1981 Nicholls State Colonels football team

The 1981 Nicholls State Colonels football team represented Nicholls State University as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Sonny Jackson, the Colonels compiled a record of 5–5–1. Nicholls State played home games at John L. Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, Louisiana.