1951 Western Reserve Red Cats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1951
| team = Western Reserve Red Cats
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Mid-American Conference
| short_conf = MAC
| record = 2–6–1
| conf_record = 1–3
| head_coach = Edward L. Finnigan
| hc_year = 1st
| captain =
| stadium = Clarke Field
}}
{{1951 Mid-American Conference football standings}}
The 1951 Western Reserve Red Cats football team represented the Western Reserve University—now known as Case Western Reserve University—as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1951 college football season. Led by first-year head coach Edward L. Finnigan, the Red Cats compiled an overall record of 2–6–1 with a mark of 1–3 in conference play, placing fifth in the MAC. Wes Stevens served as the team's line coach.
As the new home stadium, the expanded Clarke Field officially opened October 6, 1951 against the Kent State Golden Flashes. The new stadium had a capacity of 10,000 and the press box accommodated 100.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 29
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Butler
| site_stadium = Butler Bowl
| site_cityst = Indianapolis, IN
| score = 6–7
| attend = 3,000
| source = {{cite news |last=Lamm |first=Corky |title=Bulldogs Shade Western Reserve |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91098741/the-indianapolis-star/ |newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |location=Indianapolis, Indiana |date=September 30, 1951 |page=49 |access-date=December 24, 2019 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 6
| w/l = l
| opponent = Kent State
| site_stadium = Clarke Field
| site_cityst = Cleveland, OH
| score = 20–42
| attend =
| source = {{cite news|title=Kent Rolls Over Reserve|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal|date=October 7, 1951|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15741505/kent_rolls_over_reserve/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 13
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Colgate
| site_stadium = Clarke Field
| site_cityst = Cleveland, OH
| score = 7–28
| attend = 6,500
| source = {{cite news |title=Colgate 11 Trims Western Reserve |agency=United Press |date=October 14, 1951 |page=14 |newspaper=The Coshocton Tribune |location=Coshocton, Ohio |via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/67446875/1951-colgate-reserve/ }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 20
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Cincinnati
| site_stadium = Nippert Stadium
| site_cityst = Cincinnati, OH
| score = 0–41
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 27
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Washington University
| site_stadium = Francis Field
| site_cityst = St. Louis, MO
| score = 15–12
| attend = 7,000
| source = {{cite news |last=Herman |first=Jack |title=Bears' Loud Growls in Second Half Fail to Scare Off Reserve, 15-12 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/91663204/st-louis-globe-democrat/ |newspaper=St. Louis Globe-Democrat |location=St. Louis, Missouri |date=October 28, 1951 |page=2E |access-date=January 2, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 3
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = West Virginia
| site_stadium = Mountaineer Field
| site_cityst = Morgantown, WV
| score = 7–35
| attend = 5,000
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-raleigh-register-crack-pass-offense/137593323/|work=The Raleigh Register|title=Crack pass offense gives Mounties easy victory over Reserve|date=November 4, 1951|accessdate=December 28, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 10
| w/l = w
| opponent = Western Michigan
| site_stadium = Clarke Field
| site_cityst = Cleveland, OH
| score = 27–26
| attend = 4,100
| source {{cite news|title=Broncs Lose Game, 27-26|newspaper=Lansing State Journal|date=November 11, 1951|pages=4–6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18064155/broncs_lose_game_2726/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 17
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Miami (OH)
| site_stadium = Miami Field
| site_cityst = Oxford, OH
| score = 7–34
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 22
| w/l = t
| nonconf = y
| neutral = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1951|team=Case Tech Rough Riders|title=Case Tech}}
| site_stadium = Shaw Stadium
| site_cityst = East Cleveland, OH
| score = 13–13
| attend = 7,263
}}
}}
{{Cite web|url=https://case.edu/its/archives/Seasons/wfoot1951.htm|title=WRU Football 1951/52}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Case Western Reserve Spartans football navbox}}