1981 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season

1981 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season
General manager	Ralph Sazio (3–2) Joe Zuger (8–2–1)
Head coach	Frank Kush
Home field	Ivor Wynne Stadium
Results
Record	11–4–1
Division place	1st, East
Playoff finish	Lost East Final
Team MOP	Tom Clements
Team MOC	Rocky DiPietro
Team MOR	Howard Fields

The 1981 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season was the 24th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 32nd overall. The Tiger-Cats finished in first place in the East Division for the second consecutive year with an 11–4–1 record. They lost the East Final to the heavy underdog Ottawa Rough Riders team that finished 5–11–0. In the first season of full inter-division play, the Tiger-Cats finished with a 6–0 record against the East Division, outscoring their opponents 197 to 71.

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record
A	June 7	at Montreal Alouettes	W 27–21	1–0
B	June 13	vs. Toronto Argonauts	L 3–15	1–1
C	June 18	at Toronto Argonauts	W 23–16	2–1
D	June 27	vs. Montreal Alouettes	L 24–38	2–2

Regular season

Season Standings

East Division
Team	GP	W	L	T	Pts	PF	PA	Div	Stk
Hamilton Tiger-Cats	16	11	4	1	23	414	335	6–0	W1	Details
Ottawa Rough Riders	16	5	11	0	10	306	446	3–3	L1	Details
Montreal Alouettes	16	3	13	0	6	267	518	2–4	W1	Details
Toronto Argonauts	16	2	14	0	4	241	506	1–5	L2	Details

Season schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record
1	July 5	at Winnipeg Blue Bombers	W 33–23	1–0
2	July 11	vs. Ottawa Rough Riders	W 47–10	2–0
3	July 17	at Calgary Stampeders	L 6–26	2–1
4	July 25	vs. Toronto Argonauts	W 57–13	3–1
5	Aug 1	at Edmonton Eskimos	L 5–41	3–2
6	Aug 8	vs. Calgary Stampeders	W 28–16	4–2
7	Aug 16	at BC Lions	W 37–23	5–2
8	Bye
9	Aug 29	vs. Montreal Alouettes	W 16–11	6–2
10	Sept 7	vs. Edmonton Eskimos	T 34–34	6–2–1
11	Sept 12	at Montreal Alouettes	W 26–10	7–2–1
12	Sept 20	vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers	W 25–13	8–2–1
13	Sept 26	at Ottawa Rough Riders	W 30–16	9–2–1
14	Oct 4	at Saskatchewan Roughriders	W 30–26	10–2–1
15	Oct 12	vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders	L 12–28	10–3–1
16	Bye
17	Oct 25	vs. BC Lions	L 7–34	10–4–1
18	Oct 31	at Toronto Argonauts	W 21–11	11–4–1

Postseason

Schedule

Game	Date	Opponent	Result
East Final	Nov 15	vs. Ottawa Rough Riders	L 13–17

Awards and honours

1981 All-Stars

• David Shaw, Defensive back
• Harold Woods, Defensive back
• Ben Zambiasi, Linebacker