1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl

1981 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
1234 Total
UCLA 0077 14
Michigan 100320 33
DateDecember 31, 1981
Season1981
StadiumHouston Astrodome
LocationHouston, Texas
MVPButch Woolfolk
National anthemMichigan Marching Band
RefereeDixon Holman (SWC)
Halftime showUCLA Band and Michigan Marching Band
Attendance50,107[1]
United States TV coverage
NetworkMizlou Television Network
AnnouncersRay Scott and Lee Corso
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl
 < 1980  1982

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".[2] 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.

  1. ^ Attendance 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.
  2. ^ Michigan Bowl History, 1981 Bluebonnet Bowl. University of Michigan Athletic Department