1981 SMU Mustangs football team

1981 SMU Mustangs football
Co-national champion (NCF)
SWC champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
APNo. 5
Record10–1 (7–1 SWC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeOption
Defensive coordinatorSteve Sidwell (6th season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumTexas Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 SMU $ 7 1 0 10 1 0
No. 2 Texas 6 1 1 10 1 1
Houston 5 2 1 7 4 1
Arkansas 5 3 0 8 4 0
Texas A&M 4 4 0 7 5 0
Rice 3 5 0 4 7 0
Baylor 3 5 0 5 6 0
TCU 1 6 1 2 7 2
Texas Tech 0 7 1 1 9 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Ron Meyer in his sixth and final season as head coach, the Mustangs compiled an overall record 10–1 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the SWC title.

The Mustangs had been put on probation by the NCAA for recruiting violations and were banned from participating in any bowl game in 1981. Since SMU's performance would have given them an automatic berth in the Cotton Bowl Classic, the team decided to treat its final regular season game at Arkansas as their bowl game and nicknamed it the "Polyester Bowl". SMU defeated the Razorbacks 32–18.

SMU finished at No. 5 in the final AP Poll. Because its rules prevent schools under probation from being considered, the Mustangs were not ranked in the Coaches Poll at all during the season. At season's end, the Mustangs were recognized as one of five co-national champions by the National Championship Foundation (NCF).[1]: 112–114 

The team's offense scored 365 points while the defense allowed 137 points.

  1. ^ 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.