81 OSU game

[ulfr]

I have totally gotten sucked into the BTN replay of the the '81 OSU game in our last year in Memorial airing right now. What a great comeback upset and a great one to watch. I cannot be more pumped to see a return to sunny November afternoon football (wish the games were all at 1pm still...) especially after a hard day out in yesterday's all-too-early 97 degree heat. Wish I could melt into the screen/scene before me. The old 'Yard was quite the site on such a day and I cannot wait to see TCF in similar Maroon'n'Gold-clad sun soaked resplendence. Lets hope we can see another OSU upset in town in short order and erase the morass that was the Metrodome drought against tOSU and Michigan for that matter.

PS Watching this replay : The hard surfface track that circled the field at memorial was brutal, with two Gophers coming up lamed after taking a tumble on the asphalt during this replay. Lets hope TCF is more forgiving to our recievers running through the endzone as they score (which will hopefully be a common occurrence)


cheers

 

[farmboy]

ME TOO !

I'm watching also.....can't go do chores every morning till I check bt network for this stuff!!
I sat on shady side for that game....remember it got a little cool by games' end but still a beautiful day.Was it like in the 30-40 degree range? Several comments about Gophs playing in "Brand new stadium/dome" next year. Remember I was excited then..........WTF ...
(AND GREAT GAME). Hohensee sure had a quick trigger and wasn't afraid to stay in the pocket and get blasted. Chester Cooper was one of my favorites!!

115 days but who's counting?
farmboy

 

[nooram]

that game is in my top 3 of live sporting events I have attended

 

[jll62]

My first Gopher game

The '81 OSU game was the first game I attended in person. I was six at the time and the deflected pass for a TD is a play that I've remembered for a long, long time. I watched the replay on BTN a few months ago and was shocked at how well I had remembered the details of that particular play.

I've thanked my dad many times over the years for bringing me to a game at Memorial prior to the move to the Dome.

Can't wait for September!!

 

[husker70]

Art Schlichter, believe me there was so much hype of him. He was the next great thing. A sure fire NFL QB. And only some rumblings about his gambling. At the time I thought card games on the plane or in the dorm. A four year starter, recruited by Woody Hayes, come on what chance did we have. I had seen Glen Cardelli play Anthony Carter man on man the week before and be tourched. What would Schlichter do? I guess what I am trying to say this was David and Golliath.

The achilles heal that year for Ohio State was no running game. And why? They had Schlicter. Problem was he spent more time with betting sheets than the playbook.

I also am trying to remember the starting tightend that year. He was out for this game. Wally Pip? Hallstrom with a grab, and what more can you say about Jay Carroll.

 

[Goldy247]

The '81 game was one of three games I attended at Memorial Stadium as a young teenager from rural Minny. I think that game and Hohensee's performance turned me Maroon & Gold for life. Go Gophers!

 

[cemba99]

FWIW

I was also at this game in Memorial Stadium. It was the last victory for the Gophers at Memorial

My memory is not what it used to be, but here is what I recall:

- Schlichter was an excellent college quarterback, but he always gave me the impression that he thought he was God's gift to quarterbacking which could get him into trouble. (He does hold many OSU passing records - but that includes most interceptions in a game [5], season [21] and career [46] - now the career stat can be explained somewhat by the fact that he started all four years, but the others not so much.)

- Ohio State DID have a good running game with Tim Spencer as tailback. Spencer is third only to Archie Griffin and Eddie George in career rushing yardage for OSU.

- OSU's achilles heel that year was their pass defense. It ranked near the bottom of Division 1-A at the time of the Gopher game.

- I do remember that their regular tight end was hurt (Mike "somebody") and opened the door for Jay Carroll. Mike "somebody" did start the following year (or least got a lot of playing time)

 

[husker70]

Mike Curtis.

My point about their running game was they did not use it, stick with it, use clock. Three yards and a cloud of dust was ditched when Woody was let go. They adopted the Pac 10 approach that beat the Big 10 like a drum. They became QB centered.

As for the defense, a strong running game usally masked this OSU flaw. They were on the field more, especially after a quick score. More snaps.

When you watch this 1981 game, think of Minnesota over the past 10 years. Able to score at will, but unable to stop a passing attack.

Its a lesson on how to win.