| 1951 Michigan Wolverines football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Record | 4–5 (4–2 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| MVP | Don Peterson |
| Captain | Bill Putich |
| Home stadium | Michigan Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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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]
- ^ "1951 Michigan Wolverines Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ a b "1951 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Litkenhous Ratings". The Chattanooga Times. December 15, 1951. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Walter Johns (December 5, 1951). "2 Coast Players on CP All-American Team". Long Beach Press-Telegram.
- ^ "Coaches Select All-Big Ten Team". The Ludington Daily News. November 26, 1951.
- ^ "UP Big Ten Team". The Pantagraph. November 21, 1951. p. 10.
- ^ "1951 Michigan Wolverines Statistics". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.