1981 BC Lions season |
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Head coach |
Vic Rapp |
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Home field |
Empire Stadium |
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Results |
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Record |
10–6 |
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Division place |
3rd, West |
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Playoff finish |
Lost West Final |
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The 1981 BC Lions finished in third place in the West Division with a 10–6 record.
Joe Paopao had an excellent season with 3777 yards passing and 28 passing touchdowns and running back Larry Key had 19 touchdowns in a bounceback season after missing most of the 1980 season due to injury. Wideout Ty Gray had a breakout season with 1428 yards receiving.
The Lions beat Winnipeg in the Wester Semi-final, but fell to the Eskimos 22-16 in the Western Final when Warren Moon hit Brian Kelly for a late 4th quarter touchdown. The Western Final included a game changing officiating error involving a Devon Ford kickoff return for a Lions touchdown when the officials incorrectly stated he stepped out-of-bounds. Television replays showed he clearly did not step out-of-bounds (video replay was instituted 25 years later in 2006).
Running back Larry Key and centre Al Wilson made the CFL all-star team.
First time in Lions history that every regular season (16) and playoff game (2) was televised.
Offseason
CFL Draft
Rd |
Pick |
Player |
Position |
School |
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Preseason
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Result |
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Regular season
Season schedule
Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Score |
Result |
Record |
1 |
July 4 |
vs. Montreal Alouettes |
48–8 |
Win |
1–0 |
2 |
Bye |
1–0 |
3 |
July 16 |
at Toronto Argonauts |
32–28 |
Win |
2–0 |
4 |
July 25 |
vs. Ottawa Rough Riders |
31–17 |
Win |
3–0 |
5 |
July 31 |
at Calgary Stampeders |
52–29 |
Win |
4–0 |
6 |
Aug 9 |
at Saskatchewan Roughriders |
28–24 |
Win |
5–0 |
7 |
Aug 16 |
vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
37–23 |
Loss |
5–1 |
8 |
Aug 23 |
at Montreal Alouettes |
29–14 |
Win |
6–1 |
9 |
Aug 29 |
vs. Calgary Stampeders |
31–21 |
Win |
7–1 |
10 |
Sept 4 |
at Ottawa Rough Riders |
17–7 |
Loss |
7–2 |
11 |
Sept 13 |
at Edmonton Eskimos |
38–21 |
Loss |
7–3 |
12 |
Sept 19 |
vs. Toronto Argonauts |
45–14 |
Win |
8–3 |
13 |
Sept 27 |
at Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
46–10 |
Loss |
8–4 |
14 |
Oct 3 |
vs. Edmonton Eskimos |
22–12 |
Loss |
8–5 |
15 |
Bye |
8–5 |
16 |
Oct 17 |
vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers |
49–22 |
Loss |
8–6 |
17 |
Oct 25 |
at Hamilton Tiger-Cats |
34–7 |
Win |
9–6 |
18 |
Oct 31 |
vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders |
13–5 |
Win |
10–6 |
[2]
Awards and records
1981 CFL Western All-Stars
- RB – Larry Key, CFL Western All-Star
- WR – Tyrone Grey, CFL All-Star
- C – Al Wilson, CFL Western All-Star
References
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Franchise | |
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Stadiums | |
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Culture | |
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Lore | |
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Important figures | |
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Retired numbers | |
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Key personnel | |
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Grey Cup Championships (6) | |
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Western Division Championships (10) | |
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Current league affiliations | |
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