Date Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source September 5 at No. 10 Georgia L 0–4479,600 [ 1]
September 12 at No. 5 USC * L 7–4362,147 [ 2]
September 19 Colorado State * W 42–093,972 [ 3]
September 26 Auburn Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN W 10–792,612 [ 4]
October 10 Georgia Tech * Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN W 10–794,478 [ 5]
October 17 at No. 15 Alabama L 19–3878,550 [ 6]
October 24 at Memphis State * W 28–951,668 [ 7]
November 7 Wichita State * Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN W 24–2194,155 [ 8]
November 14 Ole Miss Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN (rivalry ) W 28–2090,955 [ 9]
November 21 at Kentucky L 10–2154,604 [ 10]
November 28 Vanderbilt Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN W 38–3492,824 [ 11]
December 13 vs. Wisconsin * Mizlou W 28–2153,220 [ 12]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
1981 Tennessee Volunteers football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Tennessee at USC
1
2 3 4 Total
Volunteers
0
0 7 0
7
• Trojans
6
20 10 7
43
Scoring summary Q1 USC Allen 9-yard run (kick failed)USC 6–0
Q2 USC White 50-yard pass from Mazur (run failed) USC 12–0
Q2 USC Allen 12-yard run (Livingston kick) USC 19–0
Q2 USC Allen 4-yard run (Livingston kick) USC 26–0
Q3 USC Allen 55-yard run (Livingston kick) USC 33–0
Q3 USC Livingston 47-yard field goal USC 36–0
Q3 TEN Morris 1-yard pass from Cockrell (Reveiz kick) USC 36–7
Q4 USC Boyer 3-yard pass from Salisbury (Jordan kick)USC 43–7
Team players drafted into the NFL
edit
^ Smyth, Jimmy (September 6, 1981). "Georgia pounds Volunteers, 44–0" . Johnson City Press-Chronicle . Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "USC puts Tennessee to rout in 43–7 win" . The Los Angeles Times . September 13, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Vols romp by erring Rams, 42–0" . The Knoxville News-Sentinel . September 20, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Majors proud of Tennessee 10–7 victory" . The Selma Times-Journal . September 27, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tennessee rebounds to beat Jackets 10–7" . The Macon Telegraph & News . October 11, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tide's first half monsoon wrecks Vols" . The Tennessean . October 18, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ " 'Big Orange Hex' more powerful than 'Memphis Jinx' " . The Leaf-Chronicle . October 25, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tennessee dodges a Shock(er)" . The Tennessean . November 8, 1981. Retrieved February 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Vols hold back Rebels" . The Tampa Tribune-Times . November 15, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Wildcats silence Vols' thunder" . The Paducah Sun . November 22, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Vandy refuses chance to tie" . The Jackson Sun . November 29, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Tennessee's speed burns Wisconsin" . Clarion-Ledger . December 14, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "1982 NFL Draft" . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 12, 2012 .