1951 Iowa Hawkeyes football team

1951 Iowa Hawkeyes football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record2–5–2 (0–5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPBill Reichardt
Home stadiumIowa Stadium
1951 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
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
0 – 5 – 1 2 – 5 – 2
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1951 Iowa Hawkeyes football team was an American football team that represented the University of Iowa as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1951 Big Ten football season. In their second and final season under head coach Leonard Raffensperger, the Hawkeyes compiled a 2–5–2 record (0–5–1 in conference games), finished in last place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by a total of 233 to 61.[1][2] The team was ranked at No. 69 in the 1951 Litkenhous Ratings.[3]

The 1951 Hawkeyes gained 1,692 rushing yards and 1,153 passing yards. On defense, they gave up 1,400 rushing yards and 1,508 passing yards.[4]

Fullback Bill Reichardt wsa selected as Iowa's most valuable player and also won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the most valuable player in the Big Ten.[5] Reichardt and offensive lineman Jerry Hilgenberg were later inducted into the Iowa Letterwinners Club Hall of Fame.[6] The team's statistical leaders included Reichadt (737 rushing yards); Burt Britzmann (68-of-150 passing for 942 yards); Fred Ruck (25 receptions for 274 yards); and George Rice (54 points scored).[7]

The team played its home games at Iowa Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Home attendance was 157,883, an average of 39,471 per game.[8]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 29Kansas State*
W 16–029,700
October 6at Purdue
L 30–3425,000
October 13Pittsburgh*
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
W 34–1735,123[9]
October 20Michigandagger
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA
L 0–2153,050[10]
October 27at Ohio State
L 21–4767,551[11]
November 3Minnesota
  • Iowa Stadium
  • Iowa City, IA (rivalry)
T 20–2040,000
November 10at No. 2 Illinois
L 13–4056,444
November 17at No. 8 Wisconsin
L 7–3439,788
November 24at Notre Dame*
T 20–2040,685
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Game summaries

Kansas State

On September 29, 1951, the Hawkeyes held Kansas State to 68 yards of total offense (including negative 21 rushing yards). At the time, it was the school's single-team record. It still ranks third in Iowa history.[12]

Michigan

Michigan at Iowa
Team 1 234Total
• Michigan 7 770 21
Iowa 0 000 0

On October 20, Iowa lost to Michigan, 21–0, before a crowd of 53,050, which was at the time an all-time attendance record at Iowa Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. Don Peterson scored two touchdowns, and Bill Putich scored one. Russ Rescoria converted all three kicks for extra point. Iowa out-gained Michigan by 310 yards (251 rushing, 59 passing) to 219 yards (145 rushing, 74 passing).[10]

Ohio State

On October 27, Iowa lost to Ohio State, 47–21, before a crowd of 67,551 at Ohio Stadium. Tony Curcillo threw four touchdown passes and ran for two more to give Woody Hayes his first conference victory. Curcillo completed 10 of 14 passes for 292 yards. Vic Janowicz played only on special teams in the Iowa game due to a bruised rib sustained the prior week against Indiana. The Buckeyes gained 399 yards (308 passing, 91 rushing) to 342 yards (172 rushing, 170 passing) for Iowa.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "1951 Iowa Hawkeyes Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  2. ^ "2022 Iowa Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Iowa. p. 241. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
  3. ^ "Vols Top Final 1951 Litkenhous Ratings". The Nashville Banner. December 14, 1951. p. 49 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 161.
  5. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 222.
  6. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 211.
  7. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, pp. 278-279.
  8. ^ 2022 Iowa Football media Guide, p. 260.
  9. ^ Carl Hughes (October 14, 1951). "Hawkeyes Score Three Touchdowns in Final Victory Surge". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 61, section 4. Retrieved July 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b Bert McGrane (October 21, 1951). "Record 53,050 See Iowa Bow, 21-0". The Des Moines Register. p. 3S – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ John Dietrich (October 28, 1951). "Ohio State's Curcillo Leads Rout of Iowa, 47-21: Bucks Snap Back With Aerial Blow; Tony Scores Twice, Throws for Four More". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. pp. 1B, 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ 2022 Iowa Football Media Guide, p. 276.
  13. ^ John Dietrich (October 28, 1951). "Ohio State's Curcillo Leads Rout of Iowa, 47-21: Bucks Snap Back With Aerial Blow; Tony Scores Twice, Throws for Four More". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. pp. 1B, 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "1952 Makio". Ohio State University. p. 133.
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