1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team

1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Record4–7 (1–5 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorEd Zaunbrecher (2nd season)
CaptainGame captains
Home stadiumGroves Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Clemson $ 6 – 0 – 0 12 – 0 – 0
No. 9 North Carolina 5 – 1 – 0 10 – 2 – 0
Maryland 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 6 – 1
Duke 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
NC State 2 – 4 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Wake Forest 1 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Virginia 0 – 6 – 0 1 – 10 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team was an American football team that represented Wake Forest University during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first season under head coach Al Groh, the Demon Deacons compiled a 4–7 record and finished in sixth place in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 5South Carolina*
L 6–2329,300
September 12NC State
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry)
L 23–2829,000
September 19at Auburn*
W 24–2163,000
September 26at Virginia Tech*
L 14–3042,200
October 3Appalachian State*
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
W 15–1424,500
October 10at No. 5 North Carolina
L 10–4851,692
October 17Maryland
  • Groves Stadium
  • Winston-Salem, NC
L 33–4524,500
October 24at Virginia
W 24–2124,222
October 31at No. 2 Clemson
L 24–8260,383
November 7Duke
L 10–3122,000
November 14at Richmond*
W 34–2215,285
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
RB 23 Wayne McMillan
WR 88 Tim Ryan
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Team leaders

Category Team Leader Att/Cth Yds
Passing Gary Schofield 241/404 2,572
Rushing Wayne McMillan 90 407
Receiving Phil Denfeld 51 461

References

  1. ^ "1981 Wake Forest Demon Deacons Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 24, 2015.
  2. ^ "S. Carolina drops Wake Forest". The Selma Times-Journal. September 6, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Freshman guns Wolfpack 28–23". The State. September 13, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Schofield rallies Wake to 24–21 win at Auburn". The Charlotte Observer. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Va. Tech passing throws Deacons for a 30–14 loss". The Charlotte Observer. September 27, 1981. Retrieved December 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Deacs' comeback stops Apps". The News and Observer. October 4, 1981. Retrieved December 2, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Tar Heels crush Deacons, 48–10". Anderson Independent-Mail. October 11, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Terps survive Deacs' barrage". The Roanoke Times & World-News. October 18, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Schofield pasing leads Deacons over Cavaliers, 24–21". The Times and Democrat. October 25, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Clemson 'pushes' past Deacs". Asheville Citizen-Times. November 1, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Rush-minded Devils crush defenseless Wake". The Danville Register. November 8, 1981. Retrieved January 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Deacs outscore Richmond". Rocky Mount Telegram. November 16, 1981. Retrieved October 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.