1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
1981 Iowa Hawkeyes football
In 1981, under third-year head coach Hayden Fry, the Iowa Hawkeyes went 8-4 overall and 6-2 in the Big Ten, tying Ohio State for the conference title. They earned a Rose Bowl berth but lost to Washington 28-0. It was Iowa’s first winning season since 1961 and its first Rose Bowl since 1958. The Hawkeyes finished No. 15 in the final UPI poll and No. 18 in the final AP poll.
The defense was strong, allowing only 79.7 rushing yards per game and 2.4 yards per carry, both single-season Iowa records. The offense totaled 2,153 rushing yards and 1,422 passing yards, while the defense allowed 953 rushing yards and 1,834 passing yards. Two players were consensus All-Americans: defensive end Andre Tippett and punter Reggie Roby. Seven Hawkeyes earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, including Tippett, Roby, Pat Dean, Mel Cole, Mark Bortz, Ron Hallstrom and Lou King, who led the conference with eight interceptions.
Mel Cole was the team MVP, and the captains were Tracy Crocker, Pete Gales, Bruce Kittle, Tippett and Brad Webb. Kirk Ferentz joined the coaching staff as the offensive line coach in 1981. Iowa drew a total home attendance of 360,381 (about 60,063 per game), the first time the team averaged at least 60,000 fans.
Key victories helped secure the season: a 9-7 win at fifth-ranked Michigan—the Hawkeyes’ third win over a top-ten foe that year—and a 33-7 win over Purdue, their first over Purdue since 1960. Iowa did not face Ohio State that season, as both teams shared the conference title.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 03:47 (CET).