1981 Washington State Cougars football team information
American college football season
1981Washington State Cougars football
Holiday Bowl, L 36–38 vs. BYU
Conference
Pacific-10 Conference
Record
8–3–1 (5–2–1 Pac-10)
Head coach
Jim Walden (4th season)
Offensive coordinator
Pat Ruel (2nd season)
Defensive coordinator
Bob Padilla (2nd season)
Home stadium
Martin Stadium, Joe Albi Stadium (Spokane)
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
v
t
e
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
T
W
L
T
No. 10 Washington $
6
–
2
–
0
10
–
2
–
0
No. 16 Arizona State
5
–
2
–
0
9
–
2
–
0
No. 14 USC
5
–
2
–
0
9
–
3
–
0
Washington State
5
–
2
–
1
8
–
3
–
1
UCLA
5
–
2
–
1
7
–
4
–
1
Arizona
4
–
4
–
0
6
–
5
–
0
Stanford
4
–
4
–
0
4
–
7
–
0
California
2
–
6
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Oregon
1
–
6
–
0
2
–
9
–
0
Oregon State
0
–
7
–
0
1
–
10
–
0
$ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll
The 1981 Washington State Cougars football team was an American football team that represented Washington State University in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their fourth season under head coach Jim Walden, the Cougars compiled an 8–3–1 record (5–2–1 in Pac-10, tied for fourth), and outscored their opponents 297 to 197.[1][2]
The team's statistical leaders included Clete Casper with 939 passing yards, Tim Harris with 915 rushing yards, and Jeff Keller with 495 receiving yards.[3]
The Cougars entered the Apple Cup with an 8–1–1 record and a win over Washington at Husky Stadium would clinch the Pac-10 title and a Rose Bowl berth, their first in 51 years.[4][5][6] The Huskies prevailed again at home,[7][8][9] and then shut out Iowa in the Rose Bowl.[10]
The Cougars went to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego,[9][11] and lost a close, entertaining game to Brigham Young of the WAC, led by consensus All-American quarterback Jim McMahon,[12][13][14][15] the fifth overall selection of the 1982 NFL draft.
^"1981 Washington State Cougars Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
^"2016 Media Guide" (PDF). WSUCougars.com. Washington State Cougars Athletics. p. 77. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
^"1981 Washington State Cougars Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
^Gerheim, Earl (November 21, 1981). "Cougs: Today's the day". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 17.
^Barrows, Bob (November 21, 1981). "WSU and Washington ready to pull the trigger". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
^Withers, Bud (November 21, 1981). "Cougars-Huskies game: The toughest ticket in town". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1B.
^Withers, Bud (November 22, 1981). "Huskies shatter a Cougar dream". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1D.
^Barrows, Bob (November 22, 1981). "WSU's cheers turn to tears in Seattle". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 3D.
^ abVan Sickel, Charlie (November 23, 1981). "'Holiday' next for frustrated Cougars". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 33.
^Oates, Bob (January 2, 1982). "Everything comes up roses for UW, 28-0". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Los Angeles Times). p. 1B.
^Blanchette, John (November 23, 1981). "It's WSU vs. BYU's aerial circus". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C4.
^"McMahon makes Holiday happy one for BYU, 38-36". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 19, 1981. p. 2B.
^Barrows, Bob (December 19, 1981). "Washington State almost has a curtain call". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
^Van Sickel, Charlie (December 19, 1981). "BYU survives on strong finish". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). p. 13.
^Robinson, Doug (December 19, 1981). "Y. wins another Holiday heart stopper". Deseret News. (Salt Lake City, Utah). p. A3.
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