1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

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1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record6–5 (4–5 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPMike Hohensee
CaptainKen Dallafior
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1980
1982 →
1981 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
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
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

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]

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[edit]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 12Ohio*
W 19–1740,086
September 19Purdue
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
WLFI-TV[6]W 16–1341,530
September 26Oregon State*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 42–1230,890
October 3at Illinois
L 29–3863,814
October 10Northwesterndagger
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
W 35–2345,949
October 17at Indiana
L 16–1746,460
October 24at No. 6 Iowa
W 12–1060,000
October 31No. 15 Michigan
ON-TVL 13–3452,875[7]
November 71:00 pmNo. 18 Ohio State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN
ESPN[8]W 35–3142,793
November 14at Michigan State
L 36–4356,571
November 21Wisconsin
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Minneapolis, MN (rivalry)
L 21–2647,125
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel[edit]

1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
TE 83 Jay Carroll So
WR 43 Chester Cooper Sr
OT 78 Ken Dallafior Sr
OL Todd Hallstrom
QB 9 Mike Hohensee Jr
RB Tony Hunter
RB 40 Frank Jacobs
C 53 Randy Rasmussen Jr
QB 10 Tim Salem So
WR 19 Ron Weckbacher Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DT 71 Kurt Bankson Sr
DT 74 Karl Mecklenburg Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 21 Jim Gallery So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Roster

Game summaries[edit]

Oregon State[edit]

See also: 1981 Oregon State Beavers football team
1 234Total
Oregon St 3 027 12
• Minnesota 6 2097 42
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota
Scoring summary
1MINNCarroll 1 yard pass from Hohensee (kick failed)Minnesota 6-0
1ORSTMangold 52 yard field goalMinnesota 6-3
2MINNCurtis 8 yard pass from Hohensee (Gallery kick)Minnesota 13-3
2MINNCurtis 14 yard pass from Hohensee (Gallery kick)Minnesota 20-3
2MINNCooper 38 yard pass from Hohensee (kick failed)Minnesota 26-3
3MINNGallery 28 yard field goalMinnesota 29-3
3ORSTSafety, ball snapped out of end zoneMinnesota 29-5
3MINNWeckbecker 27 yard pass from Hohensee (kick failed)Minnesota 35-5
4MINNHenry 1 yard run (Gallery kick)Minnesota 42-5
4ORSTTerrell 6 yard run (Mangold kick)Minnesota 42-12

[9]

Ohio State[edit]

See also: 1981 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
Ohio State Buckeyes at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Period 1 2 34Total
Ohio St 14 7 7331
Minnesota 0 7 141435

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

Wisconsin[edit]

Wisconsin Badgers (6–4) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (6–4)
Period 1 2 Total
Wisconsin 0
Minnesota 0

at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: November 21, 1981
  • Game attendance: 47,125
  • [10]

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.[11]

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

References[edit]

  1. ^ "1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 1, 2017.
  2. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 161[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), pp. 179–182[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b c d "1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  5. ^ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), p. 160[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ 2020 Football Media Guide, https://gophersports.com/documents/2020/10/14/2020_Football_Media_Guide_WEB.pdf
  7. ^ Joe Lapointe (November 1, 1981). "U-M buries Gophers". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1H, 9H – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "1981 #18 Ohio State @ Minnesota No Huddle". YouTube.
  9. ^ Palm Beach Post. 1981 Sept 27.
  10. ^ "Wisconsin 26, Minnesota 21". UPI Archives. November 22, 1981. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  11. ^ "Wisconsin 26, Minnesota 21". UPI Archives. November 22, 1981. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
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