The Crimson Tide opened the season with an 89–0 victory over Delta State, and the 89 points were the most scored by an Alabama team since the 1922 squad defeated Marion Military Institute 110–0.
However, the Tide followed the victory up with a four-game losing streak that included losses against LSU, Vanderbilt, Villanova and Tennessee.
[1] To open the 1951 season, Alabama shutout the Delta State Statesmen 89–0 at the Cramton Bowl in the only all-time meeting between the schools.
[2][3][4] The Crimson Tide scored multiple touchdowns in all four quarters in what was the largest margin of victory for Alabama since a 110–0 win over the Marion Military Institute to open the 1922 season.
[3][5] After a scoreless first quarter, LSU took a 6–0 halftime lead when James Barton threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Warren Virgets.
[8] On a Friday night in the first Tuscaloosa game of the season, Alabama was defeated by the Villanova Wildcats, 41–18, at Denny Stadium in the only all-time meeting between the schools.
However, the Wildcats responded with a four-yard William Brannau touchdown pass to Joseph Rilo to make the score 28–6 as the teams entered the fourth quarter.
[14] At Starkville, the Crimson Tide shutout the Mississippi State Maroons 7–0 to end their four-game losing streak at Scott Field.
[17] The Crimson Tide responded over the final two quarters with a pair of Clell Hobson touchdown passes to George McCain from 14 and 21-yards and a 21-yard Harold Lutz field goal for a 16–7 lead.
[19] Alabama responded with touchdowns on 58-yard Virgil Willis interception return and runs of 53 and five yards by George McCain for a 19–7 Crimson Tide lead at the end of the first quarter.
[3][21] The only first half points were scored on a 17-yard Elbert Crawford touchdown pass to Lambert Knox in the second quarter for a 6–0 halftime lead for Tech.
[21] The only Alabama points were scored late in the fourth on a one-yard Larry Chiodetti run to end the Tech shutout bid.
[3][25][26] The Crimson Tide took a 13–0 halftime lead on touchdown runs of seven-yards by Bobby Marlow in the first and of three-yards by James Melton in the second.