1981 Duke Blue Devils football team

American college football season

1981 Duke Blue Devils football
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Record6–5 (3–3 ACC)
Head coach
  • Shirley Wilson (3rd season)
Offensive coordinatorSteve Spurrier (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorDick Hopkins (1st season)
MVPCedric Jones
CaptainGreg Bamberger, Cedric Jones, Dennis Tabron, Dan Yellott
Home stadiumWallace Wade Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
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Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Clemson $ 6 0 0 12 0 0
No. 9 North Carolina 5 1 0 10 2 0
Maryland 4 2 0 4 6 1
Duke 3 3 0 6 5 0
NC State 2 4 0 4 7 0
Wake Forest 1 5 0 4 7 0
Virginia 0 6 0 1 10 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 Duke Blue Devils football team was an American football team that represented Duke University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third year under head coach Shirley Wilson, the Blue Devils complied an overall record of 6–5, with a conference record of 3–3, and finished fourth in the ACC. Duke's offense became the first in ACC history to average over 300 yards a game passing.[1]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12at No. 11 Ohio State*L 13–3486,266[2]
September 19at South Carolina*L 3–1756,321[3]
September 26at VirginiaW 29–2427,523[4]
October 3East Carolina*W 24–1418,250[5]
October 101:30 p.m.Virginia Tech*
  • Wallace Wade Stadium
  • Durham, NC
W 14–732,000[6]
October 17No. 6 Clemsondagger
  • Wallace Wade Stadium
  • Durham, NC
L 10–3826,000[7]
October 24at MarylandL 21–2431,800[8]
October 31at Georgia Tech*W 38–2430,232[9]
November 7at Wake ForestW 31–1022,000[10]
November 14NC State
  • Wallace Wade Stadium
  • Durham, NC (rivalry)
W 17–726,750[11]
November 21No. 12 North Carolina
  • Wallace Wade Stadium
  • Durham, NC (Victory Bell)
L 10–3138,525[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[13]

Personnel

1981 Duke Blue Devils football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 14 Ben Bennett So
WR Chris Castor
TE Carl Franks
WR Mark Militello
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Awards and honors

  • Chris Castor, ACC Offensive Player of the Year

References

  1. ^ WRAL.com. Retrieved 2020-Apr-22.
  2. ^ "Buckeyes inconsistent in win". The Akron Beacon Journal. September 13, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "South Carolina defeats Duke". Greensboro News & Record. September 20, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Duke squeaks by Virginia". The Daily News Leader. September 27, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Late Pack spurt zaps pesky Bucs". The News and Observer. September 20, 1981. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Tabron steals one for Blue Devils". The News and Observer. October 11, 1981. Retrieved December 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Clemson bedevils Duke, 38–10". Anderson Independent-Mail. October 18, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Maryland slips by Blue Devils for 24–21 win". The Charlotte Observer. October 25, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Rallying Duke wrecks Tech". The News and Observer. November 1, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Rush-minded Devils crush defenseless Wake". The Danville Register. November 8, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Sub Ron Sally sparks Duke over Wolfpack". Daily Press. November 15, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Tar Heels gain Gator Bowl bid". Fort Lauderdale News. November 22, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1981 Duke Blue Devils Schedule and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
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