1981 Jackson State Tigers football team

1981 Jackson State Tigers football
SWAC champion
ConferenceSouthwestern Athletic Conference
Record9–2–1 (5–1 SWAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
1981 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Jackson State $^ 5 1 0 9 2 1
Grambling State 4 1 1 6 4 1
Texas Southern 3 2 1 4 5 1
Alcorn State 3 3 0 5 5 0
Mississippi Valley State 2 4 0 4 6 1
Southern 2 4 0 3 8 0
Prairie View A&M 1 5 0 2 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1981 Jackson State Tigers football team represented Jackson State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by sixth-year head coach W. C. Gorden, the Tigers compiled and overall record of 9–2–1 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, winning the SWAC title. Jackson State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Championship playoffs, where they lost to Boise State in the quarterfinals.