| 1981 NCAA Division I-A season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Number of teams | 137[1] |
| Preseason AP No. 1 | Michigan[2] |
| Postseason | |
| Bowl games | 16 |
| Heisman Trophy | Marcus Allen (USC RB) |
| Champion(s) | Clemson (AP, Coaches, FWAA) |
| Division I-A football seasons | |
← 1980 1982 → | |
The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Clemson Tigers, unbeaten and untied, claiming the national championship after a victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This was also the first year of the California Bowl, played in Fresno, California; this game fancied itself as a "junior" version of the Rose Bowl[citation needed] as it pitted the Big West Conference champion vs. the Mid-American Conference champion.
- ^ "1981 NCAA Division IA Football Power Ratings".
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)