1981 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team

American college football season March 2026 July 2024 1981 Northern Michigan Wildcats football Independent 11–1 Bill Rademacher 4th Memorial Field NCAA Division II Semifinal L 0–62 vs. Southwest Texas State The 1981 Northern Michigan Wildcats football team represented Northern Michigan University as an independent during the 1981 NCAA Division II football season. In their fourth year under head coach Bill Rademacher, the Wildcats compiled a record of 11–1. The team was undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the final NCAA Division II Football Committee poll at the end of the regular season. Northern Michigan advanced to the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs, where the Wildcats defeated 1981 Elizabeth City State Vikings Elizabeth City State in the quarterfinals before and losing to Southwest Texas State in the semifinals. The Wildcats outscored opponents by a total of 403 to 196 on the season.1981 Northern Michigan College Football Data Warehouse October 14, 2022 http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/game_by_game_current.php?teamid=2320&year=1981 September 10, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150910110559/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/game_by_game_current.php?teamid=2320&year=1981 dead Junior fullback George Works became the first player in Northern Michigan history to rush for 200 yards in a game (against 1981 Wisconsin–Superior Yellowjackets Wisconsin–Superior) and the first to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.UW-Superior routed Wisconsin State Journal September 13, 1981 6-5 https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-uw-superior-rout/133486426/ He was also the national Division II scoring champion with 21 touchdowns for 126 points in regular-season games.NMU Back Captures Point Title The Herald-Palladium January 4, 1982 20 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-palladium-nmu-back-captures-p/133486981/ Newspapers.com The team's other statistical leaders included Tom Bertoldi with 2,454 passing yards and Scott Sible with 46 receptions for 844 yards. Middle guard Curt Wojan led the team in tackles. Schedule 1981 NCAA Division II NCAA Division II Football Committee y y y September 5 North Dakota State Memorial Field Marquette, MI W 38-0 5,806 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86353541/wildcats-claw-nd-state-380/ Detroit Free Press Wildcats claw ND State, 38–0 September 6, 1981 October 2, 2021 Newspapers.com September 12 1981 Wisconsin–Superior Yellowjackets Wisconsin–Superior Marquette, MI W 64-10 5,049 September 19 vs 1981 Wayne State Tartars Wayne State (MI) Pontiac Silverdome Pontiac, MI (Michi-Dome Classic) W 52-7 4,912 WSU ready for awesome NMU Detroit Free Press Danton Wilson September 19, 1981 1D, 3D https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-wsu-ready-for-awesome/133484261/ Newspapers.comNorthern gives WSU the air: Wildcats win Silverdome game, 52-7 Detroit Free Press Danton Wilson September 20, 1981 6D https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-northern-gives-wsu-th/133486126/ Newspapers.com September 26 at Grand Valley State 2 Allendale, MI W 29-28 1,500 NMU rally beats Grand Valley Green Bay Press-Gazette September 27, 1981 C7 https://www.newspapers.com/article/green-bay-press-gazette-nmu-rally-beats/133455795/ Newspapers.com October 3 at Northern Iowa 2 UNI-Dome Cedar Falls, IA W 17-13 12,317 Panthers face N. Michigan in homecoming The Des Moines Register October 3, 1981 1B, 2B https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-panthers-face-n/133483704/ Newspapers.comN. Michigan rushes by UNI, 17-13 The Des Moines Register October 4, 1981 5D https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-des-moines-register-n-michigan-rush/133484620/ Newspapers.com October 17 1981 Northwood Timberwolves Northwood 2 Marquette, MI W 14-0 4,901 NMU end tosses TD pass, 14-0 Detroit Free Press October 18, 1981 11H https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-nmu-end-tosses-td-pas/133483219/ Newspapers.com October 24 at Western Illinois 2 Hanson Field Macomb, IL W 28-14 11,794 NMU Whips Western Illinois Detroit Free Press October 25, 1981 7H https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-nmu-whips-western-ill/133483057/ Newspapers.comWestern falters late https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88870049/the-dispatch/ November 13, 2021 The Dispatch UPI October 25, 1981 30 Newspapers.com October 31 Michigan Tech 2 Marquette, MI W 44-15 4,738 NMU protects ranking, 44-15 Morris Moorawdnick November 1, 1981 8H https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-nmu-protects-ranking/133483458/ Newspapers.com November 7 at 1981 North Dakota Fighting Sioux North Dakota 2 Grand Forks, ND W 30-11 7,400 Northern Michigan 30, North Dakota 11 Argus-Leader November 8, 1981 3B https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader-northern-michigan-30-north/133455092/ Newspapers.com November 14 at Wichita State 2 Cessna Stadium Wichita, KS W 32-30 7,103 WSU Not Taking Foe Lightly The Wichita Eagle Bill McKay November 13, 1981 4C https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle-wsu-not-taking-foe-lig/133483925/ Newspapers.comShockers End Season With a Whimper (part 1) Randy Brown The Wichita Eagle November 15, 1981 1E, 8E https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle-shockers-end-season-wi/133449951/Shockers End Season With a Whimper (part 2) Randy Brown The Wichita Eagle November 15, 1981 1E, 8E https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle-shockers-end-season-wi/133450055/ Newspapers.com November 28 No. 7 1981 Elizabeth City State Vikings Elizabeth City State 1 Marquette, MI (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal) W 55-6 Northern Michigan romps in Division II The Pantagraph November 29, 1981 C2 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pantagraph-northern-michigan-romps-i/133453414/ Newspapers.com December 5 at No. 4 Southwest Texas State 1 Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX (NCAA Division II Semifinal) L 0-62 SWT in 'Cat' fight Saturday: Face Northern Michigan The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise December 3, 1981 4A https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seguin-gazette-enterprise-swt-in-ca/133484480/ Newspapers.comSouthwest Texas crushes NMU, 62–0 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98262890/southwest-texas-crushes-nmu-620/ Detroit Free Press December 6, 1981 March 23, 2022 Newspapers.com Final 1981 Cumulative Football Statistics Report (Northern Michigan) https://stats.ncaa.org/team/506/stats/13169 National Collegiate Athletic Association October 17, 2023 References Northern Michigan Category:Northern Michigan Wildcats football seasons Northern Michigan football