1951 Tennessee Volunteers football team

American college football season February 2026 January 2019 1951 Tennessee Volunteers football Southeastern Conference SEC 1 1 10–1 5–0 Robert Neyland 20th Single-wing Multiple Shields–Watkins Field Consensus national championSEC co-champion Sugar Bowl L Lost 13–28 vs. Maryland 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 the Vols to their second consecutive national title and the fourth during his tenure. The 1951 title was also the first undisputed, at the time, national title in school history. Maryland has since been retroactively credited with the 1951 national championship by several selectors, including analyst Jeff Sagarin, as they went undefeated that year and beat Tennessee in the Sugar Bowl. At the time, the AP awarded the title before the bowl games were played. 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. In addition to AP, Tennessee was named national champion by NCAA-designated major selectors Litkenhous, United Press International (coaches poll), and Williamson,http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2017/FBS.pdf 2017 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records The National Collegiate Athletic Association July 2017 Indianapolis July 31, 2017113 leading to a consensus national champion designation.120 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. Prominent players The 1951 Tennessee Volunteers featured Hank Lauricella, 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. Schedule 1951 AP Central September 29 w 1 Mississippi State Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 14–0 35,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94680924/vols-conquer-miss-state-140/ The Courier-Journal Vols conquer Miss. State 14–0 September 30, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com October 6 w y 3 Duke 16 Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 26–0 45,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696182/tennessee-vols-stop-devils-in-260-tilt/ Rocky Mount Telegram Tennessee Vols stop Devils in 26–0 tilt October 7, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com October 13 w y 3 Chattanooga Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 42–13 15,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/84996918/vols-beat-mocs-4213-but-losers-steal/ The Knoxville News-Sentinel Vols beat Mocs, 42–13, but losers steal show October 14, 1951 September 8, 2021 Newspapers.com October 20 w y 2 Alabama Legion Field Birmingham, AL Third Saturday in October CBS 27–13 44,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696349/vols-beat-back-surging-tide-2713/ The Birmingham News Vols beat back surging Tide, 27–13 October 21, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com October 27 2:00 p.m. w y 1 Tennessee Tech Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 68–0 Vols Reach Half-Way Mark With TPI Eagles Here Today https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-journal/142456805/ The Knoxville Journal Knoxville, Tennessee October 27, 1951 9 March 1, 2024 Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696501/tennessee-rolls-up-680-win-over-tech/ Johnson City Press Tennessee rolls up 68–0 win over Tech October 28, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com November 3 w y y 1 North Carolina Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC 27–0 41,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696607/tennessee-flogs-unc-270/ The Times Dispatch Tennessee flogs UNC, 27–0 November 4, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com November 10 w y 1 Washington and Lee Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN 60–14 20,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696836/mighty-vols-roll-over-wl-6014/ The Daily News Leader Mighty Vols roll over W–L, 60–14 November 11, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com November 17 w y 2 Ole Miss Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS rivalry 46–21 32,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94694748/tennessee-vols-flay-ole-mississippi-462/ The Daily Advertiser Tennessee Vols flay Ole Mississippi 46–21 November 18, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com November 24 w y 1 Kentucky 9 McLean Stadium Lexington, KY rivalry 28–0 36,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94693741/vols-stampede-kentucky-280/ Fort Worth Star-Telegram Vols stampede Kentucky, 28–0 November 25, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com December 1 w y 1 Vanderbilt Shields–Watkins Field Knoxville, TN rivalry 35–27 45,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94688945/tennessee-scrambles-over-vanderbilt-by-3/ The Herald-Sun Tennessee scrambles over Vanderbilt by 35 to 27 December 2, 1951 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com January 1 l y y 1 Maryland 3 Tulane Stadium New Orleans, LA Sugar Bowl 13–28 82,271 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94697108/terps-score-2813-sugar-bowl-upset/ The Daily Times Terps score 28–13 Sugar Bowl upset January 2, 1952 February 10, 2022 Newspapers.com References 35em Tennessee Category:Tennessee Volunteers football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:Southeastern Conference football champion seasons Tennessee Volunteers football