1951 Illinois Fighting Illini football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1951 Illinois Fighting Illini football 1951 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.png 285 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 3 4 9–0–1 5–0–1 Ray Eliot 10th Chuck Boerio Chuck Studley Memorial Stadium Co-national champion (Boand)Big Ten championRose Bowl champion Rose Bowl W 40–7 vs. Stanford The 1951 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1951 Big Ten season. In their 10th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled a 9–0–1 record (5–0–1 in conference games), won the Big Ten championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 220 to 83. The lone setback was a scoreless tie with Ohio State. The Illini concluded the season with a 40–7 over Stanford in the 1952 Rose Bowl, the first nationally televised college football game. They were ranked No. 4 in the final AP poll.1951 Illinois Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football July 27, 2025 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/illinois/1951-schedule.html The team was named co-national champion by Boand, which split its selection with Georgia Tech.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2017/FBS.pdf 2017 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records National Collegiate Athletic Association August 2017 Indianapolis September 6, 2018 113 Defensive back Al Brosky set an NCAA career record 29 interceptions, including an NCAA record 15-game streak covering the entire 1951 season.2018 Football Bowl Subdivision Records http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2018/FBS.pdf ncaa.org NCAA 17 PDF He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998. Halfback Johnny Karras was a consensus first-team pick on the 1951 All-America team.2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2014 February 10, 2015 6 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf December 22, 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141222163944/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2014/Awards.pdf dead Linebacker Chuck Boerio was selected as the team's most valuable player.Fighting Illini Football Record Book University of Illinois 2015 December 28, 2016 155 http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf November 29, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201129040612/http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.com/fightingillini.com/documents/2015/8/3/3_History_7_30.pdf dead Six Illinois players received honors on the 1951 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Karras (AP-1, UP-1); Boerio (AP-1, UP-1); Brosky (AP-1); tackle Chuck Ulrich (AP-1, UP-1); Chuck Studley (AP-1, UP-1); and end Rex Smith (AP-1).Coaches Select All-Big Ten Team The Ludington Daily News November 26, 1951 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19511126&id=I8gwAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0jwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5164,4039615UP Big Ten Team The Pantagraph November 21, 1951 10 https://www.newspapers.com/image/69426871/?terms=united%2Bperry%2Bcoatta The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. Schedule 1951 AP September 29 w y 10 UCLA Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 27–13 53,265 October 6 w 8 Wisconsin Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 14–10 56,207 October 13 w y y 7 Syracuse Archbold Stadium Syracuse, NY 41–20 30,000 October 20 w y y 8 Washington 20 Husky Stadium Seattle, WA 27–20 54,000 October 27 w y 4 Indiana Memorial Stadium Bloomington, IN rivalry 21–0 33,000 November 3 w 3 Michigan 15 Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL rivalry 7–0 71,119 November 10 w y 2 Iowa Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL 40–13 56,444 November 17 t y 3 Ohio State Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH Illibuck 0–0 79,457 Ohio Battles Unbeaten Illinois to Scoreless Tie: Janowicz's 3-Point Bid Is Fumbled The Plain Dealer Cleveland, Ohio John Dietrich November 18, 1951 1B, 2B https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-ohio-battles-unbeaten-i/178780228/ Newspapers.com November 24 w y 6 Northwestern Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL rivalry 3–0 52,000 January 1 w y 4 Stanford 7 Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl 40–7 96,825 Game summaries Michigan Michigan 0 0 0 0 Illinois 0 0 0 7 November 3 Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL 71,119 Blizzard Big Ten Network: Michigan at Illinois, 1951 On November 3, Illinois defeated Michigan, 7–0, before a crowd of 71,119 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois. The game was played in a blizzard with winds gusting to 50 Miles an hour at times. Through the first 58 minutes, neither team was able to score in the difficult weather conditions. Late in the fourth quarter, Illinois drove 83 yards. With 70 seconds remaining in the game, quarterback Tommy O'Connell threw a six-yard touchdown pass to right end Rex Smith in the end zone. Wilfrid Smith of the Chicago Tribune described Illinois' fourth-quarter drive as "one of the most glorious rallies in this 50 year rivalry."Illinois Passes Beat Michigan, 7 to 0: Smith Scores on O'Connell 6 Yard Aerial; Climax Drive with 70 Seconds Left Chicago Tribune Wilfrid Smith November 4, 1951 1, 7 (section 2) https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-illinois-passes-beat-mic/178912368/ Newspapers.com Ohio State Illinois 0 0 0 0 Ohio State 0 0 0 0 November 17 Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH 79,457 On November 17, Illinois played unranked Ohio State to a scoreless tie before a homecoming crowd of 79,457 in Columbus, Ohio. In the fourth quarter, Illinois drove to Ohio State's 13-yard line, but Ohio State defensive halfback Fred Bruney intercepted a Tom O'Connell pass at the goal line to end the threat. Ohio State gained a net of 191 yards to 167 for Illinois. Personnel Players The following 40 players won varsity letters for their participation on the 1951 Illinois football team: 35em Peter Bachouros, fullback, junior, 5'10", 170 pounds, Chicago John Bauer, guard/tackle, sophomore, 6'3", 229 pounds, Benton, IL James Baughman, tackle, sophomore, 6'0", 212 pounds, Pontiac, IL Marv Berschet, tackle, senior, 6'2", 207 pounds, Arlington Heights, IL Chuck Boerio, center, senior, 5'11", 191 pounds, Kincaid, IL Herbert Borman, centr, sophomore, 6'0", 183 pounds, Downers Grove, IL Al Brosky, halfback, junior, 5'11", 172 pounds, Chicago Joseph Cole, center, senior, 6'2", 201 pounds, Park Ridge, IL Marshall Dusenbury, fullback, senior, 6'0", 191 pounds, Bradley, IL Donald Engels, quarterback, senior, 6'2", 185 pounds, Chicago Donald W. Ernst, center, sophomore, 6'0", 182 pounds, Chicago Donald Gnidovic, guard, senior, 5'11", 190 pounds, LaSalle, IL Richard Jenkins, tackle, senior, 6'2", 221 pounds, Chicago, IL Johnny Karras, halfback, senior, 5'11", 173 pounds, Argo, IL George Kasap, takle, senior, 5'11", 217 pounds, Oglesby, IL Robert Lenzini, guard, sophomore, 6'0", 196 pounds, North Chicago, IL Kenneth Miller, halfback, sophomore, 6'2", 191 pounds, Bloomington, IL Thomas Murphy, guard, junior, 5'11", 189 pounds, Chicago Herbert Neathery, halfback, senior, 6'0", 179 pounds, Hoopeston, IL Stephen Nosek, end, junior, 6'0", 195 pounds, Chicago Tommy O'Connell, quarterback, sophomore, 5'11", 184 pounds, Chicago Daniel Peterson, tackle, senior, 6'3", 190 pounds, Elmwood Park, IL Elie Popa, fullback, senior, 5'10", 183 pounds, Canton, OH Sammy Rebecca, quarterback, senior John Ryan, end, sophomore Robert Rylowicz, halfback, senior Daniel Sabino, center, junior Rex Smith, end, junior, 6'2", 199 pounds, Chicago Donald Stevens, halfback, senior Lawrence Stevens, end, junior Chuck Studley, guard and captain, senior, 5'11", 191 pounds, Pontiac, MI Donald Tate, fullback, sophomore, 6'0", 200 pounds, New Castle, PA Bill Tate, fullback, junior, 6'1", 188 pounds, Mattoon, IL Chuck Ulrich, tackle, senior, 6'4", 219 pounds, Chicago Rudolph Valentino, guard, senior, 5'10", 196 pounds, East Chicago, IN Joseph Vernasco, end, senior, 6'1", 194 pounds, Mishawaka, IN Clifford Waldbeser, end, sophomore, 6'1", 189 pounds, Morton, IL Stanley Wallace, halfback, sophomore, 6'3", 193 pounds, Hillsboro, IL Robert Weddell, tackle, junior, 6'2", 212 pounds, Webster Grove, IL Frank Wodziak, end, junior, 6'1", 189 pounds, Chicago 1951 Football Letter Winners The Daily Illini November 27, 1951 6 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-1951-football-letter-wi/178959091/ Newspapers.com1951 Illinois Roster FightingIllini.com August 13, 2025 https://fightingillini.com/sports/2015/7/18/football_alltimerosters_1950_1974.aspx?#1951 Coaching staff Head coach: Ray Eliot Assistant coaches Burt Ingwersen (line coach)Ingwersen Leads Illinois Battle To Make Formidable Line The Daily Illini Don Dodds September 19, 1951 6 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-ingwersen-leads-illinoi/178976318/ Newspapers.com Bob King (asst. line coach) Ralph Fletcher (backfield coach)name=ing/> Chuck Purvis (asst. line coach) Mel Brewer (centers coach) Lou Agase (scout and junior varsity coach) Statistics During the nine-game regular season, the Illini gained 2,785 yards of total offense with 1,837 rushing yards and 948 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 1,954 yards of total offense on 987 passing yards and 967 rushing yards.Karras falls one short of Grange record Arlington Heights Herald December 7, 1951 10 https://www.newspapers.com/article/arlington-heights-herald-karras-falls-on/178973140/ Newspapers.com The team's individual statistical leaders included: Halfback Johnny Karras gained 592 rushing yards and 164 receiving yards and scored 12 touchdowns. Halfback Don Stevens led the team with an average of 6.2 yards per rushing carry on 62 carries for 383 yards. Sophomore quarterback Tommy O'Connell completed 56 of 106 passes for 625 yards and six touchdowns. End Rex Smith was the team's leading receiver with 21 passes for 331 yards and one touchdown. Joe Vernasco ranked second with 11 receptions for 220 yards and four touchdowns. Sophomore punter Ken Miller kicked for an average of 36.2 yards on 50 punts. Awards and honors Halfback Johnny Karras was a consensus first-team selection on the 1951 All-America team. He received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP), United Press (UP), American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), and All-America Board (AAB). Other Illini receiving All-America honor in 1951 were: Al Brosky - first-team honors from the AP on its offensive team and first-team honors from the FWAA on their defensive team as a safety Chuck Ulrich - first-team honors from the AP on its offensive team at tackle Chuck Boerio - first-team honors from the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) on its defensive team; second-team honors from the UP at center Six Illinois players received first-team honors on the 1951 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Karras (AP-1, UP-1); Ulrich (AP-1, UP-1); Boerio (AP-1, UP-1); guard Chuck Studley (AP-1, UP-1); end Rex Smith (AP-1); and defensive back Al Brosky (AP-1). Boerio received the team award as most valuable player, and Studley was chosen as the team captain. Fullback Bill Tate rushed for 150 yards and scored two touchdowns in the 1952 Rose Bowl and was selected as the game's most valuable player. References Illinois Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football seasons Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Category:Rose Bowl champion seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Illinois Fighting Illini football