Bowls and playoffs
The 1981 football postseason, including games played in 1982.
National championship games
Playoffs
Division I-AA playoffs
Division I-AA · National playoff
Final: Idaho St. 34 · Eastern Ky. 23
7 recorded games · View rounds and results
Final: December 19, 1981
Final site: Wichita Falls, TX
Division II playoffs
Division II · National playoff
Final: Texas St. 42 · North Dakota St. 13
7 recorded games · View rounds and results
Final: Date not documented
Final site: McAllen, Texas
Division III playoffs
Division III · National playoff
Final: Widener 17 · Dayton 10
7 recorded games · View rounds and results
Final: Date not documented
Final site: Phenix City, AL
Bowls
All-American Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Mississippi St. 10 · Kansas 0
December 31, 1981
Birmingham, AL
Bluebonnet Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Michigan 33 · UCLA 14
December 31, 1981
Houston
California Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Toledo 27 · San Jose St. 25
December 19, 1981
Fresno, CA
Cotton Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Texas 14 · Alabama 12
January 1, 1982
Location not documented
Fiesta Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Penn St. 26 · Southern California 10
January 1, 1982
Location not documented
Garden State Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Tennessee 28 · Wisconsin 21
December 13, 1981
East Rutherford, NJ
Gator Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
North Carolina 31 · Arkansas 27
December 28, 1981
Location not documented
Holiday Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
BYU 38 · Washington St. 36
December 18, 1981
Location not documented
Independence Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Texas A&M 33 · Oklahoma St. 16
December 12, 1981
Location not documented
Liberty Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Ohio St. 31 · Navy 28
December 30, 1981
Location not documented
Orange Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Clemson 22 · Nebraska 15
January 1, 1982
Location not documented
Peach Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
West Virginia 26 · Florida 6
December 31, 1981
Location not documented
Rose Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Washington 28 · Iowa 0
January 1, 1982
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Sugar Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Pittsburgh 24 · Georgia 20
January 1, 1982
Location not documented
Sun Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Oklahoma 40 · Houston 14
December 26, 1981
Location not documented
Tangerine Bowl
Division I-A · Postseason bowl
Missouri 19 · Southern Miss. 17
December 19, 1981
Location not documented
All-star games
Black College All-Star Bowl
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
West 7 · East 0
January 16, 1982
Location not documented
Blue-Gray All-Star Classic
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
Blue 21 · Gray 9
December 25, 1981
Location not documented
East-West Shrine Classic
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
West 20 · East 13
January 9, 1982
Location not documented
Hula Bowl
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
West 26 · East 23
January 9, 1982
Location not documented
Japan Bowl
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
West 28 · East 17
January 16, 1982
Location not documented
Olympia Gold Bowl
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
National All-Stars 30 · American All-Stars 21
January 16, 1982
Location not documented
Senior Bowl
Collegiate all-star · All-star showcase
South 27 · North 10
January 16, 1982
Location not documented
This directory follows documented editions. Dates, results, and selection rules that have not been documented are marked on each event’s page.