CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1981 VMI

6–⁠3–⁠1 (3–⁠1–⁠1 Southern Conference), coached by Bob Thalman.

Schedule and results

VMI in 1981, game by game: won vs. Western Carolina 21–14; won at Army 14–7; won vs. William & Mary 31–14; won vs. The Citadel 14–0; tied at App State 14–14; won at Marshall 20–16; lost at Virginia 10–13; lost vs. Richmond 14–45; lost vs. Furman 21–33; won at Virginia Tech 6–0+17−31Won 21–14 vs. Western Carolina+7Western CarolinaWon 14–7 at Army+7ArmyWon 31–14 vs. William & Mary+17William & MaryWon 14–0 vs. The Citadel+14The CitadelTied 14–14 at App State0App StateWon 20–16 at Marshall+4MarshallLost 10–13 at Virginia-3VirginiaLost 14–45 vs. Richmond-31RichmondLost 21–33 vs. Furman-12FurmanWon 6–0 at Virginia Tech+6Virginia Tech
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 12vsWestern CarolinaW 21–⁠1459%
Sep 19atArmyW 14–⁠743%
Oct 3vsWilliam & MaryW 31–⁠1471%
Oct 10vsThe CitadelW 14–⁠043%
Oct 17atApp StateT 14–⁠1442%
Oct 24atMarshallW 20–⁠1673%
Oct 31atVirginiaL 10–⁠1360%
Nov 7vsRichmondL 14–⁠4569%
Nov 14vsFurmanL 21–⁠3337%
Nov 21atVirginia TechW 6–⁠023%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Virginia Tech 6–⁠0; unranked in the final AP poll; 2nd in the Southern Conference.

In program history: The 41st-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 118 on file).

Record
6–⁠3–⁠1
Conference
3–⁠1–⁠1 2nd in Southern Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
165–⁠156
Coach
Bob Thalman
Elo
1423 +45 this season
SP+ rating
-6.7 No. 94 of 132; offense No. 117, defense No. 58
SRS
−10.7 No. 113 of 137 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—

1981 Southern Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Furman6–⁠28–⁠3
VMI3–⁠1–⁠16–⁠3–⁠1
East Tennessee State4–⁠26–⁠5
The Citadel4–⁠2–⁠17–⁠3–⁠1
Chattanooga3–⁠2–⁠17–⁠3–⁠1
Western Carolina3–⁠44–⁠7
App State1–⁠5–⁠13–⁠7–⁠1
Marshall1–⁠52–⁠9
Davidson0–⁠20–⁠2

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