| Year: | 1981 |
| Team: | West Virginia Mountaineers |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Coachrank: | 18 |
| Aprank: | 17 |
| Record: | 9–3 |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Stadium: | Mountaineer Field (Capacity: 50,000) |
| Champion: | Peach Bowl champion |
| Bowl Result: | W 26–6 vs. Florida |
The 1981 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. It was the Mountaineers' 89th overall season and they competed as a Division I-A Independent. The team was led by head coach Don Nehlen, in his second year, and played their home games at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. They finished the season with a record of nine wins and three losses (9–3 overall) and with a victory over Florida in the Peach Bowl.