1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

American college football season

1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Record	6–5 (4–5 Big Ten)
Head coach	Joe Salem (3rd season)
MVP	Mike Hohensee
Captain	Ken Dallafior
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1980 1982 →

1981 Big Ten Conference football standings
v t e	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

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 12		Ohio*	Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN		W 19–17	40,086
September 19		Purdue	Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN	WLFI-TV^[6]	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		Northwestern	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)	ON-TV	L 13–34	52,875	^[7]
November 7	1:00 pm	No. 18 Ohio State	Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN	ESPN^[8]	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 Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

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

Joe Salem

Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend

(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible

Injured
Redshirt

Roster

Game summaries

Oregon State

	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

Scoring summary

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

^[9]

Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes at Minnesota Golden Gophers

Period	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

OSU – John Frank 7-yard pass from Art Schlichter (Bob Atha kick), 5:33. Ohio St 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 76 yards.
OSU – Tim Spencer 73-yard run (Bob Atha kick), 0:00. Ohio St 14–0. Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards, 0:10.

Second quarter

MINN – Todd Hallstrom 1-yard pass from Mike Hohensee (Jim Gallery kick), 9:53. Ohio St 14–7. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:07.'
OSU – Tim Spencer 2-yard run (Bob Atha kick), 7:39. Ohio St 21–7. Drive: 6 plays, 74 yards, 2:14.

Third quarter

MINN – Jay Carroll 27-yard pass from Mike Hohensee (Jim Gallery kick), 11:25. Ohio St 21–14. Drive: 12 plays, 64 yards, 2:35.
MINN – Frank Jacobs 17-yard pass from Mike Hohensee (Jim Gallery kick), 8:34. Tie 21–21. Drive: 4 plays, 36 yards, 1:20.
OSU – Art Schlichter 1-yard run (Bob Atha kick), 0:30. Ohio St 28–21. Drive: 9 plays, 57 yards, 3:39.

Fourth quarter

OSU – Bob Atha 31-yard field goal, 8:18. Ohio St 31–21. Drive: 4 plays, 27 yards, 1:13.
MINN – Jay Carroll 18-yard pass from Mike Hohensee (Jim Gallery kick), 6:56. Ohio St 31–28. Drive: 5 plays, 68 yards, 1:23.
MINN – Jay Carroll 28-yard pass from Mike Hohensee (Jim Gallery kick), 2:38. Minnesota 35–31. Drive: 5 plays, 40 yards, 1:03

Top passers

OSU – Art Schlichter – 13/33, 169 yards, TD, INT
MINN – Mike Hohensee – 37/67, 444 yards, 5 TD, INT

Top rushers

OSU – Tim Spencer – 16 rushes, 135 yards, 2 TD
MINN – Tony Hunter – 6 rushes, 19 yards

Top receivers

OSU – Gary Williams – 4 receptions, 72 yards
MINN – Chester Cooper – 12 receptions, 182 yards

Wisconsin

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

Scoring summary

Quarter	Time	Drive			Team	Scoring information	Score
Quarter	Time	Plays	Yards	TOP	Team	Scoring information	WISC	MINN
4					Minnesota	Chester Cooper 4-yard touchdown reception from Mike Hohensee, Jim Gallery kick good	20	21
4	1:05				Wisconsin	Michael Jones 7-yard touchdown reception from Randy Wright, 2-point	26	21
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.							26	21

References

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

v t e Minnesota Golden Gophers football
Venues	Athletic Park (1892–1898) University of Minnesota Armory (1892–1898) Northrop Field (1899–1923) Memorial Stadium (1924–1981) Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (1982–2008) Huntington Bank Stadium (2009–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Iowa Michigan: Little Brown Jug Nebraska Wisconsin
Culture & lore	Goldy Gopher Marching band Spirit squad "Minnesota Rouser" "Minnesota March" "Go Gopher Victory" "Minnesota Fight" "Our Minnesota" "Hail! Minnesota" "Battle Hymn of the Republic" Minnesota shift T formation Smith of Minnesota
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders NFL draftees Annual awards
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National championship seasons in bold