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
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 .
Game summaries
Nebraska
#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
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]
UCLA
#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
#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
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
#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
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
#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
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
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
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)
#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]