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Illinois Fighting Illini |
Michigan Wolverines © |
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Played November 7, 1981 at Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, Michigan |
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Teams' Belt Records
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Team |
Belt Reigns |
Overall Record |
Home Record |
Away Record |
Neutral Record |
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W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
W |
L |
T |
PCT |
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| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .000 | ||||||||
| Michigan © | 3 | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 5 | 2 | 0 | .714 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .333 |
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1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
Final |
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Illinois |
21 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
21 |
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Michigan |
7 |
21 |
14 |
28 |
70 |
Illinois with coach Mike White came to Ann Arbor with a 5-3 record & high hopes as they battled the 12th ranked, 6-2 Michigan Wolverines of coach Bo Schembechler. Michigan dominated the game as QB Steve Smith rushed for 116 yards with 3 touchdowns while throwing for 224 yards with 3 touchdowns & the Wolverines’ defense made 4 interceptions to control a 70-21 win. The Illini took a 21-7 1st quarter lead before the Wolverines erupted for 63 unanswered points. Illinois scored the first 3 times they had the ball with All-Big Ten QB Tony Eason scoring on a 3-yard run & throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to RB Darrell Smith sandwiched around a 5-yard touchdown run by RB Joe Curtis. Michigan’s only points of the 1st quarter came on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Smith to All-American WR Anthony Carter. Early in the 2nd quarter, Illinois moved to the Michigan 15-yard line on their fourth possession. Michigan's S Jerry Burgei intercepted Eason at the goal line & returned it to the Michigan 16-yard line. The Wolverines drove 84 yards in just 6 plays with Smith scoring on a 1-yard run & Illinois never had a chance from there. Smith found TE Craig Dunaway open for a 9-yard touchdown to tie the game at 21-21 before he broke loose on a 42-yard touchdown run as Michigan led 28-21 at the half. In the 3rd quarter, Smith connected with Carter on a 12-yard touchdown pass & scored on a 14-yard touchdown run for a 42-21 Michigan lead to start the 4th quarter. In the final quarter, the Wolverines got touchdowns on a 1-yard run by RB Lawrence Ricks, a 7-yard run by RB Stanley Edwards, a 4-yard run by RB Rick Rogers, & a 6-yard pass from QB B.J. Dickey to RB Tom Hassel. Carter finished with 6 catches for 154 yards with his 2 touchdowns for Michigan while Eason threw for 386 yards with a touchdown but the 4 interceptions in the loss. Michigan finished the season 9-3; ranked 12th nationally while the Illini finished 7-4. Illinois would play for The Belt again in 1990.
