.917	9	+10	Tied UCLA 17–17
12	-3	1.333	Yale (YALE)	IND IVY	5–0	1.000	1	+9	Beat Columbia 48–17
13	-1	1.391	Hawai'i (HAWAII)	IND WAC	4–0	1.000	1	+8	Beat New Mexico 23–13
14	-3	1.439	Georgia (GEORGIA)	SEC	5–1	0.833	13	+12	Beat Vanderbilt 53–21
15	-2	1.540	Southern Miss (SOUTHERN MISS)	IND FBSI	5–0–1	0.917	9	+8	Beat Memphis 10–0
16	6	1.564	Nebraska (NEBRASKA)	IND B8	4–2	0.667	33	+9	Beat Kansas State 49–3
17	-9	1.571	Texas (TEXAS)	IND SWC	4–1	0.800	25	+8	Lost to Arkansas 11–42
18	9	1.605	BYU	IND WAC	6–1	0.857	12	+9	Beat San Diego State 27–7
19	5	1.676	USC	PAC	5–1	0.833	13	+7	Beat Stanford 25–17
20	-1	1.685	Drake (DRAKE)	IND MVC	6–0	1.000	1	+7	BYE
21	-14	1.695	San Diego State (SAN DIEGO STATE)	IND WAC	4–1	0.800	25	+8	Lost to BYU 7–27
22	34	1.709	Oklahoma (OKLAHOMA)	IND B8	2–2–1	0.500	62	+6	Beat Kansas 45–7
23	3	1.727	Mississippi State (MISSISSIPPI STATE)	SEC	5–1	0.833	13	+9	Beat Miami 14–10
24	8	1.730	West Virginia (WEST VIRGINIA)	IND FBSI	5–1	0.833	13	+7	Beat Virginia Tech 27–6
25	26	1.842	West Texas A&M (WEST TEXAS A&M)	IND MVC	5–2	0.714	30	+11	Beat Wichita State 23–17
26	4	1.859	UNLV	IND FBSI	4–2	0.667	33	+10	BYE
27	22	1.880	Miami (OH) (MIAMI (OH))	MAC	4–1–1	0.750	28	+8	Beat Western Michigan 20–19
28	-22	1.915	Wisconsin (WISCONSIN)	B10	4–2	0.667	33	+9	Lost to Michigan State 14–33
29	-8	1.920	Michigan (MICHIGAN)	B10	4–2	0.667	33	+7	Lost to Iowa 7–9
30	15	1.922	Arkansas (ARKANSAS)	IND SWC	5–1	0.833	13	+7	Beat Texas 42–11
31	8	1.930	Florida (FLORIDA)	SEC	5–2	0.714	30	+10	Beat Ole Miss 49–3
32	-9	2.027	Florida State (FLORIDA STATE)	IND FBSI	4–2	0.667	33	+9	Lost to Pittsburgh 14–42
33	-2	2.034	Washington (WASHINGTON)	PAC	5–1	0.833	13	+5	Beat Oregon State 56–17
34	14	2.048	Tennessee Chattanooga (TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA)	IND SOCON	5–1	0.833	13	+5	Beat Arkansas State 3–2
35	2	2.058	Alabama (ALABAMA)	SEC	5–1–1	0.786	27	+6	Beat Tennessee 38–19
36	-19	2.139	Miami (MIAMI)	IND FBSI	3–2	0.600	54	+7	Lost to Mississippi State 10–14
37	1	2.163	Utah (UTAH)	IND WAC	5–1	0.833	13	+2	Beat Colorado State 24–13
38	2	2.175	San José State (SAN JOSE STATE)	IND PCAA	5–1	0.833	13	+3	Beat CAL State Fullerton 45–23
39	3	2.194	Ohio State (OHIO STATE)	B10	4–2	0.667	33	+5	Beat Illinois 34–27
40	21	2.198	Temple (TEMPLE)	IND FBSI	4–2	0.667	33	+12	Beat Rutgers 24–12
41	11	2.280	Furman (FURMAN)	IND SOCON	4–2	0.667	33	+5	Beat James Madison 30–14
42	12	2.308	Wyoming (WYOMING)	IND WAC	4–2	0.667	33	+5	Beat UTEP 63–12
43	-9	2.343	Rutgers (RUTGERS)	IND FBSI	5–2	0.714	30	+4	Lost to Temple 12–24
44	-1	2.409	UCLA	PAC	3–2–1	0.583	56	+4	Tied Washington State 17–17
45	10	2.411	Navy (NAVY)	IND FBSI	4–2	0.667	33	+3	Beat Boston College 25–10
46	-11	2.439	Purdue (PURDUE)	B10	4–2	0.667	33	+2	Beat Northwestern 35–0
47	17	2.455	Toledo (TOLEDO)	MAC	4–2	0.667	33	+2	Beat Central Michigan 17–3
48	23	2.650	Mcneese State (MCNEESE STATE)	IND SLC	4–2	0.667	33	+1	Beat UL Monroe 41–25
49	-13	2.659	Houston (HOUSTON)	IND SWC	3–3	0.500	62	+5	Lost to SMU 22–38
50	-17	2.667	Virginia Tech (VIRGINIA TECH)	IND FBSI	4–2	0.667	33	+3	Lost to West Virginia 6–27
51	-4	2.688	NC State (NORTH CAROLINA STATE)	ACC	4–2	0.667	33	+5	Lost to North Carolina 10–21
52	-24	2.700	Minnesota (MINNESOTA)	B10	4–2	0.667	33	+1	Lost to Indiana 16–17
53	7	2.795	Army (ARMY)	IND FBSI	3–3	0.500	62	+2	Beat Princeton 34–0
54	-8	2.808	Illinois (ILLINOIS)	B10	3–3	0.500	62	+3	Lost to Ohio State 27–34
55	-2	2.810	Wichita State (WICHITA STATE)	IND MVC	3–3–1	0.500	62	+3	Lost to West Texas A&M 17–23
56	2	2.842	Arizona (ARIZONA)	PAC	4–2	0.667	33	+2	Beat Oregon 18–14
57	-28	2.869	Kansas (KANSAS)	IND B8	4–2	0.667	33	+3	Lost to Oklahoma 7–45
58	-33	2.930	Oklahoma State (OKLAHOMA STATE)	IND B8	3–2	0.600	54	+2	Lost to Colorado 10–11
59	-2	2.932	Duke (DUKE)	ACC	3–3	0.500	62	+3	Lost to Clemson 10–38
60	20	2.991	Baylor (BAYLOR)	IND SWC	4–3	0.571	57	+2	Beat Texas A&M 19–17
61	-17	3.003	Texas A&M (TEXAS A & M)	IND SWC	4–2	0.667	33	0	Lost to Baylor 17–19
62	12	3.087	Colgate (COLGATE)	IND FBSI	4–2	0.667	33	-3	Beat Lafayette 30–0
63	5	3.095	East Carolina (EAST CAROLINA)	IND FBSI	4–3	0.571	57	+3	Beat Louisiana 35–31
64	3	3.108	South Carolina (SOUTH CAROLINA)	IND FBSI	4–3	0.571	57	+1	Beat Virginia 21–3
65	12	3.148	Cincinnati (CINCINNATI)	IND FBSI	3–3	0.500	62	+10	Beat Richmond 27–18
66	-7	3.152	Tennessee (TENNESSEE)	SEC	3–3	0.500	62	+1	Lost to Alabama 19–38
67	-17	3.178	Arkansas State (ARKANSAS STATE)	IND SLC	3–3	0.500	62	-1	Lost to Tennessee Chattanooga 2–3
68	16	3.210	East Tennessee State (EAST TENNESSEE STATE)	IND SOCON	4–2	0.667	33	-2	Beat Western Carolina 34–23
69	12	3.244	Citadel (CITADEL)	IND SOCON	3–3	0.500	62	0	Beat Davidson 23–3
70	9	3.300	Southern Illinois (SOUTHERN ILLINOIS)	IND MVC	4–3	0.571	57	+6	Beat Fresno State 24–18
71	-9	3.326	Western Michigan (WESTERN MICHIGAN)	MAC	3–3	0.500	62	-1	Lost to Miami (OH) 19–20
72	6	3.383	TCU	IND SWC	2–3–1	0.417	86	+1	Tied Utah State 13–13
73	-32	3.431	Louisville (LOUISVILLE)	IND FBSI	4–3	0.571	57	+4	Lost to Tennessee State 30–42
74	2	3.510	Utah State (UTAH STATE)	IND PCAA	3–3–1	0.500	62	-1	Tied TCU 13–13
75	10	3.595	Rice (RICE)	IND SWC	3–3	0.500	62	-1	Beat Texas Tech 30–23
76	15	3.614	Kent State (KENT STATE)	MAC	3–3	0.500	62	-2	Beat Ball State 17–7
77	-5	3.630	Ole Miss (MISSISSIPPI)	SEC	3–4	0.429	84	+2	Lost to Florida 3–49
78	-15	3.640	UL Monroe (LOUISIANA MONROE)	IND FBSI	3–3	0.500	62	-3	Lost to Mcneese State 25–41
79	7	3.644	App State (APPALACHIAN STATE)	IND SOCON	3–3–1	0.500	62	-5	Tied Virginia Military Institute 14–14
80	-5	3.679	Notre Dame (NOTRE DAME)	IND FBSI	2–3	0.400	89	-1	BYE
81	12	3.684	Ohio (OHIO)	MAC	3–3	0.500	62	-4	Beat Eastern Michigan 29–7
82	-16	3.758	Boston College (BOSTON COLLEGE)	IND FBSI	1–4	0.200	111	+1	Lost to Navy 10–25
83	9	3.794	Auburn (AUBURN)	SEC	3–3	0.500	62	-4	Beat Georgia Tech 31–7
84	-11	3.795	California (CALIFORNIA)	PAC	1–5	0.167	115	-2	Lost to Arizona State 17–45
85	3	3.801	Maryland (MARYLAND)	ACC	2–3–1	0.417	86	-2	Beat Wake Forest 45–33
86	-17	3.849	Central Michigan (CENTRAL MICHIGAN)	MAC	3–3	0.500	62	-5	Lost to Toledo 3–17
87	17	4.011	Colorado (COLORADO)	IND B8	2–4	0.333	93	-1	Beat Oklahoma State 11–10
88	-23	4.186	Indiana State (INDIANA STATE)	IND MVC	2–3–1	0.417	86	-3	Lost to Tulsa 19–20
89	16	4.201	William & Mary (WILLIAM & MARY)	IND FBSI	2–4	0.333	93	-2	Beat Marshall 38–7
90	13	4.203	LSU	SEC	3–4	0.429	84	-4	Beat Kentucky 24–10
91	9	4.351	Tulsa (TULSA)	IND MVC	2–4	0.333	93	-5	Beat Indiana State 20–19
92	3	4.364	Stanford (STANFORD)	PAC	1–5	0.167	115	-5	Lost to USC 17–25
93	5	4.367	Texas Arlington (TEXAS-ARLINGTON)	IND SLC	2–4	0.333	93	-1	BYE
94	-24	4.454	Holy Cross (HOLY CROSS)	IND FBSI	3–3	0.500	62	+4	Lost to UConn 24–44
95	22	4.463	Indiana (INDIANA)	B10	2–4	0.333	93	-4	Beat Minnesota 17–16
96	24	4.522	Michigan State (MICHIGAN STATE)	B10	2–4	0.333	93	-5	Beat Wisconsin 33–14
97	10	4.543	Tulane (TULANE)	IND FBSI	2–4	0.333	93	-5	Beat Air Force 31–13
98	-16	4.565	Wake Forest (WAKE FOREST)	ACC	2–5	0.286	103	-4	Lost to Maryland 33–45
99	-16	4.673	Richmond (RICHMOND)	IND FBSI	2–5	0.286	103	-7	Lost to Cincinnati 18–27
100	11	4.757	Pacific (PACIFIC)	IND PCAA	2–4	0.333	93	-5	Beat Long Beach State 17–10
101	-5	4.773	Syracuse (SYRACUSE)	IND FBSI	1–4–1	0.250	108	-5	Lost to Penn State 16–41
102	20	4.786	Louisiana Tech (LOUISIANA TECH)	IND SLC	2–5	0.286	103	-7	Beat Lamar 16–7
103	-16	4.824	Lamar (LAMAR)	IND SLC	3–3	0.500	62	+2	Lost to Louisiana Tech 7–16
104	-10	4.873	Ball State (BALL STATE)	MAC	2–4	0.333	93	-6	Lost to Kent State 7–17
105	-3	4.895	CAL State Fullerton (CAL STATE FULLERTON)	IND PCAA	2–5	0.286	103	-7	Lost to San José State 23–45
106	-17	5.014	Illinois State (ILLINOIS STATE)	IND MVC	3–3	0.500	62	-12	Lost to New Mexico State 10–20
107	-17	5.066	Harvard (HARVARD)	IND IVY	2–3	0.400	89	-7	Lost to Dartmouth 10–24
108	-7	5.285	New Mexico (NEW MEXICO)	IND WAC	2–5	0.286	103	-10	Lost to Hawai'i 13–23
109	17	5.402	Dartmouth (DARTMOUTH)	IND IVY	2–3	0.400	89	-3	Beat Harvard 24–10
110	-2	5.426	Oregon (OREGON)	PAC	1–5	0.167	115	-9	Lost to Arizona 14–18
111	-2	5.493	Oregon State (OREGON STATE)	PAC	1–5	0.167	115	-7	Lost to Washington 17–56
112	-13	5.501	Kentucky (KENTUCKY)	SEC	1–5	0.167	115	-9	Lost to LSU 10–24
113	3	5.532	Vanderbilt (VANDERBILT)	SEC	1–5	0.167	115	-7	Lost to Georgia 21–53
114	-17	5.652	Long Beach State (LONG BEACH STATE)	IND PCAA	1–5	0.167	115	-9	Lost to Pacific 10–17
115	-2	5.677	Kansas State (KANSAS STATE)	IND B8	1–5	0.167	115	-8	Lost to Nebraska 3–49
116	-10	5.737	Georgia Tech (GEORGIA TECH)	IND FBSI	1–5	0.167	115	-9	Lost to Auburn 7–31
117	-2	5.819	Memphis (MEMPHIS)	IND FBSI	1–6	0.143	131	-11	Lost to Southern Miss 0–10
118	0	6.099	Texas Tech (TEXAS TECH)	IND SWC	1–5	0.167	115	-11	Lost to Rice 23–30
119	-5	6.126	Princeton (PRINCETON)	IND IVY	2–3	0.400	89	-4	Lost to Army 0–34
120	-10	6.151	Virginia (VIRGINIA)	ACC	0–6	0.000	133	-11	Lost to South Carolina 3–21
121	11	6.151	New Mexico State (NEW MEXICO STATE)	IND MVC	2–4	0.333	93	-12	Beat Illinois State 20–10
122	-10	6.438	Brown (BROWN)	IND IVY	1–4	0.200	111	-9	Lost to Cornell 9–14
123	10	6.573	Cornell (CORNELL)	IND IVY	1–4	0.200	111	-9	Beat Brown 14–9
124	-3	6.647	Air Force (AIR FORCE)	IND WAC	1–5	0.167	115	-14	Lost to Tulane 13–31
125	0	6.668	North Texas (NORTH TEXAS)	IND FBSI	1–5	0.167	115	-11	BYE
126	-7	6.726	Marshall (MARSHALL)	IND SOCON	1–5	0.167	115	-13	Lost to William & Mary 7–38
127	-4	6.738	Louisiana (LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE)	IND SLC	1–5	0.167	115	-8	Lost to East Carolina 31–35
128	8	6.788	Bowling Green (BOWLING GREEN)	MAC	1–4–1	0.250	108	-12	Beat Northern Illinois 17–10
129	-2	6.823	Northwestern (NORTHWESTERN)	B10	0–6	0.000	133	-11	Lost to Purdue 0–35
130	1	7.048	Western Carolina (WESTERN CAROLINA)	IND SOCON	1–6	0.143	131	-10	Lost to East Tennessee State 23–34
131	-3	7.067	Colorado State (COLORADO STATE)	IND WAC	0–6	0.000	133	-12	Lost to Utah 13–24
132	-3	7.186	Columbia (COLUMBIA)	IND IVY	1–4	0.200	111	-5	Lost to Yale 17–48
133	-9	7.482	Northern Illinois (NORTHERN ILLINOIS)	MAC	1–5	0.167	115	-16	Lost to Bowling Green 10–17
134	-4	7.828	Fresno State (FRESNO STATE)	IND PCAA	1–5	0.167	115	-13	Lost to Southern Illinois 18–24
135	-1	8.577	Pennsylvania (PENNSYLVANIA)	IND IVY	1–3	0.250	108	-7	BYE
136	-1	8.707	Eastern Michigan (EASTERN MICHIGAN)	MAC	0–6	0.000	133	-12	Lost to Ohio 7–29
137	0	9.090	UTEP	IND WAC	0–6	0.000	133	-13	Lost to Wyoming 12–63