1951 Alabama Crimson Tide football team

Schedule

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Game summaries

Delta State

Montgomery, AL

• Source: To open the 1951 season, Alabama shutout the Delta State Statesmen 89–0 at the Cramton Bowl in the only all-time meeting between the schools. The Crimson Tide scored multiple touchdowns in all four quarters in what was the largest margin of victory for Alabama since a 110–0 win over the Marion Military Institute to open the 1922 season. In the first quarter, touchdowns were scored on a 30-yard Bobby Marlow run, a 27-yard James Melton run and an 11-yard Clell Hobson pass to Joe Curtis for a 21–0 lead. In the second quarter, touchdowns were scored on a 36-yard Larry Chiodetti run and a three-yard Joe Compton run for a 35–0 halftime lead. In the third quarter, touchdowns were scored on a 51-yard Marlow run, a 15-yard George McCain pass to Chiodetti, a one-yard Bobby Luna run and a 46-yard Luna pass to Thomas Tharp for a 63–0 lead. In the fourth quarter, touchdowns were scored on a 63-yard Tommy Lewis run, a 44-yard Luna run, an 11-yard Tharp run and a 19-yard Hobson run to make the final score 89–0. In total, the Crimson Tide outgained the Statesmen in total offense 553 to 163 yards.

LSU

Mobile, AL

• Source: To open conference play for the 1951 season, Alabama was defeated by LSU 13–7 at Ladd Stadium in Mobile.

Vanderbilt

Nashville, TN

• Source: In what was their first road game of the season, the Crimson Tide lost to the Vanderbilt Commodores by a final score of 22–20 in Nashville.

Villanova

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Source: On a Friday night in the first Tuscaloosa game of the season, Alabama was defeated by the Villanova Wildcats, 41–18, at Denny Stadium in the only all-time meeting between the schools. After a scoreless first quarter, Villanova took a 21–0 lead into halftime with touchdowns scored on touchdown runs of eight-yards by Robert Haner, two-yards by Dick Bedesem and 38-yards by Benjamin Addiego. Alabama opened the third with their first points of the game on a two-yard Bobby Marlow touchdown run. However, the Wildcats responded with a four-yard William Brannau touchdown pass to Joseph Rilo to make the score 28–6 as the teams entered the fourth quarter.

In the fourth quarter, each team scored a pair of touchdowns and made the final score 41–18 in favor of the Wildcats. Alabama scored on a pair of long touchdown passes from Clell Hobson to George MacAfee from 75 and 67 yards and Villanova scored on touchdown runs of one yard by Bedesem and five yards by Addiego. The loss marked the first time the Crimson Tide lost three consecutive games since the 1927 season, ended a 20-game winning streak at Denny Stadium and the 41 points allowed to the Wildcats were the most scored by an Alabama opponent since a 54–4 loss to Sewanee in 1907.

Tennessee

Birmingham, AL

• Sources: Alabama lost 27–13 to the rival Tennessee Volunteers and it marked both their first loss to Tennessee at Legion Field since the 1940 season and the first four-game losing streak for the Crimson Tide since the 1910 season. Alabama took a 7–0 first quarter lead on a one-yard Bobby Marlow run only to see Tennessee tie the game 7–7 at halftime after Bert Rechichar scored on a 20-yard Hank Lauricella touchdown pass in the second quarter. The Volunteers then took a 14–7 lead in the third on a three-yard Dick Ernsberger run before they closed the game with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth. In the final period Tennessee touchdowns were scored by Lauricella on a 35-yard run and on a 20-yard Harold Payne pass to Vince Kaseta; the lone Alabama touchdown was scored on a second, one-yard Marlow run to make the final score 27–13.

Although the first Alabama game to be televised occurred in their matchup at Fordham in 1939, this game was broadcast on ABC and was the first Alabama game to be broadcast over network television. The loss brought Alabama's all-time record against Tennessee to 17–12–4.

Mississippi State

Starkville, MS

• Source: At Starkville, the Crimson Tide shutout the Mississippi State Maroons 7–0 to end their four-game losing streak at Scott Field.

Georgia

Athens, GA

• Sources: In their final road game of the season, Alabama defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 16–14 Sanford Stadium in Athens.

Mississippi Southern

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Source: After the Mississippi Southern Southerners took a 7–0 lead, the Crimson Tide responded with 40 unanswered points for the 40–7 victory at Denny Stadium.

Georgia Tech

Birmingham, AL

• Source:

After Alabama held Georgia Tech to only six first half points, the Yellow Jackets scored three second half touchdowns en route to a 27–7 victory at Legion Field.

Florida

Tuscaloosa, AL

• Source: On homecoming in Tuscaloosa, 17 unanswered points by Florida in the second half gave the Gators 30–21 win at Denny Stadium.

Auburn

Birmingham, AL

• Source: For the third time in four years since the revival of the Auburn series, Alabama defeated the Tigers 25–7 at Legion Field.

Personnel

Varsity letter winners

Coaching staff

References

General

Specific

References

1. "1951 Alabama football schedule". University of Alabama Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.
2. Watkins, Edwin. (September 22, 1951). "Tide running attack smashes Delta under 89–0 TD deluge". The Tuscaloosa News.
3. 1951 Season Recap
4. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Delta State". College Football Data Warehouse.
5. Watkins, Edwin. (September 30, 1951). "LSU Bengals topple Tide by 13–7 count". The Tuscaloosa News.
6. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Louisiana State". College Football Data Warehouse.
7. Bassett, Norman H.. (October 7, 1951). "Vandy trips Tide, 22–20". The Tuscaloosa News.
8. Green, Ben A.. (October 13, 1951). "Villanova crushes Tide, 41–18 with savage running attack". The Tuscaloosa News.
9. (October 13, 1951). "Villanova wins 41–18 over Bama". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
10. Watkins, Edwin. (October 21, 1951). "Vols trim Tide in second half 27 to 13". The Tuscaloosa News.
11. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.
12. DeLassus, David. "Alabama vs Tennessee". College Football Data Warehouse.
13. Watkins, Edwin. (October 28, 1951). "Tide blanks Maroons 7–0". The Tuscaloosa News.
14. Watkins, Ed. (November 4, 1951). "Tide topples Bulldogs, 16 to 14". The Tuscaloosa News.
15. Watkins, Edwin. (November 11, 1951). "Tide blasts Southern, 40–7". The Tuscaloosa News.
16. (November 18, 1951). "Ga. Tech bowls over Bama 27–7". The Tuscaloosa News.
17. Watkins, Edwin. (November 25, 1951). "Gators down Tide late, 30–21". The Tuscaloosa News.
18. Watkins, Ed. (December 2, 1951). "Alabama crushed Auburn 25 to 7". The Tuscaloosa News.
19. Griffin, John Chandler. (2001). "Alabama vs. Auburn: Gridiron Grudge Since 1893". Hill Street Press.
20. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.
21. (2011). "2011 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Record Book". University of Alabama Athletics Media Relations Office.