1981 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

The 1981 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team was an American football team that represented the University of Delaware as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Delaware ended the regular season ranked No. 7 in the nation, but lost in the first round of the playoffs.

1981 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football
ConferenceIndependent
1981 record9–3
Head coachTubby Raymond (16th season)
CaptainEd Braceland
Home stadiumDelaware Stadium
1981 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L T  W L T
No. 8 Lafayette   –    9 –2 –0
No. 7 Delaware ^   –    9 –3 –0
No. 6 Tennessee State ^   –    9 –3 –0
Southeastern Louisiana   –    8 –3 –0
Lehigh   –    8 –3 –0
Nicholls State   –    5 –5 –1
Northwestern State   –    4 –6 –0
Bucknell   –    4 –6 –0
Northeastern   –    3 –7 –0
James Madison   –    3 –8 –0
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from Div I-AA Football Committee poll

In their 16th year under head coach Tubby Raymond, the Hens compiled a 9–3 record (9–2 regular season). Ed Braceland was the team captain.

Starting the year on a three-game winning streak, the Hens were ranked No. 1 in the first two weeks of the weekly rankings. Though they dropped out of the top 10 in the middle of the year, a strong ending to the season saw them climb back to No. 7 in time to qualify for the eight-team playoff.

Delaware played its home games at Delaware Stadium on the university campus in Newark, Delaware.

Schedule
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12 at Western Kentucky
W 38–14 13,000 [1]
September 19 Temple
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 13–7 22,379 [2]
September 24 at Princeton No. 1
W 61–8 10,110 [3]
October 3 Lehigh No. 1
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
L 21–24 22,784 [4]
October 10 UMass No. 8
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 38–15 19,581 [5]
October 17 Youngstown State No. 6
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
L 21–24 18,645 [6]
October 24 Rhode Island
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 35–15 20,135 [7]
November 7 at Penn
W 40–6 10,117 [8]
November 14 Maine No. 10
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 42–35 16,743 [9]
November 21 West Chester No. 8
  • Delaware Stadium
  • Newark, DE
W 31–14 17,767 [10]
November 27 at Connecticut No. 7
W 35–26 5,084 [11]
December 5 at No. 1 Eastern Kentucky No. 7
L 28–35 8,100 [12]
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References
  1. Tomashek, Tom (September 13, 1981). "Hens Ride 38-Point First Half to Victory". Sunday News Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. D-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Simmons, Bill (September 20, 1981). "Delaware Massacres Princeton". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. Shister, Gail (September 27, 1981). "Delaware Overcomes Owls, 13-7". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 1-D – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Simmons, Bill (October 4, 1981). "Lehigh Rallies from Big Deficit, Beats Delaware". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-F – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Monahan, Bob (October 11, 1981). "UMass Thumped". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 71 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Tomashek, Tom (October 18, 1981). "Hens Fall to Youngstown 24-21". Sunday News Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. D-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Tomashek, Tom (October 18, 1981). "Hens Climb from Hole, Overtake Rhode Island". Sunday News Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. D-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Simmons, Bill (November 8, 1981). "Delaware Routs Penn to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-F – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Simmons, Bill (November 15, 1981). "Delaware Fights Off Unrelenting Maine in Last Minute, 42-35". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-E – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Simmons, Bill (November 22, 1981). "Delaware Keeps Its Streak Alive, Whipping West Chester State, 31-14". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 10-E – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Tomashek, Tom (November 28, 1981). "Dougherty Rushes Hens Past UConn". The News Journal. Wilmington, Del. p. B-1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Simmons, Bill (December 6, 1981). "Delaware Knocked Out of Playoffs". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-E – via Newspapers.com.
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