Last March, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world of collegiate athletics putting an end to all spring sports for the remainder of the season. The ongoing precautions surrounding the pandemic forced the Southland Conference to postpone all conference competitions for the sports of cross country, football, soccer and volleyball until the spring 2021 semester.
 
That decision meant, that for the first time since LU revived the program there would be no football games during the fall. While there will be no marching bands, no tailgating and none of the normal sights and sounds of football during the fall at Provost Umphrey Stadium, LamarCardinals.com wanted to take time each Saturday to recap some of the more memorable games in program history.
   
The date of Sept. 22, 1951 will always be an important one for the Lamar University football program. It marks the date of LU's first victory as a four-year institution. From 1923 through 1950, the Cardinals fielded a football team as a proud junior college institution.
 
Originally founded as South Park Junior College in September 1923, LU has undergone several name changes over the years from SPJC, to Lamar College, Lamar State College of Technology to its current name – Lamar University.
 
When the Cardinals stepped on the field to compete in 1951, they did so for the first time as a four-year institution. The Cardinals jumped out to a great start in their inaugural season as a four-year school winning three of their first four games. Big Red finished the season with a respectable 4-6 (.400) mark.
 
The first win of the that season came during week two when the Cardinals stepped on the field against Southwest Oklahoma State. Although the official stats from that game do not exist in the athletic archives, the Cardinals posted an impressive 43-21 victory over SWOSU. The victory was the first of a three-game win streak which would serve as the program's longest win streak as a four-year institution until the 1955 through 1956 seasons.
 
The Cardinals were led during the 1951 season by two-time All-Lone Star Conference selection and LU Hall of Honor selection, Sammy Carpenter. The leading rusher every year of his career, he racked up 607 yards during 1951 with nine rushing touchdowns. He finished his career with more than 2,700 rushing yards and averaged better than 6.0 yards per career.
 
Bill Lierman led the Cardinals by completing 14-of-44 (.318) passes for 278 yards and one touchdown, while Hall of Honor member Bob Frederick led the team with 17 catches for 277 yards (16.3 ypc) and three touchdowns. Frederick also led the Cardinals by recording 55 punts for 2,113 yards (38.4 ypp) on the season. Toby Lierman recorded a team-high 15 punt returns for 111 yards (7.4 ypr) that year.