# 1981 NCAA Division II football rankings

The 1981 NCAA Division II football rankings are from the NCAA Division II football committee. This is for the 1981 season.

## Legend

| | Increase in ranking |
| | Decrease in ranking |
| | Not ranked previous week |
| (#–#) | Win–loss record |
| (Italics) | Number of first place votes |
| т | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |

## NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

| | Week 1 Sept 23 | Week 2 Sept 30 | Week 3 Oct 7 | Week 4 Oct 14 | Week 5 Oct 21 | Week 6 Oct 28 | Week 7 Nov 4 | Week 8 Nov 11 | Week 9 Nov 18 | Week 10 Nov 25 | |
| 1. | North Dakota (3–0) | Southwest Texas State (4–0) | Southwest Texas State (4–0) | Southwest Texas State (5–0) | Southwest Texas State (6–0) | Southwest Texas State (7–0) | Southwest Texas State (8–0) | Southwest Texas State (9–0) | Southwest Texas State (10–0) | Northern Michigan (10–0) | 1. |
| 2. | Northern Michigan (3–0) | Northern Michigan (4–0) | Northern Michigan (5–0) | Northern Michigan (5–0) | Northern Michigan (6–0) | Northern Michigan (7–0) | Northern Michigan (8–0) | Northern Michigan (9–0) | Northern Michigan (10–0) | Virginia Union (11–0) | 2. |
| 3. | Southwest Texas State (3–0) | Puget Sound (4–0) | Puget Sound (5–0) | Virginia Union (5–0) | Virginia Union (6–0) | Virginia Union (7–0) | Virginia Union (8–1) | Virginia Union (9–0) | Virginia Union (10–0) | Puget Sound (10–1) | 3. |
| 4. | Puget Sound (3–0) | Virginia Union (3–0) | Virginia Union (4–0) | Texas A&I (5–0) | Texas A&I (6–0) | Texas A&I (7–0) | Puget Sound (7–1) | Puget Sound (9–1) | Puget Sound (10–1) | Southwest Texas State (10–1) | 4. |
| 5. | Virginia Union (2–0) | Livingston (3–0) | Texas A&I (4–0) | Puget Sound (5–1) | Puget Sound (6–1) | Puget Sound (7–1) | Elizabeth City State (7–1) | Elizabeth City State (8–1) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | Jacksonville State (8–2) | 5. |
| 6. | Mississippi College (2–0) | Texas A&I (3–0) | Abilene Christian (3–0) | Shippensburg (5–0) | Elizabeth City State (5–1) | Elizabeth City State (6–1) | Texas A&I (5–2) | Jacksonville State (6–2) | North Dakota State (8–2) | North Dakota State (8–2) | 6. |
| 7. | Texas A&I (3–0) | Abilene Christian (3–0) | Shippensburg (4–0) | Elizabeth City State (4–1) | Jacksonville State (4–2) | Jacksonville State (4–2) | Jacksonville State (7–2) | North Dakota State (8–2) | North Alabama (8–1) | Elizabeth City State (8–2) | 7. |
| 8. | Clarion State (2–0) | Shippensburg (3–0) | North Dakota (4–1) | North Dakota (5–1) | Shippensburg (6–0) | Shippensburg (7–0) | North Dakota State (8–0) | North Alabama (7–1) | Elizabeth City State (8–2) | Shippensburg (11–0) | 8. |
| 9. | Livingston (2–0) | North Dakota (3–1) | Cal State Northridge (3–0–1) | Cal State Northridge (4–0–1) | Minnesota–Duluth (7–0) | North Dakota State (6–2) | Shippensburg (6–1) | Shippensburg (9–0) | Grand Valley State (7–2) | Texas A&I (9–2) | 9. |
| 10. | Elizabeth City State (2–0) | Minnesota–Duluth (4–0) | Livingston (3–1) | Jacksonville State (3–2) | North Dakota State (5–2) | Minnesota–Duluth (8–0) | North Alabama | Abilene Christian (7–1) | Shippensburg (10–0) | Grand Valley State (7–2) | 10. |
| 11. | Morgan State (2–0) | West Chester State (3–0) | Lock Haven (4–0) | | | | | Grand Valley State (6–2) | | North Alabama (8–2) | 11. |
| 12. | | | Minnesota–Duluth (5–0) | | | | | | | | 12. |
| | Week 1 Sept 23 | Week 2 Sept 30 | Week 3 Oct 7 | Week 4 Oct 14 | Week 5 Oct 21 | Week 6 Oct 28 | Week 7 Nov 4 | Week 8 Nov 11 | Week 9 Nov 18 | Week 10 Nov 25 | |
| | | Dropped: 6 Mississippi College8 Clarion State10 Elizabeth City State11 Morgan State | Dropped: 11 West Chester State | Dropped: 6 Abilene Christian10 Livingston11 Lock Haven11 Minnesota–Duluth | Dropped: 8 North Dakota9 Cal State Northridge | None | Dropped: 10 Minnesota–Duluth | Dropped: 6 Texas A&I | Dropped: 10 Abilene Christian | None | |