CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1981 New Mexico

4–⁠7–⁠1 (3–⁠4–⁠1 Western Athletic Conference), coached by Joe Morrison.

Schedule and results

New Mexico in 1981, game by game: lost at Houston 10–21; lost at UNLV 42–49; lost at Texas Tech 21–28; won vs. Air Force 27–10; lost vs. San Diego State 15–17; won vs. UTEP 26–3; lost at Hawai’i 13–23; won at New Mexico State 17–13; lost at BYU 7–31; tied vs. Utah 7–7; won at Colorado State 28–16; lost vs. Wyoming 12–13+23−24Lost 10–21 at Houston-11HoustonLost 42–49 at UNLV-7UNLVLost 21–28 at Texas Tech-7Texas TechWon 27–10 vs. Air Force+17Air ForceLost 15–17 vs. San Diego State-2San Diego StateWon 26–3 vs. UTEP+23UTEPLost 13–23 at Hawai’i-10Hawai’iWon 17–13 at New Mexico State+4New Mexico StateLost 7–31 at BYU-24BYUTied 7–7 vs. Utah0UtahWon 28–16 at Colorado State+12Colorado StateLost 12–13 vs. Wyoming-1Wyoming
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 5atHoustonL 10–⁠2122%
Sep 12atUNLVL 42–⁠4923%
Sep 19atTexas TechL 21–⁠2835%
Sep 26vsAir ForceW 27–⁠1062%
Oct 3vsSan Diego StateL 15–⁠1745%
Oct 10vsUTEPW 26–⁠377%
Oct 17atHawai’iL 13–⁠2324%
Oct 24atNew Mexico StateW 17–⁠1350%
Oct 31atBYUL 7–⁠3113%
Nov 7vsUtahT 7–⁠732%
Nov 14atColorado StateW 28–⁠1658%
Nov 21vsWyomingL 12–⁠1337%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Wyoming 13–⁠12; unranked in the final AP poll; 5th in the Western Athletic Conference.

In program history: The 54th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 109 on file).

Record
4–⁠7–⁠1
Conference
3–⁠4–⁠1 5th in Western Athletic Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
225–⁠231
Coach
Joe Morrison
Elo
1428 +10 this season
SP+ rating
-3.4 No. 84 of 132; offense No. 91, defense No. 68
SRS
−0.7 No. 71 of 137 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—

1981 Western Athletic Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
BYU7–⁠111–⁠213
Hawai’i5–⁠19–⁠2
Wyoming6–⁠28–⁠3
Utah4–⁠1–⁠18–⁠2–⁠1
New Mexico3–⁠4–⁠14–⁠7–⁠1
Air Force2–⁠34–⁠7
San Diego State3–⁠56–⁠5
UTEP1–⁠61–⁠10
Colorado State0–⁠80–⁠12

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