1981 BYU Cougars football team

1981 BYU Cougars football
WAC champion Holiday Bowl champion
Holiday Bowl, W 38–36 vs. Washington State
Conference	Western Athletic Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 11
AP	No. 13
1981 record	11–2 (7–1 WAC)
Head coach	LaVell Edwards
Home stadium	Cougar Stadium
Seasons ← 1980 1982 →

1981 WAC football standings
	Conf					Overall
Team	W		L		T	W		L		T
#13 BYU $	7	–	1	–	0	11	–	2	–	0
Hawaii	5	–	1	–	0	9	–	2	–	0
Utah	4	–	1	–	1	8	–	2	–	1
Wyoming	6	–	2	–	0	8	–	3	–	0
New Mexico	3	–	4	–	1	4	–	7	–	1
Air Force	2	–	3	–	0	4	–	7	–	0
San Diego State	3	–	5	–	0	6	–	5	–	0
UTEP	1	–	6	–	0	1	–	10	–	0
Colorado State	0	–	8	–	0	0	–	12	–	0

$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

	1	2	3	4	Total
Air Force	0	7	7	7	21
• BYU	10	14	7	14	45

Scoring summary

Q1	BYU	Hudson 10 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 7–0

Q1	BYU	Gunther 32 yard field goal	BYU 10–0

Q2	BYU	Hamilton 1 yard run (Gunther kick)	BYU 17–0

Q2	AFA	Kirby 75 yard punt return (Pavlich kick)	BYU 17–7

Q2	BYU	Kozlowski 12 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 24–7

Q3	BYU	Hamilton 4 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 31–7

Q3	AFA	Sundquist 1 yard run (Pavlich kick)	BYU 31–14

Q4	AFA	James 13 yard run (Pavlich kick)	BYU 31–21

Q4	BYU	Hamilton 12 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 38–21

Q4	BYU	Sikahema 8 yard run (Gunther kick)	BYU 45–21

Scoring summary

Q1	BYU	Hudson 10 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 7–0

Q1	BYU	Gunther 32 yard field goal	BYU 10–0

Q2	BYU	Hamilton 1 yard run (Gunther kick)	BYU 17–0

Q2	AFA	Kirby 75 yard punt return (Pavlich kick)	BYU 17–7

Q2	BYU	Kozlowski 12 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 24–7

Q3	BYU	Hamilton 4 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 31–7

Q3	AFA	Sundquist 1 yard run (Pavlich kick)	BYU 31–14

Q4	AFA	James 13 yard run (Pavlich kick)	BYU 31–21

Q4	BYU	Hamilton 12 yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 38–21

Q4	BYU	Sikahema 8 yard run (Gunther kick)	BYU 45–21

	1	2	3	4	Total
• BYU	14	3	14	10	41
Colorado	0	0	6	14	20

Scoring summary

1	BYU	Plater 44-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 7-0

1	BYU	Pettis 7-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 14-0

2	BYU	Gunther 40-yard field goal	BYU 17-0

3	BYU	Kozlowski 3-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 24-0

3	COL	James 33-yard pass from Essington (pass failed)	BYU 24-6

3	BYU	Hudson 11-yard pass from Young (Gunther kick)	BYU 31-6

4	COL	Rouson 7-yard run (pass failed)	BYU 31-12

4	BYU	Plater 22-yard pass from Young (Gunther kick)	BYU 38-12

4	BYU	Gunther 32-yard field goal	BYU 41-12

4	COL	Beebe 1-yard pass from Essington (Johnson pass from Essington)	BYU 41-20

Scoring summary

1	BYU	Plater 44-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 7-0

1	BYU	Pettis 7-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 14-0

2	BYU	Gunther 40-yard field goal	BYU 17-0

3	BYU	Kozlowski 3-yard pass from McMahon (Gunther kick)	BYU 24-0

3	COL	James 33-yard pass from Essington (pass failed)	BYU 24-6

3	BYU	Hudson 11-yard pass from Young (Gunther kick)	BYU 31-6

4	COL	Rouson 7-yard run (pass failed)	BYU 31-12

4	BYU	Plater 22-yard pass from Young (Gunther kick)	BYU 38-12

4	BYU	Gunther 32-yard field goal	BYU 41-12

4	COL	Beebe 1-yard pass from Essington (Johnson pass from Essington)	BYU 41-20

	1	2	3	4	Total
Utah St	0	7	7	12	26
• BYU	0	7	6	19	32

Scoring summary

2	USU	Jones 8-yard pass from Canales (Money kick)	Utah St 7-0

2	BYU	Pettis 6-yard run (Gunther kick)	Tie 7-7

3	USU	McPherson 4-yard pass from Canales (Money kick)	Utah St 14-7

3	BYU	Hamilton 1-yard run (kick failed)	Utah St 14-13

4	USU	McPherson 5-yard pass from Canales (kick failed)	Utah St 20-13

4	BYU	Collie 8-yard pass from Young (Gunther kick)	Tie 20-20

4	USU	Turner 6-yard run (kick failed)	Utah St 26-20

4	BYU	Hamilton 42-yard run (kick failed)	Tie 26-26

4	BYU	Shell 19-yard interception return (kick failed)	BYU 32-26

Scoring summary

2	USU	Jones 8-yard pass from Canales (Money kick)	Utah St 7-0

2	BYU	Pettis 6-yard run (Gunther kick)	Tie 7-7

3	USU	McPherson 4-yard pass from Canales (Money kick)	Utah St 14-7

3	BYU	Hamilton 1-yard run (kick failed)	Utah St 14-13

4	USU	McPherson 5-yard pass from Canales (kick failed)	Utah St 20-13

4	BYU	Collie 8-yard pass from Young (Gunther kick)	Tie 20-20

4	USU	Turner 6-yard run (kick failed)	Utah St 26-20

4	BYU	Hamilton 42-yard run (kick failed)	Tie 26-26

4	BYU	Shell 19-yard interception return (kick failed)	BYU 32-26

	1	2	3	4	Total
• BYU	0	6	7	0	13
Hawaii	0	0	0	3	3

Scoring summary

2	BYU	Gunther 19-yard field goal	BYU 3-0

2	BYU	Gunther 45-yard field goal	BYU 6-0

3	BYU	Balholm recovered fumble in end zone (Gunther kick)	BYU 13-0

4	HAW	Larsen 40-yard field goal	BYU 13-3

Scoring summary

2	BYU	Gunther 19-yard field goal	BYU 3-0

2	BYU	Gunther 45-yard field goal	BYU 6-0

3	BYU	Balholm recovered fumble in end zone (Gunther kick)	BYU 13-0

4	HAW	Larsen 40-yard field goal	BYU 13-3

The 1981 BYU Cougars football team represented Brigham Young University (BYU) in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Cougars offense scored 503 points while the defense allowed 256 points. Led by head coach LaVell Edwards, the Cougars won in the 1981 Holiday Bowl.

Jim McMahon passes for 565 yards and becomes the NCAA's career leader in the category.

The following were selected in the 1982 NFL Draft.