1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl

August 2023 March 2026 1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl 1981 UCLA Bruins University of California, Los Angeles Michigan Wolverines University of Michigan 7–3–1 8–3 Terry Donahue Bo Schembechler 19 16 16 13 0 0 7 7 10 0 3 20 December 31 Houston Astrodome Houston, Texas Butch Woolfolk Michigan Marching Band Dixon Holman (SWC) UCLA Band and Michigan Marching Band 50,107Attendance of 50,107 according to the Michigan football media guide, 40,309 according to the UCLA football media guide. From 1965 to 1983, the Astrodome had a capacity of 50,000 for football. Mizlou Television Network List of announcers of major college bowl games Ray Scott and Lee Corso The 1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl was a college football bowl game, played on December 31, 1981. It was the 23rd Bluebonnet Bowl game. The Michigan Wolverines defeated the UCLA Bruins by a score of 33–14. This was the first bowl game meeting of a Big Ten team and a Pac-10 team outside the Rose Bowl Game and was labeled the "mini Rose Bowl".Michigan Bowl History, 1981 Bluebonnet Bowl. University of Michigan Athletic Department Both teams were in the running to meet in the 1982 Rose Bowl, but had their seasons spoiled on November 21, 1981, by their arch-rivals. Teams 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season Michigan 1981 Michigan Wolverines football team The defending 1981 Rose Bowl champion Wolverines, who were the preseason #1, opened with a loss to Wisconsin. This led to the Badgers being ranked afterwards. Also, losing the #1 ranking led to the Clemson Tigers winning their first consensus national championship. The Wolverines responded the next week by beating Notre Dame 25-7. Wins over Navy and Indiana led to a cross state showdown at Michigan State, where the Wolverines downed the Spartans 38–20. The next week, Michigan hosted Iowa and lost 9–7. Michigan would win the next four games leading up to the Michigan–Ohio State rivalry football game on November 21. Michigan lost to Ohio State 14–9. Ohio State and Iowa were tied for the Big Ten conference championship. Iowa would go on to the 1982 Rose Bowl, as Iowa and Ohio State did not play each other, and Ohio State had been to the 1980 Rose Bowl. UCLA 1981 UCLA Bruins football team The Bruins opened the season with wins at Arizona and at #20 Wisconsin. They lost at Iowa, the eventual Big Ten champion 20–9. Even with a 26–23 loss at Stanford and a tie at Washington State, the Bruins were in position to win the Pacific-10 after four straight wins. Going into the UCLA–USC rivalry football game, The Rose Bowl was on the line for the third time for Terry Donahue's UCLA Bruins teams against USC. UCLA lost to USC in a 21–20 nailbiter, which put Washington into the 1982 Rose Bowl. Washington had defeated USC just the week before in what would prove to be the other conference deciding game. Game summary Scoring First quarter Michigan — Ali Haji-Sheikh, 24-yard field goal. Michigan — Anthony Carter, 50-yard pass from Steve Smith. Haji-Sheikh converts. Second quarter no scoring Third quarter UCLA — Jojo Townsell, 17-yard pass from Tom Ramsey. Norm Johnson converts. Michigan —Haji-Sheikh, 47-yard field goal. Fourth quarter Michigan — Butch Woolfolk, one-yard run. Run failed. UCLA—Tim Wrightman, nine-yard pass from Ramsey. Johnson converts. Michigan—Smith, nine-yard run. Haji-Sheikh converts. Michigan—B.J. Dickey, five-yard run. Haji-Sheikh converts. Aftermath The Bluebonnet Bowl was the first of three meetings between the schools in 367 days. They met during the 1982 NCAA Division I-A football season twice: at Michigan Stadium, where UCLA won 31–27, and in the 1983 Rose Bowl, where UCLA earned a 24–14 victory. References External links Summary at Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History Bluebonnet Bowl Category:UCLA Bruins football bowl games Category:Michigan Wolverines football bowl games Category:Bluebonnet Bowl Category:1981 in sports in Texas Category:December 1981 sports events in the United States Category:1981 in Houston