1981 Ball State Cardinals football team

The 1981 Ball State Cardinals football team was an American football team that represented Ball State University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its fourth season under head coach Dwight Wallace, the team compiled a 4–7 record (2–6 against MAC opponents) and finished in eighth place out of ten teams in the conference.[1][2] The team played its home games at Ball State Stadium in Muncie, Indiana.

1981 Ball State Cardinals football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record4–7 (2–6 MAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumBall State Stadium
1981 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Toledo $ 8 –1 –09 –3 –0
Miami (OH) 6 –1 –18 –2 –1
Central Michigan 7 –2 –07 –4 –0
Bowling Green 5 –3 –15 –5 –1
Western Michigan 5 –4 –06 –5 –0
Ohio 5 –4 –05 –6 –0
Kent State 3 –6 –04 –7 –0
Ball State 2 –6 –04 –7 –0
Northern Illinois 2 –7 –03 –8 –0
Eastern Michigan 0 –9 –00 –11 –0
  • $ – Conference champion

The team's statistical leaders included Doug Freed with 1,517 passing yards, Terry Lymon with 633 rushing yards, Stevie Nelson with 635 receiving yards, and Mike Schafer with 49 points scored.[3]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12McNeese State*
W 24–2114,337[4]
September 19at Toledo
L 0–40
September 26at Ohio
L 27–30
October 3Northern Illinois
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN (rivalry)
W 23–0
October 10at Indiana State*
L 7–31[5]
October 17Kent State
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
L 7–17
October 24at Western Michigan
L 3–14
October 31Eastern Michigan
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
W 35–13
November 7Bowling Green
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
L 10–14
November 14Central Michigan
  • Ball State Stadium
  • Muncie, IN
L 7–28
November 21at Illinois State*
W 14–104,832[6]
  • *Non-conference game

References
  1. "2007 Ball State Football Media Guide". Ball State University. 2007. p. 98. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  2. "1981 Ball State Cardinals Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. "1981 Ball State Cardinals Statistics". SR/College Football. Sport Reference LLC. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  4. "BSU tops McNeese St. behind Freed, 24–21". The Indianapolis Star. September 13, 1981. Retrieved March 3, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Sycamores rip Ball State, 31–7". Palladium-Item. October 11, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Ball State defense stiffens to secure a winning finale". The Muncie Star. November 22, 1981. Retrieved August 17, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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