CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1981 Central Michigan

7–⁠4 (7–⁠2 Mid-American Conference), coached by Herb Deromedi.

Schedule and results

Central Michigan in 1981, game by game: lost at Pacific 3–10; won vs. Northern Illinois 17–10; lost vs. Arkansas State 23–26; won vs. Eastern Michigan 63–14; won at Western Michigan 15–13; lost at Toledo 3–17; won vs. Kent State 24–3; won at Ohio 38–21; lost vs. Miami (OH) 3–7; won at Ball State 28–7; won at Bowling Green 6–3+49−14Lost 3–10 at Pacific-7PacificWon 17–10 vs. Northern Illinois+7Northern Illino…Lost 23–26 vs. Arkansas State-3Arkansas StateWon 63–14 vs. Eastern Michigan+49Eastern MichiganWon 15–13 at Western Michigan+2Western MichiganLost 3–17 at Toledo-14ToledoWon 24–3 vs. Kent State+21Kent StateWon 38–21 at Ohio+17OhioLost 3–7 vs. Miami (OH)-4Miami (OH)Won 28–7 at Ball State+21Ball StateWon 6–3 at Bowling Green+3Bowling Green
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 5atPacificL 3–⁠1069%
Sep 19vsNorthern IllinoisW 17–⁠1070%
Sep 26vsArkansas StateL 23–⁠2679%
Oct 3vsEastern MichiganW 63–⁠1488%
Oct 10atWestern MichiganW 15–⁠1345%
Oct 17atToledoL 3–⁠1752%
Oct 24vsKent StateW 24–⁠371%
Oct 31atOhioW 38–⁠2158%
Nov 7vsMiami (OH)L 3–⁠764%
Nov 14atBall StateW 28–⁠761%
Nov 21atBowling GreenW 6–⁠352%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Bowling Green 6–⁠3; unranked in the final AP poll; 3rd in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 11th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 68 on file).

Record
7–⁠4
Conference
7–⁠2 3rd in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
223–⁠131
Coach
Herb Deromedi
Elo
1583 +4 this season
SP+ rating
6.4 No. 49 of 132; offense No. 90, defense No. 26
SRS
−2.8 No. 79 of 137 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Most valuable player
Reggie Mitchell

1981 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Toledo8–⁠19–⁠3
Miami (OH)6–⁠1–⁠18–⁠2–⁠1
Central Michigan7–⁠27–⁠4
Bowling Green5–⁠3–⁠15–⁠5–⁠1
Western Michigan5–⁠46–⁠5
Ohio5–⁠45–⁠6
Kent State3–⁠64–⁠7
Ball State2–⁠64–⁠7
Northern Illinois2–⁠73–⁠8
Eastern Michigan0–⁠90–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.