1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Conference Big Ten Conference
1981 record 6–5 (4–5 Big Ten)
Head coach Joe Salem (3rd season)
MVP Mike Hohensee
Captain Ken Dallafior
Home stadium Memorial Stadium
1981 Big Ten football standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW 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

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Attendance
September 12 Ohio* Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN W 19–17   40,086
September 19 Purdue Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN W 16–13   41,530
September 26 Oregon State* Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN W 42–12   30,890
October 3 at Illinois Memorial Stadium • Champaign, IL L 29–38   63,814
October 10 Northwesterndagger Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN W 35–23   45,949
October 17 at Indiana Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, IN L 16–17   46,460
October 24 at No. 6 Iowa Kinnick Stadium • Iowa City, IA (Rivalry) W 12–10   60,000
October 31 No. 15 Michigan Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN (Little Brown Jug) L 13–34   52,875
November 7 No. 18 Ohio State Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN W 35–31   42,793
November 14 at Michigan State Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI L 36–43   56,571
November 21 Wisconsin Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, MN (Rivalry) L 21–26   47,125
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

Game summaries

Oregon State

1 234Total
Oregon St 3 027 12
• Minnesota 6 2097 42
  • Date: September 26
  • Location: Memorial Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota

[6]

Roster

1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
T 78 Ken Dallafior Sr
QB 9 Mike Hohensee Jr
C 53 Randy Rasmussen Jr
 Defense
Pos.#NameClass
 Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

References

  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
  3. ↑ Keiser, Jeff (2007), 2007 Media Guide (PDF), pp. 179–182
  4. 1 2 3 4 "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
  6. ↑ Palm Beach Post. 1981 Sept 27.
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