| 1981 San Jose State Spartans football | |
|---|---|
 | |
PCAA champion | |
California Bowl, L 25–27 vs. Toledo | |
| Conference | Pacific Coast Athletic Association |
| Record | 9–3 (5–0 PCAA) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Dennis Erickson (3rd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Spread |
| Home stadium | Spartan Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Jose State $ | 5 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah State | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fresno State | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pacific (CA) | 2 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cal State Fullerton | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long Beach State | 1 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1981 San Jose State Spartans football team represented San Jose State University during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season as a member of the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.[note 1] Led by third-year head coach Jack Elway, they played home games at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California.
The Spartans were champions of the PCAA, with a record of nine wins and three losses (9–3, 5–0 PCAA), and qualified for the initial California Bowl against the Mid-American Conference (MAC) champion Toledo Rockets.[1] This was the second bowl appearance for the Spartans since moving up to Division I-A; they were in the Pasadena Bowl a decade earlier. The California Bowl was played at Bulldog Stadium in Fresno, and Toledo won 27–25 with a late field goal.[2][3][4]
In early December, offensive coordinator Dennis Erickson was hired as the head coach at Idaho in the Big Sky Conference, but coached the Spartans in the bowl game.[5]
The Spartan offense was led by quarterback Steve Clarkson, running back Gerald Willhite, and wide receiver Tim Kearse.[1]
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
- ^ a b Woolford, Dave (December 19, 1981). "Rockets in fighting mood". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. 18.
- ^ Woolford, Dave (December 20, 1981). "UT shocks San Jose State on FG". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). p. C1.
- ^ "Toledo field goal nips Sparts". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). UPI. December 20, 1981. p. 6D.
- ^ "Toledo rocks San Jose". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 20, 1981. p. C3.
- ^ Missildine, Harry (December 12, 1981). "Erickson's 'bowling' date comes before Vandals". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Spokane, Washington. p. 12.