American college football season
The 1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 1981 Big Ten Conference football season . The Hawks were 6–2 in conference play and were Big Ten Conference co-champions. Iowa went to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 23 years. Their previous appearance in the 1958 season, when Iowa won the 1959 Rose Bowl . This time Iowa had a more difficult time, shutout by Don James 's Washington Huskies , 28–0. It was also Iowa's first winning season since 1961. The Hawkeyes finished the 1981 season at 8–4.
Several Iowa players ranked among the Big Ten leaders, including the following:
Lou King led the conference with eight interceptions.[1] Phil Blatcher ranked fourth in the conference with 708 rushing yards.[1] Tom Nichol ranked fourth in the conference with 11 field goals made.[1] Jeff Brown ranked fourth in the conference with 137 punt return yards and 6.5 yards per punt return.[1] Quarterback Gordy Bohannon ranked 10th in the conference with 1,303 total yards.[1] Schedule [ edit ] Date Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 12 No. 7 Nebraska * W 10–760,160 September 19 at Iowa State * L 12–2353,922 September 26 No. 6 UCLA * Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa W 20–760,004 October 3 at Northwestern No. 18 W 64–030,113 October 10 Indiana No. 15 Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa W 42–2860,000 October 17 at No. 5 Michigan No. 12 W 9–7105,915 October 24 Minnesota No. 6 ABC L 10–1260,000 October 31 at Illinois No. 16 L 7–2466,877 November 7 Purdue Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa W 33–760,114 November 14 at Wisconsin ESPN W 17–778,731 November 21 Michigan State No. 19 Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa W 36–760,103 January 1 vs. No. 12 Washington * No. 13 NBC L 0–28105,611 *Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[2]
In 1981, Iowa played eight conference games, missing one opponent. The government of Iowa mandated that they resume their series with Iowa State. [citation needed ] Iowa did not play Ohio State in 1981; OSU was also 8-3 and 6-2 in the Big Ten to tie for the conference title. The Buckeyes won their bowl game , the 1981 Liberty Bowl over Navy , and finished at 9-3. Iowa was awarded the Rose Bowl berth because it had not been to Pasadena since the 1958 season , while Ohio State went two years earlier .
1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Pos. # Name Class K 3 Tom Nichol Fr K 83 Lon Olejniczak Jr P 7 Reggie Roby Jr
Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Bill Snyder – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Bill Brashier – Defensive Coordinator Kirk Ferentz – Offensive line Carl Jackson – Running backs Del Miller – Offensive assistant Dan McCarney – Defensive line Barry Alvarez – Linebackers Don Patterson – Defensive Backs Bernie Wyatt – Defensive Ends/Recruiting Coordinator Bill Dervich – Strength and Conditioning Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt
Rankings [ edit ] Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final AP — — — — 18 15 12 6 16 — — 19 13 13 18 Coaches — — — — 20 15 12 7 16 — 18 17 11 11 15
[3]
Game summaries [ edit ] Nebraska [ edit ] #7 Nebraska at Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total No. 7 Cornhuskers 0 0 0 7 7 • Hawkeyes 7 3 0 0 10
Scoring summary 1 9:16 Iowa Eddie Phillips 2-yard run (Olejniczak kick) Iowa 7-0 2 14:55 Iowa Olejniczak 35-yard field goal Iowa 10-0 4 11:42 Neb Roger Craig 1-yard run (kick)Iowa 10-7
[4]
At Iowa State [ edit ] Iowa at Iowa State 1 2 3 4 Total Hawkeyes 0 6 0 6 12 • Cyclones 10 7 3 3 23
Scoring summary 1 ISU Quinn 7-yard run (Giffords kick) ISU 7-0 1 ISU Giffords 48-yard field goal ISU 10-0 2 ISU Crutchfield 3-yard run (Giffords kick) ISU 17-0 2 Iowa Phillips 1-yard run (kick blocked) ISU 17-6 3 ISU Giffords 40-yard field goal ISU 20-6 4 ISU Giffords 34-yard field goal ISU 23-6 4 Iowa Blatcher 1-yard run (pass failed) ISU 23-12
[5]
#6 UCLA at Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total No. 6 Bruins 0 7 0 0 7 • Hawkeyes 7 0 3 10 20
Date: September 26Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IowaGame start: 1:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 2:45Game attendance: 60,004Referee: Glen Fortin Scoring summary 1 5:02 Iowa Gales 16-yard run (Olejniczak kick) Iowa 7-0 2 10:47 UCLA Tom Ramsey 1-yard run (Johnson kick)Tied 7-7 3 9:48 Iowa Nichol 35-yard field goal Iowa 10-7 4 13:37 Iowa Mark Bortz recovered fumble in end zone (Nichol kick)Iowa 17-7 6:24 Iowa Nichol 43-yard field goal Iowa 20-7
[6] [7]
at Northwestern [ edit ] #18 Iowa at Northwestern 1 2 3 4 Total • No. 18 Hawkeyes 30 0 20 14 64 Wildcats 0 0 0 0 0
Scoring summary 1 13:39 Iowa Phillips 12-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 7-0 11:29 Iowa Granger 6-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 14-0 8:52 Iowa King blocked punt for a safety Iowa 16-0 6:39 Iowa Phillips 15-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 23-0 4:43 Iowa Webb 29-yard interception return (Nichol kick) Iowa 30-0 3 13:15 Iowa Brown 24-yard pass for Bohannon (Nichol kick) Iowa 37-0 11:34 Iowa Moritz 26-yard pass for Bohannon (kick failed) Iowa 43-0 2:40 Iowa Gill 20-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 50-0 4 6:58 Iowa Buggs 2-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 57-0 4 5:46 Iowa Brown 74-yard punt return (Nichol kick) Iowa 64-0
[8]
Indiana [ edit ] Indiana at #15 Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total Hoosiers 7 7 7 7 28 • No. 15 Hawkeyes 14 21 7 0 42
Date: October 10Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IowaGame start: 1:05 p.m. CDT Elapsed time: 3:11Game attendance: 60,000Referee: Tom Quinn Scoring summary 1 13:14 Indiana Gunn 58-yard pass from Laufenberg (Greenstein kick) Indiana 7-0 8:27 Iowa Granger 2-yard run (Nichol kick) Tied 7-7 0:54 Iowa Jones 51-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) Iowa 14-7 2 10:40 Indiana Roggeman 1-yard run (Greenstein kick) Tied 14-14 10:24 Iowa Granger 99-yard kick return (Nichol kick) Iowa 21-14 8:41 Iowa Hufford 21-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) Iowa 28-14 6:04 Iowa Blatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 35-14 3 13:05 Indiana Gunn 71-yard pass from Laufenberg (Greenstein kick) Iowa 35-21 11:08 Iowa Hufford 11-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) Iowa 42-21 4 3:12 Indiana Hines 2-yard run (Greenstein kick) Iowa 42-28
[9]
At Michigan [ edit ] #12 Iowa at #5 Michigan 1 2 3 4 Total • #12 Hawkeyes 6 0 3 0 9 #5 Wolverines 0 7 0 0 7
Scoring summary Q1 IOWA Tom Nichol 20-yard field goal IOWA 3–0 Q1 Iowa Nichol 36-yard field goal IOWA 6–0 Q2 MICH Anthony Carter 17-yard pass from Steve Smith (Haji-Sheikh kick) MICH 7–6 Q3 IOWA Nichol 30-yard field goal IOWA 9–7
The Hawkeyes won 9-7 at #5 Michigan, their third victory over a top ten team during the 1981 season. It was Iowa's first victory over the Wolverines since 1962.
[10] [11]
Minnesota [ edit ] Minnesota at #6 Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total • Golden Gophers 0 9 0 3 12 Hawkeyes 0 0 10 0 10
Scoring summary 2 Minn Gallery 52-yard field goal Minn 3-0 2 Minn Gallery 31-yard field goal Minn 6-0 2 Minn Gallery 33-yard field goal Minn 9-0 3 IOWA Nichol 34-yard field goal Minn 9-3 3 IOWA Blatcher 2-yard run (Nichol kick) IOWA 10-9 4 2:22 Minn Gallery 27-yard field goal Minn 12-10
[12] [13]
At Illinois [ edit ] #16 Iowa at Illinois 1 2 3 4 Total #16 Hawkeyes 0 7 0 0 7 • Fighting Illini 3 14 0 7 24
Scoring summary 1 Illinois Bass 27-yard field goal Illinois 3-0 2 Illinois Burgard fumble recovery in end zone (Bass kick) Illinois 10-0 2 Illinois Williams 56-yard pass from Eason (Bass kick) Illinois 17-0 2 Iowa Brown 12-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick) Illinois 17-7 4 Illinois Williams 4-yard pass from Eason (Bass kick) Illinois 24-7
[14]
Purdue at Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total Boilermakers 0 0 0 7 7 • Hawkeyes 17 13 3 0 33
Date: November 7Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IowaGame attendance: 60,114 Scoring summary 1 Iowa Nichol 42-yard field goal Iowa 3-0 1 Iowa Blatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 10-0 1 Iowa Bohannon 12-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 17-0 2 Iowa Crocker recovered blocked punt in end zone (kick failed) Iowa 23-0 2 Iowa Bohannon 7-yard run (Nichol kick) Iowa 30-0 3 Iowa Nichol 48-yard field goal Iowa 33-0 4 Purdue Feulner 1-yard run (Clark kick) Iowa 33-7
The 33-7 win was Iowa's first over the Boilermakers since 1960, and secured the Hawkeyes' first winning season since 1961.[15]
At Wisconsin [ edit ] Iowa at Wisconsin 1 2 3 4 Total • Hawkeyes 3 14 0 0 17 Badgers 0 0 0 7 7
Scoring summary Q1 6:48 IOWA Tom Nichol 35-yard field goal IOWA 3–0 Q2 IOWA Phil Blatcher 1-yard run (Tom Nichol kick) IOWA 10–0 Q2 IOWA Phil Blatcher 2-yard run (Tom Nichol kick) IOWA 17–0 Q4 Wisc IOWA 17–7
[16]
Michigan State [ edit ] Michigan State at #19 Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total Spartans 0 7 0 0 7 • Hawkeyes 16 0 10 10 36
Date: November 21Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IowaGame attendance: 60,103Game weather: Mid-60s°F Scoring summary 1 Iowa Blatcher 9-yard run (Nichol kick) IOWA 7-0 1 Iowa Safety, blocked punt through end zone IOWA 9-0 1 Iowa Phillips 1-yard run (Nichol kick) IOWA 16-0 2 Michigan St Hodo 1-yard pass from Clark (Andersen kick) IOWA 16-7 3 Iowa Nichol 26-yard field goal IOWA 19-7 3 Iowa Blatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick) IOWA 26-7 4 Iowa Nichol 23-yard field goal IOWA 29-7 4 Iowa Campbell 9-yard pass from Gales (Nichol kick) IOWA 36-7
Iowa earns first Rose Bowl since 1958 with Michigan 's loss to Ohio State , which was announced with 6:14 left in the first quarter.[17]
Statistics
Phil Blatcher 27 Rush, 247 Yds[18] [19] [20] [21]
Vs. Washington (Rose Bowl) [ edit ] #12 Washington vs. #13 Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total • Huskies 0 13 0 15 28 Hawkeyes 0 0 0 0 0
Scoring summary 2 UW Robinson 1-yard run (Nelson kick) UW 7-0 2 UW Coby 1-yard run (pass failed) UW 13-0 4 UW Robinson 34-yard run (Pelluer pass to Skansi) UW 21-0 4 UW Cowan 3-yard run (Nelson kick) UW 28-0
[22] [23]
Postseason Awards [ edit ] Team players in 1982 NFL Draft [ edit ] [24]
References [ edit ] ^ a b c d e "1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary" . SR/College Football . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 19, 2016 . ^ "1981 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results" . sports-reference.com . ^ "Iowa 1981 AP Football Rankings" . ^ "Iowa Upset Nebraska, 10-7" . The New York Times . September 13, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015 . ^ "Iowa State 23, Iowa 12" . The New York Times . September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "U.C.L.A. Is Upset By Iowa" . The New York Times . September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015 . ^ "Iowa's Performance Surprises Its Coach" . The New York Times . September 28, 1981. Retrieved November 15, 2017 . ^ "64-0!" . Chicago Tribune . October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ " 'Surprise' get Iowa untracked" . Chicago Tribune . October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "3 Iowa Field Goals Stop Michigan, 9-7" . The New York Times . October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015 . ^ "Iowa Defeats No. 5 Michigan" . Washington Post . October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015 . ^ "Minnesota kicks Iowa back down" . Chicago Tribune . October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Iowa linebacker Mel Cole is a contradiction on a football team making a lot of noise this fall" . UPI . October 27, 1981. Retrieved October 9, 2017 . ^ "Illinois turns to defense" . The Pantagraph . November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Iowa 33, Purdue 7" . The New York Times . November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Wisconsin's odor is not of roses" . Chicago Tribune . November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1981 Nov 22. ^ Iowa Hawkeyes athletics website. ^ "Iowa Wins Trip to Rose Bowl" . The New York Times . November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Iowa Goes to Rose Bowl as Michigan Loses" . The Washington Post . November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Hawkeyes make Iowa sick with Rose Bowl fever" . Chicago Tribune . November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Iowa flat embarrassed by Washington romp" . Chicago Tribune . January 2, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "Washington Wilts Iowa's Rose, 28-0" . The Washington Post . January 2, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015 . ^ "1982 NFL Draft" . pro-football-reference.com . Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2018 .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
Western Conference Big Ten Big Nine Big Ten National championships in bold