1951 Michigan Wolverines football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record4–5 (4–2 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPDon Peterson
CaptainBill Putich
Home stadiumMichigan Stadium
Seasons
← 1950
1952 →
1951 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 4 Illinois $ 5 – 0 – 1 9 – 0 – 1
Purdue 4 – 1 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
No. 8 Wisconsin 5 – 1 – 1 7 – 1 – 1
Michigan 4 – 2 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Ohio State 2 – 2 – 2 4 – 3 – 2
Northwestern 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Minnesota 1 – 4 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Indiana 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Iowa 0 – 5 – 1 2 – 5 – 2
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1951 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1951 Big Ten Conference football season. In its fourth year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 4–5 record (4–2 against conference opponents), finished in fourth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 135 to 122.[1][2] For the first time since 1937, Michigan was not ranked in the final AP Poll. It was ranked at No. 29 in the final Litkenhous Ratings.[3]

Left halfback/quarterback Bill Putich was the team captain, and fullback Don Peterson received the team's most valuable player award.[2]

Halfback/safety Lowell Perry was selected by the Central Press Association as a second-team player on the 1951 College Football All-America Team.[4] Three Michigan players received All-Big Ten honors: Lowell Perry (AP-1, UP-1); offensive tackle Tom Johnson (AP-1, UP-1); and linebacker Roger Zatkoff (AP-1).[5][6]

The team's statistical leaders included Bill Putich with 390 passing yards, Don Peterson with 549 rushing yards, and Lowell Perry with 395 receiving yards.[7]

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29No. 2 Michigan State*No. 17
L 0–2597,239[8]
October 6Stanford*
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI
L 13–2357,200[9]
October 13Indiana
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI
W 33–1461,100[10]
October 20at Iowa
W 21–053,050[11]
October 27Minnesotadagger
W 54–2786,200[12]
November 3at No. 3 IllinoisNo. 15
L 0–771,119[13]
November 10at Cornell*
L 7–2035,300[14]
November 17Northwestern
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)
L 0–658,300[15]
November 24Ohio State
  • Michigan Stadium
  • Ann Arbor, MI (rivalry)
W 7–095,000[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Season summary

Michigan State

Week 1: Michigan State at Michigan
1 234Total
• Michigan St. 0 6136 25
Michigan 0 000 0

On September 29, Michigan, ranked No. 17, lost to Michigan State, ranked No. 2, by a 25-0 score before a sellout crowd of 97,239 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. To that date, it was the most decisive victory for Michigan State in the history of the Michigan–Michigan State football rivalry.

The Spartans limited the Wolverines to 26 passing yards, a net loss of 23 rushing yards, and four first downs. The Detroit Free Press called it "as feeble an attack as any teaam in Michigan's proud football history ever displayed."[8] The Spartans tallied 21 first downs, 249 rushing yards, 58 passing yards, and four touchdowns.[8]

Stanford

Indiana

At Iowa

Minnesota

At Illinois

At Cornell

Northwestern

Ohio State

Statistical leaders

Michigan's individual statistical leaders for the 1951 season include those listed below.[7][17]

Rushing

Player Attempts Net yards Yards per attempt Touchdowns
Don Peterson 152 549 3.6 4
Wes Bradford 64 348 5.4 2
Bill Putich 115 268 2.3 3

Passing

Player Attempts Completions Interceptions Comp % Yards Yds/Comp TD Long
Bill Putich 77 32 7 41.6 390 12.2 2 55
Don Peterson 13 6 3 46.1 184 30.7 1 43
Ted Topor 26 9 2 34.6 171 19.0 2 71

Receiving

Player Receptions Yards Yds/Recp TD Long
Lowell Perry 16 395 24.7 3 71
Frederick Pickard 10 204 20.4 2 55
Ted Topor 9 81 9.0 0

Kickoff returns

Player Returns Yards Yds/Return TD Long
Bill Putich 3 88 29.3 0 36
Ted Topor 3 72 24.0 0 27
Don Oldham 3 52 17.3 0

Punt returns

Player Returns Yards Yds/Return TD Long
Lowell Perry 17 197 11.6 1 75
Bill Putich 11 71 6.5 0 0
Merritt Green 1 10 10.0 0 10

Personnel

Letter winners

The following 36 players received varsity letters for their participation on the 1951 team.[18] Players who started at least four games are shown with their names in bold.[2]

Coaching staff

Michigan's 1951 coaching, training, and support staff included the following persons.[2]

Awards and honors

Honors and awards for the 1951 season went to the following individuals.[2]

References

  1. ^ "1951 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e "1951 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  3. ^ "Litkenhous Ratings". The Chattanooga Times. December 15, 1951. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Walter Johns (December 5, 1951). "2 Coast Players on CP All-American Team". Long Beach Press-Telegram.
  5. ^ "Coaches Select All-Big Ten Team". The Ludington Daily News. November 26, 1951.
  6. ^ "UP Big Ten Team". The Pantagraph. November 21, 1951. p. 10.
  7. ^ a b "1951 Michigan Wolverines Statistics". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c "MSC Writes Finis to U-M Reign, 25-0". Detroit Free Press. September 30, 1951. pp. 1C, 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Hal Middlesworth (October 7, 1951). "M Falls Again, 23-13: Wolverines Get First Touchdown". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Hal Middlesworth (October 14, 1951). "Michigan Swaggers: Wolverines Ramble Past Indiana, 33-14". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Bert McGrane (October 21, 1951). "Record 53,050 See Iowa Bow, 21-0". The Des Moines Register. p. 3S – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Lyall Smith (October 28, 1951). "M Doubles Up Gophers, 54-27". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 2C – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Wilfrid Smith (November 4, 1951). "Illinois Passes Beat Michigan, 7 To 0". Chicago Tribune. pp. II-1, II-7 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ George Beahon (November 11, 1951). "Inspired Cornell Routs Michigan, 20-7, with 2nd Half Rally". Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Hal Middlesworth (November 18, 1951). "'Cats Make U-M Mighty Miserable, 6-0". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 2C – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Hal Middlesworth (November 25, 1951). "Ending Perfect for U-M: Bennie Still Has What It Takes to Beat OSU". Detroit Free Press. pp. 1C, 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Michigan Football Statistic Archive Query Page". University of Michigan. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved November 6, 2017.(statistics retrieved by entering "1951" in the box for "Games & Totals by Season" and then, at the next screen, choosing "Display Season Totals")
  18. ^ "36 Gridders Get Letters". The Michigan Daily. November 27, 1951. p. 3 – via Bentley Historical Library.
  19. ^ Ralph C. Stribe, Jr., born on March 12, 1928, died December 24, 2010. Graduated from UM 1953 with a degree in religion and ethics. Served as pastor of the Church of Our Saviour in Birmingham, Michigan, chairman of the general council of the Presbyterian Synod of Michigan, and a member of the Board of Trustees of Alma College.
  20. ^ Arch Ward (December 9, 1951). "PLAYERS NAME 1951 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS". Chicago Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
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