American college football season
1981 Wisconsin Badgers football |
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Conference | Big Ten Conference |
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Record | 7–5 (6–3 Big Ten) |
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Head coach | - Dave McClain (4th season)
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Offensive coordinator | Bill Dudley (2nd as OC; 4th overall season) |
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Offensive scheme | Triple option |
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Defensive coordinator | Jim Hilles (4th season) |
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Base defense | 3–4 |
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MVP | Dave Levenick |
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Captains | - Dave Levenick
- Dave Mohapp
- Larry Spurlin
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Home stadium | Camp Randall Stadium |
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Seasons |
The 1981 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 1981 Big Ten Conference football season.
Several Wisconsin players ranked among the Big Ten leaders, including the following:
- Quarterback Jess Cole ranked seventh in the conference with 12 passing touchdowns and ninth with 1,180 passing yards.[1]
- Running back John Williams ranked second in the conference with 5.5 rushing yards per carry and seventh with 634 rushing yards.
- David Greenwood led the conference with 156 interception return yards, and he and Matt Vanden Boom tied for second in the conference with six interceptions each.[1]
Wisconsin made its first bowl appearance since the 1963 Rose Bowl.
Schedule
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source |
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September 12 | No. 1 Michigan | | | W 21–14 | 68,733 | |
September 19 | No. 9 UCLA* | No. 20 | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| L 13–31 | 71,496 | |
September 26 | Western Michigan* | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| W 21–10 | 67,196 | |
October 3 | Purdue | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| W 20–14 | 68,603 | |
October 10 | No. 18 Ohio State | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| W 24–21 | 78,973 | |
October 17 | at Michigan State | No. 14 | | L 14–33 | 67,352 | |
October 24 | at Illinois | | | L 21–23 | 67,413 | |
October 31 | Northwestern | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI
| W 52–0 | 70,035 | |
November 7 | at Indiana | | | W 28–7 | 44,218 | |
November 14 | Iowa | | - Camp Randall Stadium
- Madison, WI (rivalry)
| L 7–17 | 78,731 | |
November 21 | at Minnesota | | | W 26–21 | 47,125 | |
December 13 | vs. Tennessee* | | | L 21–28 | 53,220 | [2] |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
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[3]
Personnel
1981 Wisconsin Badgers football team roster |
Players | Coaches |
Offense Pos. | # | Name | Class | QB | 10 | Jess Cole | So | RB | 23 | Chucky Davis | So | OT | 70 | Jerry Doerger | Sr | FB | 41 | Gary Ellerson | Fr | TE | 37 | Craig Fredrick | Sr | FB | 36 | Gerald Green | Jr | FB | 8 | Paul Hughes | Sr | WR | 82 | Michael Jones | Fr | G | 71 | Leo Joyce | Sr | RB | 35 | Troy King | Jr | WR | 20 | Thad McFadden | So | WR | 38 | Kyle McKinnon | Sr | FB | 28 | Dave Mohapp (C) | Sr | TE | 88 | Jeff Nault | Jr | WR | 22 | Marvin Neal | Jr | TE | 86 | Bret Pearson | So | TE | 84 | Greg Rabas | Sr | RB | 33 | Curtis Richardson | Sr | WR | 34 | Al Seamonson | Sr | G | 52 | Pete Severson | Jr | WR | 42 | Tim Stracka | Sr | G | 53 | Mark Subach | Jr | OT | 66 | Scott Swan | Sr | G | 73 | Melvin Terrell | So | WR | 87 | Al Toon | Fr | C | 58 | Ron Versnik | Jr | OT | 74 | Carlton Walker | So | RB | 1 | John Williams | Jr | OT | 79 | Bob Winckler | Jr | QB | 12 | Randy Wright | So | | Defense | Special teams Pos. | # | Name | Class | S, P | 31 | David Greenwood | Jr | K | 24 | Mark Doran | So | K | 6 | Wendell Gladem | So | | - Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Bill Dudley – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks and Receivers
- Jim Hilles – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
- Doug Graber – Defensive Backs
- Arnold Jeter – Defensive Line
- Cliff Knox – Running Backs
- Mike Nelson – Defensive Ends
- Bob Palcic – Tackles and Tight Ends
- Mario Russo – Centers and Guards
- Jerry Fishbain – Recruiting Coordinator
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
- Injured
- Redshirt
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Game summaries
Michigan
#1 Michigan at Wisconsin | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | Michigan | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | • Wisconsin | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 | |
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Scoring summary |
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| 2 | | Michigan | S. Smith 4 yard run (Haji-Sheikh kick) | Michigan 7-0 | | 2 | | Wisconsin | Neal 17 yard pass from Cole (Doran kick) | Tie 7-7 | | 2 | | Wisconsin | Davis 1 yard run (Doran kick) | Wisconsin 14-7 | | 3 | | Michigan | Woolfolk 89 yard run (Haji-Sheikh kick) | Tie 14-14 | | 3 | 5:13 | Wisconsin | Williams 71 yard pass from Cole (Doran kick) | Wisconsin 21-14 | |
Wisconsin safety Matt Vanden Boom had three interceptions, including the game-clincher with two seconds left at his own 17. It was the Badgers first win against Michigan since 1962 and the first time they scored points against the Wolverines since 1976.
At Minnesota
Wisconsin Badgers (6–4) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (6–4)
at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: November 21, 1981
- Game attendance: 47,125
- [4]
Head coach Dave McClain inserted backup Randy Wright in the fourth quarter after Minnesota took the lead for the first time, on the reason "because Cole was not having a good day throwing." Following the victory, Wisconsin accepted the bid from the Garden State Bowl to play Tennessee.[5]
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 |
[6]
References
- ^ a b "1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ^ "Tennessee's speed burns Wisconsin". Clarion-Ledger. December 14, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wisconsin Badgers Index". sports-reference.com. Retrieved July 28, 2011.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "1982 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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