1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee
in the 1951 college football season
. In his next to last season as head coach, Robert Neyland
led Tennessee to their second consecutive national title
and the fourth during his tenure. 1951 was also Neyland's ninth undefeated regular season in his career. The 1950 Tennessee team
had gone 11–1, winning its last nine games and capping the season off with a victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl. In 1951, The Vols put together a 10–0 regular season and were voted national champs by the AP Poll
before the bowl season began, as was the convention at the time. The game against Alabama on the Third Saturday in October
that season was the first ever nationally televised game for both teams. The Vols were a dominant team in the regular season, winning their first nine games by a combined score of 338 to 61 before thwarting a spirited effort by in-state rival Vanderbilt
in the last game of the regular season, 35–27.
, that season's Heisman Trophy
runner up, and Doug Atkins
, a future member of both the College Football Hall of Fame
and the Pro Football Hall of Fame
. James Haslam Jr.
, a future business and civic leader in Knoxville
, was a captain on the 1952 team, and a prominent member of the 1951 squad. The team featured six all-conference players: Lauricella, Atkins, Ted Daffer, John Michaels, Bill Pearman, and Bert Rechichar. Laricella, Daffer, and Pearman were also named All-Americans
following the year.
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
in the 1951 college football season
1951 college football season
The 1951 college football season finished with seven unbeaten major college teams, of which five were unbeaten and untied. Ultimately, the Tennessee Volunteers were voted the best team by the Associated Press, followed by the Michigan State Spartans, with the Vols having a plurality of first place...
. In his next to last season as head coach, Robert Neyland
Robert Neyland
Robert Reese Neyland, MBE was an American football player and coach and and officer in the United States Army, reaching the rank of brigadier general. He served three stints as the head football coach as the University of Tennessee...
led Tennessee to their second consecutive national title
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
and the fourth during his tenure. 1951 was also Neyland's ninth undefeated regular season in his career. The 1950 Tennessee team
1950 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 1950 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 1950 college football season. Led by head coach Robert Neyland, the Volunteers lost only one game, a 7–0 upset at Mississippi State in the second game of the season...
had gone 11–1, winning its last nine games and capping the season off with a victory over Texas in the Cotton Bowl. In 1951, The Vols put together a 10–0 regular season and were voted national champs by the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
before the bowl season began, as was the convention at the time. The game against Alabama on the Third Saturday in October
Third Saturday in October
The Third Saturday in October, also known as the Alabama–Tennessee football rivalry, is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Tennessee Volunteers football team of the University of Tennessee...
that season was the first ever nationally televised game for both teams. The Vols were a dominant team in the regular season, winning their first nine games by a combined score of 338 to 61 before thwarting a spirited effort by in-state rival Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Commodores football
The Vanderbilt Commodores football program is a college football team that represents Vanderbilt University. The team currently competes in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Southeastern Conference...
in the last game of the regular season, 35–27.
Prominent players
The 1951 Tennessee Volunteers featured Hank LauricellaHank Lauricella
Francis E. Lauricella, known as Hank Lauricella was a Hall of Fame American football player for the Tennessee Volunteers football team. He served as a Democrat in the Louisiana State Senate from Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs from 1972 to 1996...
, that season's Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
runner up, and Doug Atkins
Doug Atkins
Douglas Leon Atkins is a former American football defensive end who played for the Cleveland Browns, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee under legendary head coach Robert Neyland...
, a future member of both the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
and the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
. James Haslam Jr.
James Haslam Jr.
James Arthur "Jim" Haslam II is an American businessman and philanthropist, best known as the founder of Pilot Corporation, which operates a chain of convenience stores and travel centers throughout the United States and Canada, and is one of the largest privately-owned companies in the United...
, a future business and civic leader in Knoxville
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, was a captain on the 1952 team, and a prominent member of the 1951 squad. The team featured six all-conference players: Lauricella, Atkins, Ted Daffer, John Michaels, Bill Pearman, and Bert Rechichar. Laricella, Daffer, and Pearman were also named All-Americans
College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and published in This...
following the year.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Result | September 29 | vs. } | W | 14 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 6 | vs. | W | 26 | 0 | |
| October 13 | vs. | W | 42 | 13 | |
| October 20 | @ *Alabama | W | 27 | 13 | |
| October 26 | vs. | W | 68 | 0 | |
| November 3 | vs. | W | 27 | 0 | |
| November 10 | vs. | W | 60 | 14 | |
| November 17 | @ } | W | 46 | 21 | |
| November 24 | vs. *Kentucky 1951 Kentucky Wildcats football team The 1951 Kentucky Wildcats football team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1951 college football season. The Wildcats scored 314 points while allowing 121 points... |
W | 28 | 0 | |
| December 4 | vs. *Vanderbilt 1951 Vanderbilt Commodores football team The 1951 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University during the 1951 college football season. The team's head coach was Bill Edwards, who was in his third season as the Commodores' head coach. Members of the Southeastern Conference, the Commodores played their home games... |
W | 35 | 27 | |
| January 2^ | vs. Maryland 1951 Maryland Terrapins football team The 1951 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association college football in its 31st season as a member of the Southern Conference. Maryland outscored its opponents, 381–74, and finished the season with a 10–0 record, including... |
L | 13 | 28 | @ New Orleans, LA • Sugar Bowl Sugar Bowl The Sugar Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009... |
| *Conference Game • ^Played in 1952 | |||||