# 1981 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team

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. It was the final season in Memorial Stadium.
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.
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.
* Wide receiver Chester Cooper led the conference with 1,012 receiving yards and ranked second with 58 receptions.
* Running back Frank Jacobs ranked sixth in the conference with 638 rushing yards and fifth with eight rushing touchdowns.
* 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.
Total attendance for the season was 301,248, which averaged to 43,035. The season high for attendance was against Michigan.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 12 | | Ohio* | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | | W 19–17 | 40,086 |
| September 19 | | Purdue | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | WLFI-TV | W 16–13 | 41,530 |
| September 26 | | Oregon State* | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | | W 42–12 | 30,890 |
| October 3 | | at Illinois | Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL | | L 29–38 | 63,814 |
| October 10 | | Northwestern | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | | W 35–23 | 45,949 |
| October 17 | | at Indiana | Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN | | L 16–17 | 46,460 |
| October 24 | | at No. 6 Iowa | Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA (rivalry) | | W 12–10 | 60,000 |
| October 31 | | No. 15 Michigan | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN (Little Brown Jug) | ON-TV | L 13–34 | 52,875 |
| November 7 | 1:00 pm | No. 18 Ohio State | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN | ESPN | W 35–31 | 42,793 |
| November 14 | | at Michigan State | Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI | | L 36–43 | 56,571 |
| November 21 | | Wisconsin | Memorial StadiumMinneapolis, MN (rivalry) | | L 21–26 | 47,125 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||||

## Game summaries
### Oregon State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Oregon St | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 12 |
| • Minnesota | 6 | 20 | 9 | 7 | 42 |

### Ohio State

| Quarter | 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

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Wisconsin | | | 0 |
| Minnesota | | | 0 |
at Memorial Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: November 21, 1981
* Game attendance: 47,125
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.
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Wisconsin | Passing | Jess Cole | 6/17, 84 Yds |
| Wisconsin | Rushing | | |
| Wisconsin | Receiving | | |
| Minnesota | Passing | Mike Hohensee | 17/34, 254 Yds, TD |
| Minnesota | Rushing | | |
| Minnesota | Receiving | Chester Cooper | 6 Rec, 123 Yds, TD |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | 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. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 26 | 21 |