1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football
Big Ten Co-Champions
Rose Bowl, L 28-0 vs. Washington
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	#15
AP	#18
1981 record	8–4 (6–2 Big Ten)
Head coach	Hayden Fry (3rd year)
Offensive coordinator	Bill Snyder (3rd year)
Defensive coordinator	Bill Brashier (3rd year)
Home stadium	Kinnick Stadium

1981 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#15 Ohio State +	6	–	2	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
#18 Iowa +	6	–	2	–	0			8	–	4	–	0
#12 Michigan	6	–	3	–	0			9	–	3	–	0
Illinois	6	–	3	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Wisconsin	6	–	3	–	0			7	–	5	–	0
Minnesota	4	–	5	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Michigan State	4	–	5	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Purdue	3	–	6	–	0			5	–	6	–	0
Indiana	3	–	6	–	0			3	–	8	–	0
Northwestern	0	–	9	–	0			0	–	11	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A 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. It was also Iowa's first winning season since 1961. This time Iowa had a more difficult time, shutout by Don James's Washington Huskies, 28–0. The Hawkeyes finished the 1981 season at 8–4.

Schedule

Date	Opponent^#	Rank^#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 12	#7 Nebraska*		Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 10-7	60,160
September 19	at Iowa State*		Cyclone Stadium • Ames, IA (Cy-Hawk Trophy)		L 12-23	53,922
September 26	#6 UCLA*		Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 20-7	60,004
October 3	at Northwestern	#18	Dyche Stadium • Evanston, IL		W 64-0	30,113
October 10	Indiana	#15	Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 42-28	60,000
October 17	at #5 Michigan	#12	Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, MI		W 9-7	105,915
October 24	Minnesota	#6	Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA (Floyd of Rosedale)	ABC	L 10-12	60,000
October 31	at Illinois	#16	Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL		L 7-24	66,877
November 7	Purdue		Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 33-7	60,114
November 14	at Wisconsin		Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, WI	ESPN	W 17-7	78,731
November 21	Michigan State	#19	Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA		W 36-7	60,103
January 1	vs. #12 Washington*	#13	Rose Bowl • Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl)	NBC	L 0-28	105,611
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. ^#Rankings from AP Poll. All times are in Central Time.

^[1]

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.

Rankings

Ranking Movement
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
AP	NR	NR	NR	NR	18	15	12	6	16	NR	NR	19	13	13	18
Coaches'															15

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Game notes

Nebraska

#7 Nebraska at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total #7 Cornhuskers 0 0 0 7 7 • Hawkeyes 7 3 0 0 10 Date: September 12, 1981 Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA Game attendance: 60,160 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary 1 9:16 IOWA Eddie Phillips 2-yard run (Olejniczak kick) Iowa 7-0 2 IOWA Olejniczak 35-yard field goal Iowa 10-0 4 11:45 Neb Roger Craig 1-yard run (kick) IOWA 10-7

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Iowa State

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UCLA

#6 UCLA at Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total #6 Bruins 0 7 0 0 7 • Hawkeyes 7 0 3 10 20 Date: September 26 Location: Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, Iowa Game attendance: 60,004 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary 1 IOWA Gales 16-yard run (Olejniczak kick) IOWA 7-0 2 UCLA Ramsey 1-yard run (Johnson kick) Tied 7-7 3 IOWA Nichol 35-yard field goal IOWA 10-7 4 IOWA Mark Bortz recovered fumble in end zone (Nichol kick) IOWA 17-7 4 IOWA Nichol 43-yard field goal IOWA 20-7

^[5]

Northwestern

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Indiana

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Michigan

#12 Iowa at #5 Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total • #12 Hawkeyes 6 0 3 0 9 #5 Wolverines 0 7 0 0 7 Date: October 17 Location: Michigan Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan Game attendance: 105,915 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

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.

^{[8] [9]}

Minnesota

Minnesota at #6 Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total • Golden Gophers 0 9 0 3 12 Hawkeyes 0 0 10 0 10 Date: October 24 Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA Game attendance: 60,000 Television network: ABC Sources: Box Score and Game Story

Scoring summary Q2 Minn Gallery 52-yard field goal Minn 3-0 Q2 Minn Gallery 31-yard field goal Minn 6-0 Q2 Minn Gallery 33-yard field goal Minn 9-0 Q3 IOWA Nichol 34-yard field goal Minn 9-3 Q3 IOWA Blatcher 2-yard run (Nichol kick) IOWA 10-9 Q4 2:22 Minn Gallery 27-yard field goal 'Minn 12-10

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Illinois

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Purdue

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Wisconsin

Iowa at Wisconsin

1 2 3 4 Total • Hawkeyes 3 14 0 0 17 Badgers 0 0 0 7 7 Date: November 14 Location: Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wisconsin Game attendance: 78,731 Television network: ABC Sports Sources: Box Score and Game Story

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

^[13]

Michigan State

Michigan State at #19 Iowa

1 2 3 4 Total Spartans 0 7 0 0 7 • Hawkeyes 16 0 10 10 36 Date: November 21 Location: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, Iowa Game attendance: 60,103 Sources: Box Score and Game Story

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.^[14]

Statistics

• Phil Blatcher 27 Rush, 247 Yds^[15]

^{[16] [17] [18]}

Rose Bowl

^{[19] [20]}

Postseason Awards

• Hayden Fry - Big Ten Coach of the Year
• Andre Tippett - Consensus first-team All-American (Defensive End)
• Reggie Roby - Consensus first-team All-American (Punter), NCAA single-season record with a 49.8-yard average

Team players in 1982 NFL Draft

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Ron Hallstrom	G	1	22	Green Bay Packers
Andre Tippett	LB	2	41	New England Patriots

^[21]

References

1. "1981 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". sports-reference.com.
2. "Iowa 1981 AP Football Rankings".
3. "IOWA UPSET NEBRASKA, 10-7". New York Times. September 13, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
4. "Iowa State 23, Iowa 12". New York Times. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
5. "U.C.L.A. Is Upset By Iowa". New York Times. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
6. "64-0!". Chicago Tribune. October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
7. "'Surprise' get Iowa untracked". Chicago Tribune. October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
8. "3 Iowa Field Goals Stop Michigan, 9-7". New York Times. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
9. "Iowa Defeats No. 5 Michigan". Washington Post. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
10. "Minnesota kicks Iowa back down". Chicago Tribune. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
11. "Illinois turns to defense". The Pantagraph. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
12. "Iowa 33, Purdue 7". New York Times. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
13. "Wisconsin's odor is not of roses". Chicago Tribune. November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
14. Eugene Register-Guard. 1981 Nov 22.
15. Iowa Hawkeyes athletics website.
16. "IOWA WINS TRIP TO ROSE BOWL". New York Times. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
17. "Iowa Goes to Rose Bowl as Michigan Loses". Washington Post. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
18. "Hawkeyes make Iowa sick with Rose Bowl fever". Chicago Tribune. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
19. "Iowa flat embarrassed by Washington romp". Chicago Tribune. January 2, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
20. "Washington Wilts Iowa's Rose, 28-0". Washington Post. January 2, 1981. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
21. "1982 NFL Draft". pro-football-reference.com.