1981 Illinois State Redbirds football team

1981 Illinois State Redbirds football
ConferenceMissouri Valley Conference
Record3–7 (0–5 MVC)
Head coach
MVPAnthony Office
Captains
  • Willie Boyd
  • Anthony Office
  • Wade Mauland
Home stadiumHancock Stadium
1981 Missouri Valley Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Drake + 5 1 0 10 1 0
Tulsa + 5 1 0 6 5 0
Southern Illinois 5 2 0 7 4 0
West Texas State 3 3 0 7 4 0
Wichita State 3 3 1 4 6 1
Indiana State 2 4 1 5 5 1
New Mexico State 1 5 0 3 8 0
Illinois State 0 5 0 3 7 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1981 Illinois State Redbirds football team was an American football team that represented Illinois State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first year under head coach Bob Otolski, the Redbirds compiled an overall record of 3–7 with a mark of 0–5 in conference play, placing last out of eight teams in the MVC. Illinois State played home games at Hancock Stadium in Normal, Illinois.