1961 major college football rankings
Two human polls comprised the 1961 major college football rankings . Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship , instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll .
Legend
Increase in ranking
Decrease in ranking
Not ranked previous week
National champion
(#–#)
Win–loss record
(Italics)
Number of first place votes
т
Tied with team above or below also with this symbol
AP poll
The final AP poll was released on December 5, at the end of the regular season, weeks before the bowls.[ 1] Starting in the 1961 season and until the 1967 season, the AP poll ranked only 10 teams.
Preseason Aug[ 2] Week 1 Sep 25[ 3] Week 2 Oct 2[ 4] Week 3 Oct 9[ 5] Week 4 Oct 16[ 6] Week 5 Oct 23[ 7] Week 6 Oct 30[ 8] Week 7 Nov 6[ 9] Week 8 Nov 13[ 10] Week 9 Nov 20[ 11] Week 10 Nov 27[ 12] Week 11 (Final) Dec 5[ 13] 1. Iowa (22) Iowa (0–0) (19) Iowa (1–0) (24) Ole Miss (3–0) (24) Michigan State (3–0) (16) Michigan State (4–0) (29) Michigan State (5–0) (31) Texas (7–0) (35) Texas (8–0) (41) Alabama (9–0) (39) Alabama (9–0) (26) Alabama (10–0) (26) 1. 2. Ohio State (15) Ole Miss (1–0) (12) Ole Miss (2–0) (16) Iowa (2–0) (11) Ole Miss (4–0) (21) Ole Miss (5–0) (11) Ole Miss (6–0) (8) Alabama (7–0) (6) Alabama (8–0) (3) Ohio State (7–0–1) (6) Ohio State (8–0–1) (21) Ohio State (8–0–1) (20) 2. 3. Alabama (3) Ohio State (0–0) (7) Georgia Tech (2–0) (7) Alabama (3–0) (4) Texas (4–0) (2) Texas (5–0) (3) Texas (6–0) (6) Ohio State (5–0–1) (7) Ohio State (6–0–1) (2) Minnesota (7–1) (2) LSU (9–1) (1) Texas (9–1) 3. 4. Texas (1) Alabama (1–0) (6) Alabama (2–0) (1) Texas (3–0) (3) Iowa (3–0) (2) Alabama (5–0) (4) Alabama (6–0) (2) LSU (6–1) LSU (7–1) (1) LSU (8–1) (1) Texas (9–1) LSU (9–1) (1) 4. 5. LSU Syracuse (1–0) Texas (2–0) (2) Michigan State (2–0) (2) Alabama (4–0) (4) Iowa (4–0) (1) Ohio State (4–0–1) Minnesota (5–1)Minnesota (6–1) Texas (8–1) Ole Miss (8–1) (1) Ole Miss (9–1) (1) 5. 6. Michigan State Texas (1–0) (1) Michigan State (1–0) (1) Michigan (2–0) (2) Notre Dame (3–0) (1) Ohio State (3–0–1) LSU (5–1) Michigan State (5–1) Ole Miss (7–1) Ole Miss (8–1) (1) Colorado (8–1) Minnesota (7–2) 6. 7. Penn State (1) Rice (0–0) (2) Syracuse (2–0) Ohio State (1–0–1) Ohio State (2–0–1) (1) LSU (4–1) Georgia Tech (5–1) Ole Miss (6–1) Purdue (5–2)Colorado (7–1) Minnesota (7–2) Colorado (9–1) 7. 8. Kansas (1) Penn State (1–0) (2) Ohio State (0–0–1) Notre Dame (2–0) (1) Georgia Tech (3–1) Notre Dame (3–1) Colorado (5–0) Colorado (6–0) Colorado (6–1) Michigan State (6–2) Michigan State (7–2) Michigan State (7–2) 8. 9. Ole Miss (2) UCLA (1–0)Michigan (1–0)Baylor (2–0) Colorado (3–0)Georgia Tech (4–1) Iowa (4–1) Georgia Tech (6–1) Michigan State (5–2) Arkansas (7–2) Arkansas (8–2) Arkansas (8–2) 9. 10. Syracuse Michigan State (0–0) Baylor (1–0)Maryland (3–0)Arkansas (3–1) тColorado (4–0) Missouri (5–0–1)Missouri (5–1–1) Syracuse (6–2) Kansas (6–2–1) Missouri (7–2–1) Utah State (9–0–1)10. Preseason Aug[ 2] Week 1 Sep 25[ 3] Week 2 Oct 2[ 4] Week 3 Oct 9[ 5] Week 4 Oct 16[ 6] Week 5 Oct 23[ 7] Week 6 Oct 30[ 8] Week 7 Nov 6[ 9] Week 8 Nov 13[ 10] Week 9 Nov 20[ 11] Week 10 Nov 27[ 12] Week 11 (Final) Dec 5[ 13] Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped: Dropped:
Final Coaches Poll
The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 5.[ 14]
Alabama received 18 of the 35 first-place votes; Ohio State received fifteen, Ole Miss one, and Colorado one.
Ranking
Team
Conference
Bowl
1
Alabama
SEC
Won Sugar , 10–3
2
Ohio State
Big Ten
none
3
LSU
SEC
Won Orange , 25–7
4
Texas
Southwest
Won Cotton , 12–7
5
Ole Miss
SEC
Lost Cotton , 7–12
6
Minnesota
Big Ten
Won Rose , 21–3
7
Colorado
Big Eight
Lost Orange , 7–25
8
Arkansas
Southwest
Lost Sugar , 3–10
9
Michigan State
Big Ten
none
10
Utah State
Skyline
Lost Gotham , 9–24
11
Purdue
Big Ten
none
Missouri
Big Eight
13
Georgia Tech
SEC
Lost Gator , 15–30
14
Duke
ACC
none
15
Kansas
Big Eight
Won Bluebonnet , 33–7
16
Syracuse
Independent
Won Liberty , 15–14
17
Wyoming
Skyline
none
18
Wisconsin
Big Ten
19
Miami (FL)
Independent
Lost Liberty , 14–15
Penn State
Independent
Won Gator , 30–15
[ 14]
Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and AAWU (later Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl .
The Ivy League has prohibited its members from participating in postseason football since the league was officially formed in 1954 .
See also
References
^ "Bryant says Crimson Tide best team he's ever had" . Spokesman-Review . (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 6, 1961. p. 15.
^ "1961 Preseason AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "September 25, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "October 2, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "October 9, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "October 16, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "October 23, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "October 30, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "November 6, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "November 13, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "November 20, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "November 27, 1961 AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ "1961 Final AP Football Poll" . College Poll Archive . Retrieved March 25, 2017 .
^ a b Joyce, Dick (December 5, 1961). "Alabama No. 1 football team in final UPI poll" . Bend Bulletin . (Oregon). UPI. p. 3.
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