1981 Wisconsin Badgers football team

1981 Wisconsin Badgers football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record7–5 (6–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBill Dudley (2nd season)
Offensive schemeTriple option
Defensive coordinatorJim Hilles (4th season)
Base defense3–4
MVPDave Levenick
Captains
  • Dave Levenick
  • Dave Mohapp
  • Larry Spurlin
Home stadiumCamp Randall Stadium
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
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 Wisconsin Badgers football team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the 1981 Big Ten Conference football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Dave McClain, the Badgers compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 6–3 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for third in the Big Ten. Wisconsin was invited to the Garden State Bowl, where the Badgers lost to Tennessee. The team played home games at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

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 game appearance since the 1963 Rose Bowl.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 12No. 1 Michigan
W 21–1468,733[2]
September 19No. 9 UCLA*No. 20
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
L 13–3171,496[3]
September 26Western Michigan*
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 21–1067,196[4]
October 3Purdue
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 20–1468,603[5]
October 10No. 18 Ohio State
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 24–2178,973[6]
October 17at Michigan StateNo. 14
L 14–3367,352[7]
October 24at Illinois
L 21–2367,413[8]
October 31Northwestern
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI
W 52–070,035[9]
November 7at Indiana
W 28–744,218[10]
November 14Iowa
  • Camp Randall Stadium
  • Madison, WI (rivalry)
L 7–1778,731[11]
November 21at Minnesota
W 26–2147,125[12]
December 13vs. Tennessee*
L 21–2853,220[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

Game summaries

Michigan

#1 Michigan at Wisconsin
Team 1 234Total
Michigan 0 770 14
• Wisconsin 0 1470 21
Scoring summary
2MichiganS. Smith 4 yard run (Haji-Sheikh kick)Michigan 7-0
2WisconsinNeal 17 yard pass from Cole (Doran kick)Tie 7-7
2WisconsinDavis 1 yard run (Doran kick)Wisconsin 14-7
3MichiganWoolfolk 89 yard run (Haji-Sheikh kick)Tie 14-14
35:13WisconsinWilliams 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)
Quarter 1 2 Total
Wisconsin 0
Minnesota 0

at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: November 21, 1981
  • Game attendance: 47,125
  • [15]

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.[16]

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

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
Pos. # Name Class
CB 26 Brett Armstrong Jr
LB 95 Guy Boliaux Sr
LB 32 Kyle Borland Jr
DT 72 Jeff Dellenbach Fr
S/P 31 David Greenwood Jr
NT 93 Jack Grundy Jr
NT 50 Tim Krumrie Jr
LB 47 Dave Levenick (C) Sr
LB 94 Jeff Luko  Jr
CB 45 Von Mansfield Sr
CB 15 Brian Marrow So
LB 33 James Melka  Fr
S 11 Dan Messenger  Jr
LB 44 Jody O'Donnell Jr
DT 71 Chris Osswald So
DT 76 Mark Shumate  Jr
CB 9 Clint Sims Jr
DT 60 Darryl Simms So
LB 49 Larry Spurlin (C) Sr
S 2 Ron Steverson Sr
S 27 Vaughn Thomas  Jr
CB 5 Jerry Vance So
S 39 Matt Vanden Boom Jr
S 7 John Westphal Sr
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

1982 NFL draft

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Von Mansfield Cornerback 5 122 Atlanta Falcons
Jerry Doerger Tackle 8 200 Chicago Bears
Guy Boliaux Linebacker 11 283 Chicago Bears
Dave Levenick Linebacker 12 315 Atlanta Falcons

[17]

References

  1. ^ a b "1981 Big Ten Conference Year Summary". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  2. ^ Mike Mihanovic (September 13, 1981). "Michigan jolted: Badger 'D' devours Wolverines". The Michigan Daily. pp. 1, 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Bruins start quick; dump Badgers". Herald-Times-Reporter. September 20, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Badgers plod to 21–10 win". The Reporter. September 27, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Wisconsin storms past Purdue". The Macon Telegraph & News. October 4, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Wisconsin numbs Ohio State 24–21". News Journal. October 11, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Michigan State upsets Wisconsin". The South Bend Tribune. October 18, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Illini vault into title race". Quad-City Times. October 25, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Badgers roll, 52–0". The Post-Crescent. November 1, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Badgers beat Hoosiers, gain tie for Big Ten lead". Journal and Courier. November 8, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "No roses for the Badgers". Green Bay Press-Gazette. November 15, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Wright's heroics save Badgers". The La Crosse Tribune. November 22, 1981. Retrieved November 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Tennessee's speed burns Wisconsin". Clarion-Ledger. December 14, 1981. Retrieved August 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "1981 Wisconsin Badgers Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  15. ^ "Wisconsin 26, Minnesota 21". UPI Archives. November 22, 1981. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  16. ^ "Wisconsin 26, Minnesota 21". UPI Archives. November 22, 1981. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  17. ^ "1982 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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