1951 Kansas Jayhawks football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1951
| team = Kansas Jayhawks
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Seven Conference
| short_conf = Big 7
| CoachRank = 20
| record = 8–2
| conf_record = 4–2
| head_coach = Jules V. Sikes
| hc_year = 4th
| captain = Aubrey Linville
| captain2 = Bill Schaake
| stadium = Memorial Stadium
}}
{{1951 Big Seven Conference football standings}}
The 1951 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the Big Seven Conference during the 1951 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Jules V. Sikes, the Jayhawks compiled an 8–2 record (4–2 against conference opponents), finished third in the Big Seven Conference, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 316 to 208.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/kansas/1951-schedule.html|title=1951 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=September 19, 2017}} The team was ranked at No. 38 in the 1951 Litkenhous Ratings.{{cite news|title=Vols Top Final 1951 Litkenhous Ratings|newspaper=The Nashville Banner|date=December 14, 1951|page=49|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/nashville-banner-vols-top-final-1951-lit/124782001/|via=Newspapers.com}}
The team's statistical leaders included Bob Brandeberry with 649 rushing yards, Bud Laughlin with 78 points scored, and Jerry Robertson with 925 passing yards.2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, pp. 127, 131, 138. Aubrey Linville and Bill Schaake were the team captains.2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, p. 183.
They played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1951
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 22
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = TCU
| site_stadium = Amon G. Carter Stadium
| site_cityst = Fort Worth, TX
| score = 27–13
| attend = 28,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle-young-texas-leads-ku/168311889/|work=The Wichita Eagle|title=Young Texas leads K.U. to triumph over T.C.U.|date=September 23, 1951|accessdate=March 18, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| time =
| w/l = w
| opponent = Iowa State
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lawrence, KS
| score = 53–33
| attend = 25,000–26,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 6
| time =
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 20
| opponent = Colorado
| site_stadium = Folsom Field
| site_cityst = Boulder, CO
| score = 27–35
| attend = 29,367
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 13
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Utah
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lawrence, KS
| score = 26–7
| attend = 20,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 20
| time =
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Oklahoma
| opprank = 19
| site_stadium = Oklahoma Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Norman, OK
| score = 21–33
| attend = 44,462
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| time =
| w/l = w
| opponent = Kansas State
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lawrence, KS
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 33–14
| attend = 20,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Nebraska
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lincoln, NE
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 27–7
| attend = 34,000–34,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Loyola (CA)
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lawrence, KS
| score = 34–26
| attend = 18,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 17
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Oklahoma A&M
| site_stadium = Lewis Field
| site_cityst = Stillwater, OK
| score = 27–12
| attend = 17,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 1
| time =
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Missouri
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Lawrence, KS
| gamename = Border War
| score = 41–28
| attend = 35,000
}}
}}
Game summaries
Iowa State
{{See also-text|1951 Iowa State Cyclones football team}}
{{AFB game box start
|Visitor=Iowa State
|V1=12 |V2=14 |V3=0 |V4=7
|Host=#9 Kansas
|H1=7 |H2=14 |H3=13 |H4=19
|Date=September 29
|Location=Memorial Stadium
Lawrence, KS
|Attendance=25,000
}}
{{AFB game box end}}
Thanks to powerful running attack, the Iowa State Cyclone where able to take a 26-7 lead midway into second quarter. A long touchdown at the end of the half, kept Kansas in the game, trailing 26-21. Kansas defense stiffened up in the second half and only allowed a single touch down while the offense scored 32 points. This was the highest scoring game in the series up to that point.{{cite news |title=Jayhawks Make Zaphyrs Of Cyclones |publisher=Hutchinson News Herald |date=September 30, 1951}}