Surf Wiki
Save to docs
sports

From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base

1951 college football rankings

none

none

FieldValue
season1951
preseason_number_1[Tennessee](1951-tennessee-volunteers-football-team)
champions[Tennessee](1951-tennessee-volunteers-football-team)

Two human polls comprised the 1951 college football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.

Legend

Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

AP poll

The final AP poll was released on December 3, at the end of the 1951 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968. |Week1-1 = Tennessee (60) |Week1-2 = Michigan State (18) |Week1-3 = Ohio State (8) |Week1-4 = Oklahoma (16) |Week1-5 = California (3) |Week1-6 = Kentucky (1) |Week1-7 = Texas A&M |Week1-8 = Washington (3) |Week1-9 = Alabama (2) |Week1-10 = Illinois (2) |Week1-11 = Texas (1) |Week1-12 = Nebraska |Week1-13 = Baylor |Week1-14 = Notre Dame (1) |Week1-15 = Wisconsin |Week1-16 = Maryland |Week1-17 = Michigan |Week1-18 = Princeton |Week1-19 = Pennsylvania |Week1-20 = Cornell |Week2-1 = Michigan State (2–0) (37) |Week2-1-Color = u |Week2-2 = California (2–0) (22) |Week2-2-Color = u |Week2-3 = Tennessee (1–0) (27) |Week2-3-Color = d |Week2-4 = Oklahoma (1–0) (18) |Week2-4-Color = |Week2-5 = Notre Dame (1–0) (9) |Week2-5-Color = u |Week2-6 = Texas (2–0) (6) |Week2-6-Color = u |Week2-7 = Ohio State (1–0) (1) |Week2-7-Color = d |Week2-8 = Illinois (1–0) |Week2-8-Color = u |Week2-9 = Maryland (1–0) (4) |Week2-9-Color = u |Week2-10 = Texas A&M (1–0) |Week2-10-Color = d |Week2-11 = Georgia Tech (2–0) (4) |Week2-11-Color = y |Week2-12 = Washington (2–0) (2) |Week2-12-Color = d |Week2-13 = Georgia (2–0) (1) |Week2-13-Color = y |Week2-14 = Princeton (1–0) |Week2-14-Color = u |Week2-15 = Oregon State (1–1) (1) |Week2-15-Color = y |Week2-16 = Duke (2–0) |Week2-16-Color = y |Week2-17 = Kentucky (1–2) |Week2-17-Color = d |Week2-18 = Clemson (2–0) (1) |Week2-18-Color = y |Week2-19 = Baylor (1–0) |Week2-19-Color = d |Week2-20 = Kansas (2–0) |Week2-20-Color = y |Week3-1 = Michigan State (3–0) (42) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = California (3–0) (36) |Week3-2-Color = |Week3-3 = Tennessee (2–0) (18) |Week3-3-Color = |Week3-4 = Texas A&M (2–0) (3) |Week3-4-Color = u |Week3-5 = Notre Dame (2–0) (4) |Week3-5-Color = |Week3-6 = Texas (3–0) (4) |Week3-6-Color = |Week3-7 = Illinois (2–0) |Week3-7-Color = u |Week3-8 = Georgia Tech (3–0) (3) |Week3-8-Color = u |Week3-9 = Ohio State (1–1) |Week3-9-Color = d |Week3-10 = Maryland (2–0) (1) |Week3-10-Color = d |Week3-11 = Oklahoma (1–1) |Week3-11-Color = d |Week3-12 = Baylor (2–0) |Week3-12-Color = u |Week3-13 = Princeton (2–0) |Week3-13-Color = u |Week3-14 = USC (3–0) |Week3-14-Color = y |Week3-15 = Holy Cross (2–0) |Week3-15-Color = y |Week3-16 = Clemson (3–0) |Week3-16-Color = u |Week3-17 = Cornell (2–0) |Week3-17-Color = y |Week3-18 = Oregon State (2–1) |Week3-18-Color = d |Week3-19 = Stanford (3–0) |Week3-19-Color = y |Week3-20 = Pacific (3–0) (1) |Week3-20-Color = y |Week4-1 = California (4–0) (50) |Week4-1-Color = u |Week4-2 = Tennessee (3–0) (26) |Week4-2-Color = u |Week4-3 = Michigan State (4–0) (16) |Week4-3-Color = d |Week4-4 = Texas (4–0) (6) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = Georgia Tech (4–0) (12) |Week4-5-Color = u |Week4-6 = Texas A&M (3–0) (8) |Week4-6-Color = d |Week4-7 = Maryland (3–0) (14) |Week4-7-Color = u |Week4-8 = Illinois (3–0) (3) |Week4-8-Color = d |Week4-9 = Princeton (3–0) (1) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Baylor (3–0) |Week4-10-Color = u |Week4-11 = USC (4–0) |Week4-11-Color = u |Week4-12 = Villanova (3–0) |Week4-12-Color = y |Week4-13 = Stanford (4–0) |Week4-13-Color = u |Week4-14 = Cornell (3–0) |Week4-14-Color = u |Week4-15 = SMU (3–1) |Week4-15-Color = y |Week4-16 = Pacific (4–0) (1) |Week4-16-Color = u |Week4-17 = Ohio State (1–1–1) |Week4-17-Color = d |Week4-18 = Northwestern (3–0) |Week4-18-Color = y |Week4-19 = Oklahoma (1–2) |Week4-19-Color = d |Week4-20 = Washington (3–1) |Week4-20-Color = y |Week5-1 = Tennessee (4–0) (70) |Week5-1-Color = u |Week5-2 = Michigan State (5–0) (28) |Week5-2-Color = u |Week5-3 = Georgia Tech (5–0) (16) |Week5-3-Color = u |Week5-4 = Illinois (4–0) (12) |Week5-4-Color = u |Week5-5 = Maryland (4–0) (13) |Week5-5-Color = u |Week5-6 = USC (5–0) (13) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = Baylor (4–0) (2) |Week5-7-Color = u |Week5-8 = Princeton (4–0) (2) |Week5-8-Color = u |Week5-9 = California (4–1) (1) |Week5-9-Color = d |Week5-10 = Texas (4–1) |Week5-10-Color = d |Week5-11 = Stanford (5–0) (1) |Week5-11-Color = u |Week5-12 = Cornell (4–0) (1) |Week5-12-Color = u |Week5-13 = Northwestern (4–0) |Week5-13-Color = u |Week5-14 = Wisconsin (2–1–1) |Week5-14-Color = y |Week5-15 = Notre Dame (3–1) |Week5-15-Color = y |Week5-16 = Texas A&M (3–1) (1) |Week5-16-Color = d |Week5-17 = Kentucky (3–3) (1) |Week5-17-Color = y |Week5-18 = Washington State (3–2) |Week5-18-Color = y |Week5-19 = Arkansas (3–2) |Week5-19-Color = y |Week5-20 = San Francisco (5–0) |Week5-20-Color = y |Week6-1 = Tennessee (5–0) (59) |Week6-1-Color = |Week6-2 = Michigan State (6–0) (25) |Week6-2-Color = |Week6-3 = Illinois (5–0) (15) |Week6-3-Color = u |Week6-4 = Maryland (5–0) (22) |Week6-4-Color = u |Week6-5 = Georgia Tech (6–0) (9) |Week6-5-Color = d |Week6-6 = Princeton (5–0) (14) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = USC (6–0) (7) |Week6-7-Color = d |Week6-8 = Baylor (4–0–1) |Week6-8-Color = d |Week6-9 = California (5–1) |Week6-9-Color = |Week6-10 = Wisconsin (3–1–1) (2) |Week6-10-Color = u |Week6-11 = Stanford (6–0) |Week6-11-Color = |Week6-12 = Texas (5–1) |Week6-12-Color = d |Week6-13 = Notre Dame (4–1) |Week6-13-Color = u |Week6-14 = Kentucky (4–3) (1) |Week6-14-Color = u |Week6-15 = Michigan (3–2) |Week6-15-Color = y |Week6-16 = Washington State (4–2) |Week6-16-Color = u |Week6-17 = Oklahoma (3–2) (1) |Week6-17-Color = y |Week6-18 = Texas A&M (3–1–1) |Week6-18-Color = d |Week6-19 = Miami (FL) (4–1) |Week6-19-Color = y |Week6-20 = San Francisco (6–0) |Week6-20-Color = |Week7-1 = Tennessee (6–0) (60) |Week7-1-Color = |Week7-2 = Illinois (6–0) (29) |Week7-2-Color = u |Week7-3 = Maryland (6–0) (21) |Week7-3-Color = u |Week7-4 = Princeton (6–0) (6) |Week7-4-Color = u |Week7-5 = Michigan State (6–0) (12) |Week7-5-Color = d |Week7-6 = USC (7–0) (6) |Week7-6-Color = u |Week7-7 = Stanford (7–0) (8) |Week7-7-Color = u |Week7-8 = Georgia Tech (6–0–1) (1) |Week7-8-Color = d |Week7-9 = Wisconsin (4–1–1) (3) |Week7-9-Color = u |Week7-10 = Texas (6–1) |Week7-10-Color = u |Week7-11 = Notre Dame (5–1) (1) |Week7-11-Color = u |Week7-12 = Kentucky (5–3) (3) |Week7-12-Color = u |Week7-13 = TCU (5–2) |Week7-13-Color = y |Week7-14 = Oklahoma (4–2) (1) |Week7-14-Color = u |Week7-15 = San Francisco (7–0) |Week7-15-Color = u |Week7-16 = Baylor (4–1–1) |Week7-16-Color = d |Week7-17 = California (5–2) т |Week7-17-Color = td |Week7-18 = Washington State (5–2) т |Week7-18-Color = d |Week7-19 = Pacific (6–1) (1) |Week7-19-Color = y |Week7-20 = |Week7-20-Color = y |Week8-1 = Michigan State (7–0) (55) |Week8-1-Color = u |Week8-2 = Tennessee (7–0) (42) |Week8-2-Color = d |Week8-3 = Illinois (7–0) (20) |Week8-3-Color = d |Week8-4 = Stanford (8–0) (12) |Week8-4-Color = u |Week8-5 = Maryland (7–0) (16) |Week8-5-Color = d |Week8-6 = Princeton (7–0) (6) |Week8-6-Color = d |Week8-7 = Georgia Tech (7–0–1) |Week8-7-Color = u |Week8-8 = Wisconsin (5–1–1) (2) |Week8-8-Color = u |Week8-9 = Kentucky (6–3) (4) |Week8-9-Color = u |Week8-10 = Baylor (5–1–1) |Week8-10-Color = u |Week8-11 = USC (7–1) |Week8-11-Color = d |Week8-12 = Oklahoma (5–2) (1) |Week8-12-Color = u |Week8-13 = TCU (5–2) |Week8-13-Color = |Week8-14 = San Francisco (7–0) |Week8-14-Color = u |Week8-15 = Texas (6–2) |Week8-15-Color = d |Week8-16 = California (5–3) |Week8-16-Color = u |Week8-17 = Washington State (5–3) |Week8-17-Color = |Week8-18 = UCLA (4–3) |Week8-18-Color = y |Week8-19 = Rice (4–3) |Week8-19-Color = y |Week8-20 = Cincinnati (8–0) |Week8-20-Color = y |Week9-1 = Tennessee (8–0) (60) |Week9-1-Color = u |Week9-2 = Michigan State (8–0) (38) |Week9-2-Color = d |Week9-3 = Stanford (9–0) (18) |Week9-3-Color = u |Week9-4 = Maryland (8–0) (26) |Week9-4-Color = u |Week9-5 = Princeton (8–0) (8) |Week9-5-Color = u |Week9-6 = Illinois (7–0–1) (3) |Week9-6-Color = d |Week9-7 = Georgia Tech (8–0–1) (2) |Week9-7-Color = |Week9-8 = Wisconsin (6–1–1) (3) |Week9-8-Color = |Week9-9 = Kentucky (7–3) (4) |Week9-9-Color = |Week9-10 = Baylor (6–1–1) |Week9-10-Color = |Week9-11 = USC (7–2) |Week9-11-Color = |Week9-12 = Oklahoma (6–2) |Week9-12-Color = |Week9-13 = San Francisco (8–0) |Week9-13-Color = u |Week9-14 = Texas (7–2) |Week9-14-Color = u |Week9-15 = Virginia (7–1) (1) |Week9-15-Color = y |Week9-16 = Holy Cross (7–1) (1) |Week9-16-Color = y |Week9-17 = Washington State (6–3) |Week9-17-Color = |Week9-18 = Rice (5–3) |Week9-18-Color = u |Week9-19 = California (7–2) |Week9-19-Color = d |Week9-20 = Bucknell (9–0) |Week9-20-Color = y |Week10-1 = Tennessee (9–0) (92) |Week10-1-Color = |Week10-2 = Michigan State (9–0) (34) |Week10-2-Color = |Week10-3 = Maryland (9–0) (18) |Week10-3-Color = u |Week10-4 = Illinois (8–0–1) (4) |Week10-4-Color = u |Week10-5 = Princeton (9–0) (4) |Week10-5-Color = |Week10-6 = Georgia Tech (9–0–1) (1) |Week10-6-Color = u |Week10-7 = Wisconsin (7–1–1) (5) |Week10-7-Color = u |Week10-8 = Stanford (9–1) (1) |Week10-8-Color = d |Week10-9 = Baylor (7–1–1) |Week10-9-Color = u |Week10-10 = Oklahoma (7–2) (2) |Week10-10-Color= u |Week10-11 = TCU (5–4) |Week10-11-Color= y |Week10-12 = California (8–2) (3) |Week10-12-Color= u |Week10-13 = Virginia (8–1) (1) |Week10-13-Color= u |Week10-14 = San Francisco (9–0) |Week10-14-Color= d |Week10-15 = UCLA (5–3–1) |Week10-15-Color= y |Week10-16 = Texas (7–2) |Week10-16-Color= d |Week10-17 = Kentucky (7–4) |Week10-17-Color= d |Week10-18 = Washington State (7–3) |Week10-18-Color= d |Week10-19 = Holy Cross (8–1) |Week10-19-Color= d |Week10-20 = USC (7–3) |Week10-20-Color= d |Week11-1 = Tennessee (10–0) (139) |Week11-1-Color = nc |Week11-2 = Michigan State (9–0) (104) |Week11-2-Color = |Week11-3 = Maryland (9–0) (18) |Week11-3-Color = |Week11-4 = Illinois (8–0–1) (10) |Week11-4-Color = |Week11-5 = Georgia Tech (10–0–1) (8) |Week11-5-Color = u |Week11-6 = Princeton (9–0) (3) |Week11-6-Color = d |Week11-7 = Stanford (9–1) (1) |Week11-7-Color = u |Week11-8 = Wisconsin (7–1–1) (10) |Week11-8-Color = d |Week11-9 = Baylor (8–1–1) |Week11-9-Color = |Week11-10 = Oklahoma (8–2) (4) |Week11-10-Color= |Week11-11 = TCU (6–4) |Week11-11-Color= |Week11-12 = California (8–2) (2) |Week11-12-Color= |Week11-13 = Virginia (8–1) (5) |Week11-13-Color= |Week11-14 = San Francisco (9–0) (2) |Week11-14-Color= |Week11-15 = Kentucky (7–4) |Week11-15-Color= |Week11-16 = Boston University (6–4) (2) |Week11-16-Color= y |Week11-17 = UCLA (5–3–1) |Week11-17-Color= d |Week11-18 = Washington State (7–3) |Week11-18-Color= |Week11-19 = Holy Cross (8–2) (1) т |Week11-19-Color= tw |Week11-20 = Clemson (7–2) т |Week11-20-Color= tnpr

United Press poll

The final UP Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 3.

Tennessee received 23 of the 35 first-place votes; Michigan State received seven, Maryland two, and one each to Illinois, Georgia Tech, and Princeton.

RankingTeamConferenceBowl
1[Tennessee](1951-tennessee-volunteers-football-team)SECLost [Sugar](1952-sugar-bowl), 13–28
2[Michigan State](1951-michigan-state-spartans-football-team)Independent*none*
3[Illinois](1951-illinois-fighting-illini-football-team)Big Ten**Won** [Rose](1952-rose-bowl), 40–7
4[Maryland](1951-maryland-terrapins-football-team)Southern**Won** [Sugar](1952-sugar-bowl), 28–13
5[Georgia Tech](1951-georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-football-team)SEC**Won** [Orange](1952-orange-bowl), 17–14
6[Princeton](1951-princeton-tigers-football-team)Independent*none*
7[Stanford](1951-stanford-indians-football-team)Pacific CoastLost [Rose](1952-rose-bowl), 7–40
8[Wisconsin](1951-wisconsin-badgers-football-team)Big Ten*none*
9[Baylor](1951-baylor-bears-football-team)SouthwestLost [Orange](1952-orange-bowl), 14–17
10[TCU](1951-tcu-horned-frogs-football-team)SouthwestLost [Cotton](1952-cotton-bowl-classic), 7–20
11[Oklahoma](1951-oklahoma-sooners-football-team)Big Seven*none*
12[California](1951-california-golden-bears-football-team)Pacifie Coast
13[Notre Dame](1951-notre-dame-fighting-irish-football-team)Independent
14[Purdue](1951-purdue-boilermakers-football-team)Big Ten
[San Francisco](1951-san-francisco-dons-football-team)Independent
[Washington State](1951-washington-state-cougars-football-team)Pacific Coast
17[Holy Cross](1951-holy-cross-crusaders-football-team)Independent
[Kentucky](1951-kentucky-wildcats-football-team)SEC**Won** [Cotton](1952-cotton-bowl-classic), 20–7
[UCLA](1951-ucla-bruins-football-team)Pacific Coast*none*
20[Kansas](1951-kansas-jayhawks-football-team)Big Seven
  • Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pacific Coast (later AAWU / Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
  • The Ivy League has prohibited its members from participating in postseason football since the league was officially formed in 1954.

Litkenhous Ratings

The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1951 provided numerical rankings to over 650 college football programs. The top 100 ranked teams were:

  1. Tennessee (10–1)

  2. Maryland (10–0)

  3. Michigan State (9–0)

  4. Oklahoma (8–2)

  5. California (8–2)

  6. Georgia Tech (11–0–1)

  7. Baylor (8–2–1)

  8. Illinois (9–0–1)

  9. Wisconsin (7–1–1)

  10. Kentucky (8–4)

  11. Stanford (9–2)

  12. UCLA (5–3–1)

  13. Texas (7–3)

  14. Notre Dame (7–2–1)

  15. Ole Miss (6–3–1)

  16. USC (7–3)

  17. TCU (6–5)

  18. SMU (3–6–1)

  19. Princeton (9–0)

  20. Texas A&M (5–3–2)

  21. Holy Cross (8–2)

  22. Washington State (7–3)

  23. Washington (3–6–1)

  24. Xavier (9–0–1)

  25. Oregon State (4–6)

  26. Arkansas (5–5)

  27. San Francisco (9–0)

  28. Rice (5–5)

  29. Michigan (4–5)

  30. Virginia (8–1)

  31. Ohio State (4–3–2)

  32. Tulsa (9–2)

  33. LSU (7–3–1)

  34. Cincinnati (10–1)

  35. Florida (5–5)

  36. Alabama (5–6)

  37. Purdue (5–4)

  38. Kansas (8–2)

  39. Penn (5–4)

  40. Texas Tech (7–4)

  41. Miami (FL) (8–3)

  42. Vanderbilt (6–5)

  43. Northwestern (5–4)

  44. Cornell (6–3)

  45. Clemson (7–3)

  46. Pacific (6–5)

  47. Colorado (7–3)

  48. Georgia (5–5)

  49. Navy (2–6–1)

  50. Mississippi State (4–5)

  51. Duke (5–4–1)

  52. Tulane (4–6)

  53. Marquette (4–6–1)

  54. Boston University (6–4)

  55. Indiana (3–6_

  56. Villanova (5–3)

  57. Wake Forest

  58. Pittsburgh (3–7)

  59. Columbia (5–3)

  60. Penn State (5–4)

  61. Santa Clara (3–5–1)

  62. Wyoming (7–2–1)

  63. Houston (6–5)

  64. Bucknell (9–0)

  65. Syracuse (5–4)

  66. Washington & Lee (6–4)

  67. North Carolina (2–8)

  68. South Carolina (5–4)

  69. Iowa (2–5–2)

  70. North Texas (8–4)

  71. Dayton (7–3)

  72. Fordham (5–4)

  73. Auburn (5–5)

  74. Iowa State (4–4–1)

  75. Minnesota (2–6–1)

  76. Arizona State (6–3–1)

  77. Denver (6–4)

  78. Hardin–Simmons (6–6)

  79. Dartmouth (4–5)

  80. Drake (7–2)

  81. Chattanooga (6–5)

  82. Memphis State (5–3)

  83. Miami (OH) (7–3)

  84. Oklahoma A&M (3–7)

  85. Boston College (3–6)

  86. Missouri (3–7)

  87. Arkansas State (10–2)

  88. Del Mar (9–1)

  89. Army (2–7)

  90. Rutgers (4–4)

  91. William & Mary (5–4–1)

  92. VMI (7–3)

  93. Nebraska (2–8)

  94. Colgate (4–5)

  95. Yale (2–5–2)

  96. Loyola (Los Angeles) (3–6)

  97. (10–1)

  98. Temple (6–4)

  99. Oregon (2–8)

  100. Toledo (6–4)

  101. Louisville (5–4)

  102. Colorado A&M (5–4–1)

  103. George Washington (2–6–1)

  104. West Virginia (5–5)

  105. Mississippi Southern (6–5)

  106. Kansas State (0–9)

  107. Utah (7–4)

  108. (10–1)

  109. (12–0)

  110. Detroit (4–7)

  111. NC State (3–7)

  112. Idaho (2–7)

  113. East Texas (9–2)

  114. Furman (3–6–1)

  115. (8–1–1)

  116. South Dakota State (8–1–1)

  117. Kent State (4–3–2)

  118. Ohio (5–4–1)

  119. Utah State (3–5–1)

  120. St. Bonaventure (5–4)

  121. San Jose State (2–7–1)

  122. Harvard (3–5–1)

  123. Valparaiso (9–0)

  124. South Dakota (7–1)

  125. Abilene Christian (6–4)

  126. Brown (2–7)

  127. Arizona (6–5)

  128. Murray State (8–1)

  129. Lehigh (7–2)

  130. San Diego State (10–0–1)

  131. Middle Tennessee (7–2–2)

  132. Citadel (4–6)

  133. Marshall (5–4–1)

  134. Western Kentucky (4–5)

HBCU rankings

The Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1951 teams from historically black colleges and universities in an era when college football was largely segregated. The rankings were published on December 8:

The Associated Negro Press also published rankings on December 14:

References

References

  1. (December 4, 1951). "Vols rated tops by UP". St. Petersburg Times.
  2. (December 4, 1951). "Tennessee rated nation's No. 1 team for season". Bend Bulletin.
  3. (December 14, 1951). "Vols Top Final 1951 Litkenhous Ratings". The Nashville Banner.
  4. E.E. Litkenhous. (December 13, 1951). "Litkenhous Rates Virginia As State's Top Grid Team; Cavaliers Get 30th Place". The News and Advance.
  5. Ric Roberts. (December 8, 1951). "Purple Wave Edges FAMU in Torrid Football Campaign". The Pittsburgh Courier.
  6. (December 14, 1951). "The Pigskin Huddle". The Call.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

1951-college-football-season college-football-rankings
Want to explore this topic further?

Ask Mako anything about 1951 college football rankings — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.

Research with Mako

Free with your Surf account

Content sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.

Report