| Year: | 1981 |
| Team: | Tennessee Volunteers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SEC |
| Record: | 8–4 |
| Conf Record: | 3–3 |
| Head Coach: | Johnny Majors |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Off Coach: | Bill Pace |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Coach: | Bobby Jackson |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Captain: | James Berry |
| Captain2: | Lemont Holt Jeffers |
| Captain3: | Lee North |
| Stadium: | Neyland Stadium |
| Champion: | Garden State Bowl champion |
| Bowl Result: | W 28–21 vs. Wisconsin |
The 1981 Tennessee Volunteers football team (variously "Tennessee", "UT" or the "Vols") represented the University of Tennessee in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. Playing as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the team was led by head coach Johnny Majors, in his fifth year, and played their home games at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee. They finished the season with a record of eight wins and four losses (8–4 overall, 3–3 in the SEC). The Volunteers offense scored 244 points while the defense allowed 265 points.
See also: 1980 USC Trojans football team.
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club |
| Wide Receiver | 1 | 11 | Kansas City Chiefs | |
| Brian Ingram | Linebacker | 4 | 111 | New England Patriots |
| LeMont Holt Jeffers | Linebacker | 6 | 153 | Washington Redskins |
| Terry Daniels | 10 | 265 | Washington Redskins | |