1961 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONAlabama11–0 overall
HEISMANErnie DavisSyracuse · HB/LB/FB
#1 PICKErnie DavisSyracuse · Washington Redskins, 1962 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

4 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1962Sugar BowlAlabama 10, Arkansas 3
Jan 1, 1962Orange BowlLSU 25, Colorado 7
Jan 1, 1962Rose BowlMinnesota 21, UCLA 3
Jan 1, 1962Cotton BowlTexas 12, Ole Miss 7

1961 STANDINGS

12 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

Duke finished atop the 1961 ACC standings at 5–1 in conference play (7–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Duke5–17–3–
North Carolina4–35–5–
Maryland3–37–3–
Clemson3–35–5–
Wake Forest3–44–6–
South Carolina3–44–6–
NC State3–44–6–
Virginia2–44–6–

ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION OF WESTERN UNIVERSITIES

UCLA finished atop the 1961 Athletic Association of Western Universities standings at 3–1 in conference play (7–4 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
UCLA3–17–4MINN 21–3 UCLA
Washington2–1–15–4–1–
USC2–1–14–5–1–
Stanford1–34–6–
California1–31–8–1–

BIG 8

Colorado finished atop the 1961 Big 8 standings at 7–0 in conference play (9–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Colorado7–09–2LSU 25–7 COLO
Missouri5–27–2–1–
Kansas5–27–3–1KU 33–7 RICE
Oklahoma4–35–5–
Iowa State3–45–5–
Oklahoma State2–54–5–
Nebraska2–53–6–1–
Kansas State0–72–8–

BIG TEN

Minnesota finished atop the 1961 Big Ten standings at 6–1 in conference play (8–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Minnesota6–18–2MINN 21–3 UCLA
Ohio State6–08–0–1–
Michigan State5–27–2–
Wisconsin4–36–3–
Purdue4–26–3–
Michigan3–36–3–
Iowa2–45–4–
Northwestern2–44–5–
Indiana0–62–7–
Illinois0–70–9–

BORDER INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Arizona State finished atop the 1961 Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings at 3–0 in conference play (5–3 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Arizona State3–05–3
New Mexico State2–14–2–1
UTEP1–32–7

MAC

Bowling Green finished atop the 1961 MAC standings at 2–0.

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Bowling Green0–02–0–
Miami (OH)0–02–2–
Ohio0–01–0–
Kent State0–01–0–
Marshall0–00–1–
Western Michigan0–00–2UNM 28–12 WMU

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

Delaware finished atop the 1961 Middle Atlantic standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Delaware0–00–1

OVC

Middle Tennessee finished atop the 1961 OVC standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Middle Tennessee0–00–1

SEC

Alabama finished atop the 1961 SEC standings at 7–0 in conference play (11–0 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Alabama7–011–0ALA 10–3 ARK
LSU6–010–1LSU 25–7 COLO
Ole Miss5–19–2TEX 12–7 MISS
Georgia Tech4–37–4PSU 30–15 GT
Tennessee4–36–4–
Auburn3–46–4–
Florida3–34–5–1–
Kentucky2–44–5–
Georgia2–53–7–
Mississippi State1–55–5–
Vanderbilt1–62–8–
Tulane1–52–8–

SKYLINE

Utah State finished atop the 1961 Skyline standings at 5–0–1 in conference play (9–1–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Utah State5–0–19–1–1BAY 24–9 USU
Wyoming5–0–16–1–2–
New Mexico3–37–4UNM 28–12 WMU
Utah3–36–4–
BYU2–42–8–
Colorado State0–60–10–

SOUTHERN

Virginia Tech finished atop the 1961 Southern standings at 2–3 in conference play (3–5 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Virginia Tech2–33–5
West Virginia2–13–5

SOUTHWEST

Texas finished atop the 1961 Southwest standings at 6–1 in conference play (10–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Texas6–110–1TEX 12–7 MISS
Arkansas6–18–3ALA 10–3 ARK
Rice5–27–4KU 33–7 RICE
Texas A&M3–43–5–1–
Baylor2–56–5BAY 24–9 USU
Texas Tech2–54–6–
TCU2–4–13–5–2–
SMU1–5–12–7–1–

INDEPENDENTS

Rutgers finished atop the 1961 independents at 9–0.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Rutgers9–0–
Arizona8–1–1–
Memphis8–2–
Syracuse8–3SYR 15–14 MIA
Miami7–4SYR 15–14 MIA
Penn State7–3PSU 30–15 GT
Navy6–3–
Houston5–4–1–
Notre Dame5–5–
Oregon State5–5–
North Texas5–3–1–
Army4–4–
San José State4–4–
Oregon4–6–
Air Force3–7–
Florida State3–5–1–
Washington State3–7–
Pittsburgh3–7–
Boston College3–5–
Cincinnati2–5–
Tulsa2–7–
Southern Miss1–2–
Louisville1–2–
Fresno State1–0–
Buffalo0–3–
UConn0–3–
Massachusetts0–2–
East Carolina0–1–
Arkansas State0–2–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

5 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Dec 30, 1961Postseason gamePenn State 30, Georgia Tech 15
Dec 16, 1961Postseason gameKansas 33, Rice 7
Dec 16, 1961Postseason gameSyracuse 15, Miami 14
Dec 9, 1961Postseason gameNew Mexico 28, Western Michigan 12
Dec 9, 1961Postseason gameBaylor 24, Utah State 9