October
On October 3, Oklahoma, still stung by its last second loss to USC, was shocked at home in a 7-7 tie with Iowa State. North Carolina moved up to replace Oklahoma at #5 in the next poll.
On October 10, #1 USC was upset by Arizona, 13-10. #3 Texas beat #10 Oklahoma 34-13 and jumped over Penn State into the #1 spot. Michigan returned to the top 5 in the new poll that was: 1. Texas, 2. Penn State, 3. Pittsburgh, 4. North Carolina, and 5. Michigan.
On October 17, #1 Texas was steamrolled by Arkansas 42-11. #5 Michigan lost at Iowa 9-7 in the game that ultimately decided the Big 10's Rose Bowl berth. Clemson and USC replaced Texas and Michigan in the new top 5 that was: 1. Penn State, 2. Pittsburgh, 3. North Carolina, 4. Clemson, and 5. USC.
The big game on October 24 was between ACC rivals #3 North Carolina and #4 Clemson in Chapel Hill. Clemson won 10-8 to move up to #3, and Georgia replaced North Carolina in the top 5.
On October 31, #1 Penn State was upset by unranked Miami (FL) 17-14 and fell to #6. Texas re-ermerged in the top 5 that was: 1. Pittsburgh, 2. Clemson, 3. USC, 4. Georgia, and 5. Texas.
Read more about this topic: 1981 NCAA Division I-A Football Season
Famous quotes containing the word october:
“The autumnal change of our woods has not yet made a deep impression on our own literature yet. October has hardly tinged our poetry.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Especially when the October wind
With frosty fingers punishes my hair,”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)