1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
American college football season
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The 1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1981 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third year under head coach Joe Salem, the Golden Gophers compiled a 6–5 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 274 to 264.[1] It was the final season in Memorial Stadium.[2]
| 1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 6–5 (4–5 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Mike Hohensee |
| Captain | Ken Dallafior |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 15 Ohio State + | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 18 Iowa + | 6 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Quarterback Mike Hohensee received the team's Most Valuable Player award, while flanker Chester Cooper was named offensive MVP, and linebacker Jim Fahnhorst was named the defensive MVP. Fahnhorst and offensive tackle Ken Dallafior were named All-Big Ten first team. Cooper, offensive lineman Bill Humphries, defensive end Karl Mecklenburg, and defensive lineman Fred Orgas were named All-Big Ten second team. Defensive lineman Brent Harms and Fred Orgas, free safety Mike Robb, and safety Rick Witthus were named Academic All-Big Ten.[3]
Several Minnesota players ranked among the Big Ten leaders, including the following:
- Mike Hohensee led the conference with 20 passing touchdowns and ranked fourth with 2,412 passing yards.[4]
- Wide receiver Chester Cooper led the conference with 1,012 receiving yards and ranked second with 58 receptions.[4]
- Running back Frank Jacobs ranked sixth in the conference with 638 rushing yards and fifth with eight rushing touchdowns.[4]
- Placekicker Jim Gallery ranked second in the conference with 13 field goals made, fourth with a 59.8 field goal percentage, and seventh with 62 points scored.[4]
Total attendance for the season was 301,248, which averaged to 43,035. The season high for attendance was against Michigan.[5]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 12 | Ohio* | W 19–17 | 40,086 | [6] | |||
| September 19 | Purdue |
| WLFI-TV[7] | W 16–13 | 41,530 | [8] | |
| September 26 | Oregon State* |
| W 42–12 | 30,890 | [9] | ||
| October 3 | at Illinois | L 29–38 | 63,814 | [10] | |||
| October 10 | Northwestern |
| W 35–23 | 45,949 | [11] | ||
| October 17 | at Indiana | L 16–17 | 46,460 | [12] | |||
| October 24 | at No. 6 Iowa | W 12–10 | 60,000 | [13] | |||
| October 31 | No. 15 Michigan |
| ON-TV | L 13–34 | 52,875 | [14] | |
| November 7 | 1:00 pm | No. 18 Ohio State |
| ESPN[15] | W 35–31 | 42,793 | [16] |
| November 14 | at Michigan State | L 36–43 | 56,571 | [17] | |||
| November 21 | Wisconsin |
| L 21–26 | 47,125 | [18] | ||
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Game summaries
Oregon State
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon St | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| • Minnesota | 6 | 20 | 9 | 7 | 42 |
- Date: September 26
- Location: Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota
| 1 | MINN | Carroll 1 yard pass from Hohensee (kick failed) | Minnesota 6-0 | |
| 1 | ORST | Mangold 52 yard field goal | Minnesota 6-3 | |
| 2 | MINN | Curtis 8 yard pass from Hohensee (Gallery kick) | Minnesota 13-3 | |
| 2 | MINN | Curtis 14 yard pass from Hohensee (Gallery kick) | Minnesota 20-3 | |
| 2 | MINN | Cooper 38 yard pass from Hohensee (kick failed) | Minnesota 26-3 | |
| 3 | MINN | Gallery 28 yard field goal | Minnesota 29-3 | |
| 3 | ORST | Safety, ball snapped out of end zone | Minnesota 29-5 | |
| 3 | MINN | Weckbecker 27 yard pass from Hohensee (kick failed) | Minnesota 35-5 | |
| 4 | MINN | Henry 1 yard run (Gallery kick) | Minnesota 42-5 | |
| 4 | ORST | Terrell 6 yard run (Mangold kick) | Minnesota 42-12 | |
Ohio State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio St | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: November 7
- Game time: 1:00 p.m.
- Game weather: Clear, 64 °F (18 °C)
- Game attendance: 42,793
- Referee: Glenn Fortin
- Box Score
| Game information |
|---|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
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Wisconsin
at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: November 21, 1981
- Game attendance: 47,125
- [20]
The loss overshadowed a record-setting day for Mike Hohensee and Chester Cooper. Hohensee set the single season school records for completions and passing yardage while Chester Cooper broke the single season school record for receiving yardage.[21]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | Passing | Jess Cole | 6/17, 84 Yds |
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Minnesota | Passing | Mike Hohensee | 17/34, 254 Yds, TD |
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | Chester Cooper | 6 Rec, 123 Yds, TD |
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personnel
| 1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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