1981 Lehigh Engineers football team

The 1981 Lehigh Engineers football team was an American football team that represented Lehigh University as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season.

1981 Lehigh Engineers football
Conference	Independent
1981 record	8–3
Head coach	John Whitehead (6th season)
Captains	Joe Macellara Larry Michalski
Home stadium	Taylor Stadium

1981 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		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 sixth year under head coach John Whitehead, the Engineers compiled an 8–3 record.[1] Joe Macellara and Larry Michalski were the team captains.[2]

Lehigh played its home games at Taylor Stadium on the university's main campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 12	Maine		Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA	W 24–10	10,000	[3]
September 19	at Colgate		Colgate Athletic Field Hamilton, NY	L 14–27	5,800	[4]
September 26	Penn		Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA	W 58–0	11,436	[5]
October 3	at No. 1 Delaware		Delaware Stadium Newark, DE	W 24–21	22,784	[6]
October 10	Connecticut	No. 6	Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA	W 21–17	11,874	[7]
October 17	at No. 10 New Hampshire	No. 5	Cowell Stadium Durham, NH	L 12–13	17,500	[8]
October 24	at Bucknell	No. 10	Memorial Stadium 9Lewisburg, PA	W 18–0	8,800	[9]
October 31	Davidson	No. 9	Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA	W 69–7		[1]
November 7	Millersville	No. 8	Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA	W 40–7	10,000	[10]
November 14	at Northeastern	No. 8	Parsons Field Brookline, MA	W 23–20	3,240	[11]
November 21	Lafayette	No. 6	Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA (The Rivalry)	L 3–10	19,000	[12]
^ Parents Day Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "Year-by-Year Results". Lehigh Football Record Book (PDF). Bethlehem, Pa.: Lehigh University. p. 22. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
2. "Lehigh Football Captains". Lehigh Football Record Book (PDF). Bethlehem, Pa.: Lehigh University. p. 12. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
3. Larimer, Terry (September 13, 1981). "Lehigh Routs Maine, 24-10". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Larimer, Terry (September 20, 1981). "Colgate Tops Lehigh Behind Frosh QB". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Shister, Gail (September 27, 1981). "Punchless Penn Falls to Earth -- and Lehigh, 58-0". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-D – via Newspapers.com.
6. Simmons, Bill (October 4, 1981). "Lehigh Rallies from Big Deficit, Beats Delaware". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. 9-F – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Lehigh Tips Connecticut". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. United Press International. October 11, 1981. p. 69 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Stevens, New Hampshire Shock Lehigh". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. Associated Press. October 18, 1981. p. 80 – via Newspapers.com.
9. Larimer, Terry (October 25, 1981). "Engineers Win 18-0 in a 'Typical' Lehigh-Bucknell Clash". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C5 – via Newspapers.com.
10. Larimer, Terry (November 8, 1981). "Lehigh Romps While Lafayette Falls Short; Engineers Too Tough for II Foe". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Ballou, Art (November 15, 1981). "NU Almost Engineers the Big Upset". Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Mass. p. 81 – via Newspapers.com.
12. Larimer, Terry (November 22, 1981). "Lafayette Stops Lehigh; Leopards' Defense Ruins Engineers' Bid to Reach Playoffs". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.