1951 Susquehanna Crusaders football team

The 1951 Susquehanna Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented Susquehanna University as an independent during the 1951 college football season. The Crusaders compiled a perfect 6–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 185 to 91.[1]

1951 Susquehanna Crusaders football
ConferenceIndependent
Record6–0
Head coach
Seasons
← 1950
1952 →
1951 Eastern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Bucknell     9 0 0
No. 6 Princeton     9 0 0
Susquehanna     6 0 0
Trenton State     6 0 0
Northeastern     6 0 1
No. 19 Holy Cross     8 2 0
Carnegie Tech     6 2 0
Hofstra     6 2 1
Cornell     6 3 0
No. 16 Boston University     6 4 0
Temple     6 4 0
Columbia     5 3 0
Villanova     5 3 0
Fordham     5 4 0
Franklin & Marshall     5 4 0
Penn     5 4 0
Penn State     5 4 0
Syracuse     5 4 0
Buffalo     4 4 0
Colgate     4 5 0
Dartmouth     4 5 0
Drexel     3 4 0
Harvard     3 5 1
Boston College     3 6 0
Yale     2 5 2
Pittsburgh     3 7 0
Geneva     2 5 0
Army     2 7 0
Brown     2 7 0
NYU     1 7 0
Tufts     0 7 2
Rankings from AP Poll

Amos Alonzo Stagg Jr. was Susquehanna's head coach for the 19th year. His father, Amos Alonzo Stagg, at age 89, had been coaching the team with his son since 1947. After the team completed its undefeated season, Stagg Sr. said: "I haven't had this feeling since 1943 when I was voted Coach of the Year. It's definitely the best team we've had in the five years I've been here."[2]

Susquehanna's Jim Hazlett was selected as the first-team center on the 1951 Little All-America college football team. Hazlett declined opportunities to play for larger colleges in order to play under Stagg. Stagg Sr. praised Hazlett and said that "without Jim Hazlett, Susquehanna wouldn't have enjoyed the success it did this year."[3] Hazlett later returned to Susquehanna as its head football coach from 1966 to 1977.[4]

Hazlett and halfback Rich Young were both selected as first team players on the Associated Press' 1951 All-Pennsylvania football team.[5] Young was a triple-threat player who was only five-feet six inches ND 160 pounds. He scored nine touchdowns and 10 passing touchdowns and also handled punting and kicking for the team.[5]

The team played its home games at Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
October 6Johns HopkinsSelinsgrove, PAW 47–32[6]
October 20Wagner 
  • University Field
  • Selinsgrove, PA
W 37–202,200[7]
October 27National AgriculturalSelinsgrove, PAW 34–6
November 3at JuniataHuntingdon, PAW 21–123,000[8]
November 10at HaverfordHaverford, PAW 27–7
November 17at UrsinusCollegeville, PAW 19–14[9]
  •  Homecoming

References

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  1. ^ "Susquehanna Yearly Results". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2015-09-07. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
  2. ^ "Unbeaten Season Cheers Stagg, 89: Grand Old Man Of Grid Feels 'Very Jolly' After Susquehanna Ends Campaign Without Loss". The Evening Sun. November 20, 1951. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Harold Claasen (December 5, 1951). "AP Little All-America: Susquehanna, Bucknell Stars on First Squad". Lancaster New Era. Associated Press. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Former SU coach, athletic director passes away: Jim Hazlett was Crusaders' top athlete in 1952". The Daily Item. August 8, 2010. p. C4 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Herb Altschull (November 29, 1951). "Peterbaugh Named On All-State College Squad". The Daily Record. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Hopkins Bows by 32-47 Score: Losers Blow Early 19-7 Lead To Susquehanna Gridders". The Baltimore Sun. October 7, 1951. p. Sports 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Crusaders Remain Undefeated: Young Leads Crusaders To 37-20 Win Over Sea-Hawks". Sunbury Daily Item. October 22, 1951. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Bisons, Susquehanna Remain Undefeated: S. U. Tops Juniata, 21-12". Sunbry Daily Item. November 5, 1951. pp. 18, 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Susquehanna Trips Ursinus For Unbeaten Season, 19-14". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 18, 1951. p. 2S – via Newspapers.com.