The 1981 Arizona State Sun Devils football team was an American football team that represented Arizona State University in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second season under head coach Darryl Rogers, the Sun Devils compiled a 9–2 record (5–2 against Pac-10 opponents), finished in a tie for second place in the Pac-10, and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 394 to 193. The team was on probation, making them ineligible for a bowl game.