UCLA Bruins ©	Iowa Hawkeyes
Played September 26, 1981 at Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa

  

 

Teams' Belt Records

 

Team	Belt Reigns	Overall Record				Home Record				Away Record				Neutral Record
		W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT	W	L	T	PCT
UCLA ©	4	14	5	2	.714	6	4	0	.600	7	1	2	.800	1	0	0	1.000
Iowa	0	0	2	0	.000	0	1	0	.000	0	1	0	.000

 

                         Previous Belt Meetings:       None

 

 

UCLA traveled to Iowa City ranked 6^th with a 2-0 record to meet their 2^nd consecutive Big Ten opponent.  The Iowa Hawkeyes of coach Hayden Fry brought a 1-1 record to the game having defeated 7^th ranked Nebraska but losing to cross-state rival Iowa State.  All-American DE Andre Tippett anchored the Iowa defense which held the Bruins to just 35 yards rushing, 86 yards passing, & forced 5 turnovers in a 20-7 Hawkeyes' upset to claim The Belt for the first time.  UCLA played without All-Pac 10 WR Cormac Carney & RB Kevin Nelson as both were out with injuries.  Iowa's QB Pete Gales finished an 8-play, 45-yard scoring drive with a 16-yard touchdown run late in the 1^st quarter.  UCLA got a break in the 2^nd quarter when Hawkeyes' RB Norm Granger fumbled & Bruins' DT Martin Moss recovered at the Iowa 20-yard line.  UCLA's QB Tom Ramsey scrambled for a 19-yard gain to the Iowa 1-yard line then scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 with 10:47 left in the half.  Iowa's PK Tom Nichol kicked a 35-yard field goal for the only points of the 3^rd quarter.  Early in the 4^th quarter, Iowa was leading 10-7 & driving for the apparent clinching score when RB Phil Blatcher fumbled at the UCLA 3-yard line with Moss recovering his second fumble of the day.  Ramsey tried to pass his way out of the poor field position; his first attempt was incomplete while the second attempt was even less successful.  Tippett & DE Dave Browne hit Ramsey in the end zone & Browne stripped the ball from Ramsey allowing Iowa’s All-Big Ten DT Mark Bortz to recover the fumble for the touchdown as the Hawkeyes pushed the lead to 17-7 with 13:37 to play.  Nichol’s 43-yard field goal with 6:24 left finished the scoring.  Iowa's QB Gordy Bohannon rushed for 72 yards but threw for just 29 yards while Blatcher finished with 113 yards rushing.  Ramsey finished with just 66 yards passing with 2 interceptions as the Bruins were held to just 7 first downs in the loss.  UCLA finished the season 7-4-1 while the Hawkeyes finished 8-4, Big Ten Co-Champs & ranked 18^th nationally.  UCLA would play for The Belt again in 1984.