1951 Detroit Titans football team

{{short description|American college football season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1951

| team = Detroit Titans

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Missouri Valley Conference

| short_conf = MVC

| record = 4–7

| conf_record = 2–4

| head_coach = Dutch Clark

| hc_year = 1st

| captain =

| stadium = University of Detroit Stadium

}}

{{1951 Missouri Valley Conference football standings}}

The 1951 Detroit Titans football team represented the University of Detroit in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) during 1951 college football season. The team compiled a 4–7 record (2–4 against conference opponents), tied for fifth place in the MWC, and was outscored by opponents by a combined total of 263 to 156.{{cite web|title=1951 Detroit Mercy Titans Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=November 23, 2015|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/detroit-mercy/1951-schedule.html}}

In February 1951, Dutch Clark, later inducted into both the Pro and College Football Halls of Fame, was hired as the school's athletic director and head football coach.{{cite news|title=Clark Given Dual Role in New U-D Grid Setup|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Dick Peters|date=February 25, 1951|pages=C1, C3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9744946/clark_given_dual_role_in_new_ud_grid/|via=Newspapers.com}} He had served as the team's backfield coach under head coach Chuck Baer in 1951.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

|attend=y

|source=y

| rankyear = 1951

| poll = AP

|September 22||Toledo|University of Detroit Stadium|Detroit, MI|W 34–32|17,391|{{cite news|title=Clark Can See Light in U-D Gridiron Cloud|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Dick Peters|date=September 24, 1951|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15456980/detroit_free_press/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|September 28||Houston|University of Detroit Stadium|Detroit, MI|L 7–33|13,521|{{cite news|title=Feeble Titans Swamped By Houston Speed Demons, 33 to 7|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Dick Peters|date=September 29, 1951|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15952926/feeble_titans_swamped_by_houston_speed/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 5||No. 5 Notre Dame|Briggs Stadium|Detroit, MI|L 6–40|52,371|{{cite news|title=52,371 See Irish Sweep Past U-D, 40-6|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Dick Peters|date=October 6, 1951|pages=14, 18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953018/52371_see_irish_sweep_past_ud_406/|via=Newspapers.com}}(the largest crowd in Detroit football history up to that time)

|October 12|at|Drake|Drake Stadium|Des Moines, IA|L 6–26|15,000|{{cite news|title=Bright Zips Past U-D Eleven, 26-6|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=October 13, 1951|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953094/bright_zips_past_ud_eleven_266/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 19|at|Boston College|Braves Field|Boston, MA|W 19–13|10,130|{{cite news|title=Titans Make 19-0 Lead Last to Edge BC, 19-13|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=October 20, 1951|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953158/titans_make_190_lead_last_to_edge_bc/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 26||Oklahoma A&M|University of Detroit Stadium|Detroit, MI|L 7–20|12,680|{{cite news|title=Aggies' 48 Passes Too Much for Titans|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|author=Dick Peters|date=October 27, 1951|pages=16, 18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953335/aggies_48_passes_too_much_for_titans/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 3|at|Bradley||Peoria, IL|W 7–6|1,500|{{cite news|title=Titans Rally, Then Hold On for 7-6 Triumph over Bradley|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=November 4, 1951|page=C6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953266/titans_rally_then_hold_on_for_76/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 10|at|Villanova|Shibe Park|Philadelphia, PA|L 7–26|7,500|{{cite news|title=Titans Lead at Half, but Villanova Snaps Back for 26-7 Victory|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=November 11, 1951|page=C4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953397/titans_lead_at_half_but_villanova/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 17|at|Marquette|Marquette Stadium|Milwaukee, WI|L 13–26|8,000|{{cite news|title=Marquette Air Attack Beats Detroit, 26-13|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=November 18, 1951|page=2-2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953486/marquette_air_attack_beats_detroit/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 22|at|Wichita|Veterans Field|Wichita, KS|W 9–7|5,689|{{cite news|title=Detroit 9, Wichita 7: A Pass Backfires|newspaper=The Kansas City Times|date=November 23, 1951|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15953683/detroit_9_wichita_7_a_pass_backfires/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|December 1|at|Tulsa|Skelly Stadium|Tulsa, OK|L 20–34| |{{cite news|title=U-D Drops Finale To Hurricanes|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|date=December 2, 1951|pages=C1, C3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15605494/detroit_free_press/}}

}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}