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 West 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.
This season marked the first time in Lions history that every regular season (16 in all) and playoff game (2) was televised.
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| Game
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Date
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Opponent
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Results
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Venue
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Attendance
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Record
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[1]
| Week
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Game
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Date
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Opponent
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Results
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| Score
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Record
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| 1
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1
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July 4
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vs. Montreal Alouettes
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W 48–8
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1–0
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| 2
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Bye
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| 3
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2
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July 16
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at Toronto Argonauts
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W 32–28
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2–0
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| 4
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3
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July 25
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vs. Ottawa Rough Riders
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W 31–17
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3–0
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| 5
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4
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July 31
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at Calgary Stampeders
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W 52–29
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4–0
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| 6
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5
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Aug 9
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at Saskatchewan Roughriders
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W 28–24
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5–0
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| 7
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6
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Aug 16
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vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
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L 23–37
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5–1
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| 8
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7
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Aug 23
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at Montreal Alouettes
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W 29–14
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6–1
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| 9
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8
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Aug 29
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vs. Calgary Stampeders
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W 31–21
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7–1
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| 10
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9
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Sept 4
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at Ottawa Rough Riders
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L 7–17
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7–2
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| 11
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10
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Sept 13
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at Edmonton Eskimos
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L 21–38
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7–3
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| 12
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11
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Sept 19
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vs. Toronto Argonauts
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W 45–14
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8–3
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| 13
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12
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Sept 27
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at Winnipeg Blue Bombers
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L 10–46
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8–4
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| 14
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13
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Oct 3
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vs. Edmonton Eskimos
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L 12–22
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8–5
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| 15
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Bye
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| 16
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14
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Oct 17
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vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
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L 22–49
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8–6
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| 17
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15
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Oct 25
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at Hamilton Tiger-Cats
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W 34–7
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9–6
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| 18
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16
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Oct 31
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vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders
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W 13–5
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10–6
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[2]
1981 CFL Western All-Stars
edit
