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.