The 1951 Sugar Bowl was the 17th Sugar Bowl matchup, pitting the Big Seven champion Oklahoma Sooners (ranked #1 in the Associated Press poll) against the Southeastern Conference champion Kentucky Wildcats (ranked #7). Oklahoma's regular season record was 10-0; Kentucky's was 10-1. Oklahoma averaged 34.5 points per game; only one team had scored more than twice in a game against Kentucky that season. Oklahoma entered the January 1, 1951 game with a 31 game winning streak; the Sooners' last loss had come on September 25, 1948. Kentucky was coached by Bear Bryant; Oklahoma was coached by Bud Wilkinson. Notable players for the two teams included Oklahoma's Billy Vessels and Kentucky's Charlie McClendon, Babe Parilli and Wilbur "Shorty" Jamerson. 82,000 fans attended the game.