The 1981 SMU Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season . The Mustangs offense scored 365 points while the defense allowed 137 points. At season's end, the Mustangs were given the National Championship Foundation 's (NCF) national championship and secured the Southwest Conference championship.
However, the Mustangs had been put on probation by the NCAA for recruiting violations and, per its terms, were banned from participating in any bowl game in 1981 should they have won enough games to qualify. Since SMU's performance would have given them an automatic berth in the Cotton Bowl , the team decided to treat its final regular season game against Arkansas as their bowl game and nicknamed it the "Polyester Bowl".
SMU finished at #5 in the final Associated Press poll of the season. Because its rules prevent schools under probation from being considered, the Mustangs were not ranked in the UPI Coaches Poll at all during the season.
Schedule [ ] Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance 1981-09-05 Texas–Arlington * W 48-020,130 1981-09-12 North Texas State * Texas Stadium Irving, Texas W 34-720,400 1981-09-19 Grambling State * Texas Stadium Irving, Texas W 59-2745,700 1981-09-26 at TCU No. 20 W 20-925,862 1981-10-10 Baylor No. 14 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas W 37-2033,110 1981-10-17 at Houston No. 10 W 38-2236,892 1981-10-24 No. 10 Texas No. 8 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas L 7-962,777 1981-10-31 at Texas A&M No. 13 W 27-762,646 1981-11-07 Rice No. 10 W 33-1228,750 1981-11-14 Texas Tech No. 8 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas W 30-624,410 1981-11-21 at No. 16 Arkansas No. 6 W 32-1843,842 *Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
Roster [ ]
1981 SMU Mustangs football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain(S) Suspended(I) Ineligible
Game summaries [ ] Arkansas [ ]
#6 SMU at #16 Arkansas
by Quarter
1
2
3
4
Total
• SMU
3
9
0
20
32
Arkansas
7
0
11
0
18
Scoring summary 1
SMU Garcia 39-yard field goal SMU 3-0 1
ARK Anderson 7-yard pass from Jones (Lohay kick) ARK 7-3 2
SMU Garcia 43-yard field goal ARK 7-6 2
SMU Washington 10-yard interception return (pass failed) SMU 12-7 3
ARK Clark 1-yard run (Jones to Pierce pass) ARK 15-12 3
ARK Lohay 21-yard field goal ARK 18-12 4
SMU Garcia 24-yard field goal ARK 18-15 4
SMU Garcia 47-yard field goal Tied 18-18 4
SMU Jones 10-yard run (Garcia kick) SMU 25-18 4
SMU Dickerson 31-yard run (Garcia kick) SMU 32-18
SMU wins first conference title since 1966 (ineligible for Cotton Bowl Classic berth).
Team players drafted into the NFL [ ] [1]
References [ ] Template:Southwest Conference football champions
