1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football
Big Ten co-champion
Rose Bowl, L 0–28 vs. Washington
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 15
APNo. 18
Record8–4 (6–2 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Snyder (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorBill Brashier (3rd season)
MVPMel Cole
CaptainTracy Crocker
Pete Gales
Bruce Kittle
Andre Tippett
Brad Webb
Home stadiumKinnick Stadium
1981 Big Ten Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 15 Ohio State + 6 –2 –09 –3 –0
No. 18 Iowa + 6 –2 –08 –4 –0
No. 12 Michigan 6 –3 –09 –3 –0
Illinois 6 –3 –07 –4 –0
Wisconsin 6 –3 –07 –5 –0
Minnesota 4 –5 –06 –5 –0
Michigan State 4 –5 –05 –6 –0
Purdue 3 –6 –05 –6 –0
Indiana 3 –6 –03 –8 –0
Northwestern 0 –9 –00 –11 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

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

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 12No. 7 Nebraska*
W 10–760,160
September 19at Iowa State*
L 12–2353,922
September 26No. 6 UCLA*
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
W 20–760,004
October 3at NorthwesternNo. 18
W 64–030,113
October 10IndianadaggerNo. 15
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
W 42–2860,000
October 17at No. 5 MichiganNo. 12
W 9–7105,915
October 24MinnesotaNo. 6
ABCL 10–1260,000
October 31at IllinoisNo. 16
L 7–2466,877
November 7Purdue
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
W 33–760,114
November 14at Wisconsin
ESPNW 17–778,731
November 21Michigan StateNo. 19
  • Kinnick Stadium
  • Iowa City, Iowa
W 36–760,103
January 1vs. No. 12 Washington*No. 13
NBCL 0–28105,611
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings 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.
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.

Roster

1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
TE 87 John Alt So
C 69 Bill Bailey So
RB 28 Phil Blatcher Sr
QB 11 Gordy Bohannon Sr
WR 27 Jeff Brown Jr
QB 8 Dave Chambers Jr
QB 12 Pete Gales (C) Sr
RB 33 Owen Gill Fr
RB 26 Norm Granger So
G 76 Ron Hallstrom Sr
C 53 Joel Hilgenberg So
OT Bruce Kittle Injured (C) Sr
G 55 Joe Levelis So
QB 16 Chuck Long Fr
OT 65 Dave Mayhan Sr
OT 79 Brett Miller Jr
WR 5 Dave Moritz So
WR 83 Lon Olejniczak Injured Jr
RB 22 Eddie Phillips So
OT 71 Paul Postler Sr
G 66 Jon Roehlk So
WB 25 Ivory Webb Sr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DL 63 Mark Bortz Jr
LB 31 Mel Cole Sr
LB 32 James Erb Jr
DB 46 Tracy Crocker (C) Sr
DL 58 Pat Dean Sr
DB 10 Jim Frazier Sr
DB 43 Lou King Sr
DT 77 George Little Fr
DL 74 Jim Pekar Sr
LB 37 Todd Simonsen Sr
DB 41 Bob Stoops Jr
DB 2 Mike Stoops So
DE 99 Andre Tippett (C) Sr
DL 94 Brad Webb (C) Sr
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
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 Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
— = Not ranked.
Week
PollPre12345678910111213Final
AP————181512616——19131318
Coaches————201512716—1817111115

[3]

Game summaries

Nebraska

#7 Nebraska at Iowa
1 234Total
No. 7 Cornhuskers 0 007 7
• Hawkeyes 7 300 10
Scoring summary
19:16IowaEddie Phillips 2-yard run (Olejniczak kick)Iowa 7-0
214:55IowaOlejniczak 35-yard field goalIowa 10-0
411:42NebRoger Craig 1-yard run (kick)Iowa 10-7

[4]

At Iowa State

Iowa at Iowa State
1 234Total
Hawkeyes 0 606 12
• Cyclones 10 733 23
Scoring summary
1ISUQuinn 7-yard run (Giffords kick)ISU 7-0
1ISUGiffords 48-yard field goalISU 10-0
2ISUCrutchfield 3-yard run (Giffords kick)ISU 17-0
2IowaPhillips 1-yard run (kick blocked)ISU 17-6
3ISUGiffords 40-yard field goalISU 20-6
4ISUGiffords 34-yard field goalISU 23-6
4IowaBlatcher 1-yard run (pass failed)ISU 23-12

[5]

UCLA

#6 UCLA at Iowa
1 234Total
No. 6 Bruins 0 700 7
• Hawkeyes 7 0310 20
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game start: 1:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 2:45
  • Game attendance: 60,004
  • Referee: Glen Fortin
 
Scoring summary
15:02IowaGales 16-yard run (Olejniczak kick)Iowa 7-0
210:47UCLATom Ramsey 1-yard run (Johnson kick)Tied 7-7
39:48IowaNichol 35-yard field goalIowa 10-7
413:37IowaMark Bortz recovered fumble in end zone (Nichol kick)Iowa 17-7
6:24IowaNichol 43-yard field goalIowa 20-7

[6] [7]

at Northwestern

#18 Iowa at Northwestern
1 234Total
• No. 18 Hawkeyes 30 02014 64
Wildcats 0 000 0
      
Scoring summary
113:39IowaPhillips 12-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 7-0
11:29IowaGranger 6-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 14-0
8:52IowaKing blocked punt for a safetyIowa 16-0
6:39IowaPhillips 15-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 23-0
4:43IowaWebb 29-yard interception return (Nichol kick)Iowa 30-0
313:15IowaBrown 24-yard pass for Bohannon (Nichol kick)Iowa 37-0
11:34IowaMoritz 26-yard pass for Bohannon (kick failed)Iowa 43-0
2:40IowaGill 20-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 50-0
46:58IowaBuggs 2-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 57-0
45:46IowaBrown 74-yard punt return (Nichol kick)Iowa 64-0

[8]

Indiana

Indiana at #15 Iowa
1 234Total
Hoosiers 7 777 28
• No. 15 Hawkeyes 14 2170 42
  • Date: October 10
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game start: 1:05 p.m. CDT
  • Elapsed time: 3:11
  • Game attendance: 60,000
  • Referee: Tom Quinn
      
Scoring summary
113:14IndianaGunn 58-yard pass from Laufenberg (Greenstein kick)Indiana 7-0
8:27IowaGranger 2-yard run (Nichol kick)Tied 7-7
0:54IowaJones 51-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick)Iowa 14-7
210:40IndianaRoggeman 1-yard run (Greenstein kick)Tied 14-14
10:24IowaGranger 99-yard kick return (Nichol kick)Iowa 21-14
8:41IowaHufford 21-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick)Iowa 28-14
6:04IowaBlatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 35-14
313:05IndianaGunn 71-yard pass from Laufenberg (Greenstein kick)Iowa 35-21
11:08IowaHufford 11-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick)Iowa 42-21
43:12IndianaHines 2-yard run (Greenstein kick)Iowa 42-28

[9]

At Michigan

#12 Iowa at #5 Michigan
1 234Total
• #12 Hawkeyes 6 030 9
#5 Wolverines 0 700 7
Scoring summary
Q1IOWATom Nichol 20-yard field goalIOWA 3–0
Q1IowaNichol 36-yard field goalIOWA 6–0
Q2MICHAnthony Carter 17-yard pass from Steve Smith (Haji-Sheikh kick)MICH 7–6
Q3IOWANichol 30-yard field goalIOWA 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

Minnesota at #6 Iowa
1 234Total
• Golden Gophers 0 903 12
Hawkeyes 0 0100 10
Scoring summary
2MinnGallery 52-yard field goalMinn 3-0
2MinnGallery 31-yard field goalMinn 6-0
2MinnGallery 33-yard field goalMinn 9-0
3IOWANichol 34-yard field goalMinn 9-3
3IOWABlatcher 2-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 10-9
42:22MinnGallery 27-yard field goalMinn 12-10

[12] [13]

At Illinois

#16 Iowa at Illinois
1 234Total
#16 Hawkeyes 0 700 7
• Fighting Illini 3 1407 24
Scoring summary
1IllinoisBass 27-yard field goalIllinois 3-0
2IllinoisBurgard fumble recovery in end zone (Bass kick)Illinois 10-0
2IllinoisWilliams 56-yard pass from Eason (Bass kick)Illinois 17-0
2IowaBrown 12-yard pass from Bohannon (Nichol kick)Illinois 17-7
4IllinoisWilliams 4-yard pass from Eason (Bass kick)Illinois 24-7

[14]

Purdue

Purdue at Iowa
1 234Total
Boilermakers 0 007 7
• Hawkeyes 17 1330 33
  • Date: November 7
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game attendance: 60,114
Scoring summary
1IowaNichol 42-yard field goalIowa 3-0
1IowaBlatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 10-0
1IowaBohannon 12-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 17-0
2IowaCrocker recovered blocked punt in end zone (kick failed)Iowa 23-0
2IowaBohannon 7-yard run (Nichol kick)Iowa 30-0
3IowaNichol 48-yard field goalIowa 33-0
4PurdueFeulner 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

Iowa at Wisconsin
1 234Total
• Hawkeyes 3 1400 17
Badgers 0 007 7
Scoring summary
Q16:48IOWATom Nichol 35-yard field goalIOWA 3–0
Q2IOWAPhil Blatcher 1-yard run (Tom Nichol kick)IOWA 10–0
Q2IOWAPhil Blatcher 2-yard run (Tom Nichol kick)IOWA 17–0
Q4WiscIOWA 17–7

[16]

Michigan State

Michigan State at #19 Iowa
1 234Total
Spartans 0 700 7
• Hawkeyes 16 01010 36
  • Date: November 21
  • Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Game attendance: 60,103
  • Game weather: Mid-60s°F
Scoring summary
1IowaBlatcher 9-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 7-0
1IowaSafety, blocked punt through end zoneIOWA 9-0
1IowaPhillips 1-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 16-0
2Michigan StHodo 1-yard pass from Clark (Andersen kick)IOWA 16-7
3IowaNichol 26-yard field goalIOWA 19-7
3IowaBlatcher 1-yard run (Nichol kick)IOWA 26-7
4IowaNichol 23-yard field goalIOWA 29-7
4IowaCampbell 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)

#12 Washington vs. #13 Iowa
1 234Total
• Huskies 0 13015 28
Hawkeyes 0 000 0
  • Sources:
Scoring summary
2UWRobinson 1-yard run (Nelson kick)UW 7-0
2UWCoby 1-yard run (pass failed)UW 13-0
4UWRobinson 34-yard run (Pelluer pass to Skansi)UW 21-0
4UWCowan 3-yard run (Nelson kick)UW 28-0

[22] [23]

Postseason Awards

Team players in 1982 NFL Draft

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Ron HallstromG122Green Bay Packers
Andre TippettLB241New England Patriots

[24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  2. ↑ "1981 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". sports-reference.com.
  3. ↑ "Iowa 1981 AP Football Rankings".
  4. ↑ "Iowa Upset Nebraska, 10-7". The New York Times. September 13, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Iowa State 23, Iowa 12". The New York Times. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  6. ↑ "U.C.L.A. Is Upset By Iowa". The New York Times. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Iowa's Performance Surprises Its Coach". The New York Times. September 28, 1981. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  8. ↑ "64-0!". Chicago Tribune. October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  9. ↑ "'Surprise' get Iowa untracked". Chicago Tribune. October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  10. ↑ "3 Iowa Field Goals Stop Michigan, 9-7". The New York Times. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Iowa Defeats No. 5 Michigan". Washington Post. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Minnesota kicks Iowa back down". Chicago Tribune. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  13. ↑ "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.
  14. ↑ "Illinois turns to defense". The Pantagraph. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Iowa 33, Purdue 7". The New York Times. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Wisconsin's odor is not of roses". Chicago Tribune. November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  17. ↑ Eugene Register-Guard. 1981 Nov 22.
  18. ↑ Iowa Hawkeyes athletics website.
  19. ↑ "Iowa Wins Trip to Rose Bowl". The New York Times. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Iowa Goes to Rose Bowl as Michigan Loses". The Washington Post. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Hawkeyes make Iowa sick with Rose Bowl fever". Chicago Tribune. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Iowa flat embarrassed by Washington romp". Chicago Tribune. January 2, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Washington Wilts Iowa's Rose, 28-0". The Washington Post. January 2, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  24. ↑ "1982 NFL Draft". pro-football-reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
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