American college football season
The 1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University in the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season . The Buckeyes compiled an 8–0–1 record and finished No. 2 in the final AP and UPI/Coaches' Polls. They were awarded the national championship by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). This was the Buckeyes fourth national championship and the third for head coach Woody Hayes . The Alabama Crimson Tide were voted national champions by the AP and Coaches' Polls.
Days after the conclusion of the regular season, the university's faculty council voted down participation in the Rose Bowl ,[1] [2] [3] which then went to No. 6 Minnesota , Big Ten runner-up.[4] A growing conflict between academics and athletics over Ohio State's reputation as a "football school" resulted in the faculty's decision to turn down an invitation to the Rose Bowl, resulting in much public protest and debate.
Schedule
Date Time Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance September 30 1:30 p.m. TCU * No. 3 T 7–782,878
October 7 1:30 p.m. UCLA * No. 8 W 13–382,992
October 14 1:00 p.m. Illinois No. 7 W 44–082,374
October 21 at Northwestern No. 7 W 10–043,259
October 28 at Wisconsin No. 6 W 30–2158,411
November 4 1:30 p.m. No. 9 Iowa No. 5 W 29–1383,795
November 11 at Indiana No. 3 W 16–727,108
November 18 1:30 p.m. Oregon * No. 3 W 22–1282,073
November 25 1:00 p.m. at Michigan No. 2 W 50–2080,444
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
Personnel
1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
C
53
Billy Joe Armstrong
Jr
G
71
James Bearss
So
HB , DB
12
Bob Bruney
So
E
88
Charles Bryant
Sr
OT
54
Dennis Carter
So
FB , LB
32
Roger Detrick
Sr
FB , LB
46
Bob Ferguson
Sr
G
66
Charles Foreman
Sr
G
69
Rod Foster
Jr
FB
33
Dave Francis
Jr
C
58
Dean Fronk
So
HB
15
Tony Hall
So
FB
35
Woody Hall
So
HB
47
Gary Honsley
Sr
G
62
Dennis Hullinger
So
G , LB
64
Mike Ingram (C)
Sr
G
65
Tom Jenkins
So
HB , DB
21
Ken Johnson
Jr
HB
45
William Jones
So
HB
19
Bob Klein
Jr
OT
61
Raymond Krstolic
Jr
HB
48
Karl Kumler
Jr
FB
17
Howard Lambert
Sr
OT
70
Richard Laskoski
Jr
QB
23
Robert Lister
Sr
HB
43
Richard Mangiamelle
Jr
QB
27
Larry Marmie
So
E
91
Paul Martin
Sr
E
80
Robert Middleton
Jr
C
56
Richard Morgan
So
QB
26
Bill Mrukowski
Jr
QB
25
John Mummey
Jr
E
90
Joseph Nourse
So
E , DE
83
Ormonde Ricketts
So
OT
75
Jack Roberts
Sr
OT , DL
76
Daryl Sanders
Jr
E
84
Keith Smith
So
HB , LB
41
Matt Snell
So
QB
24
Joe Sparma
So
OT
72
Bernie Stanley
So
HB
16
David Tingley
Sr
E , PK
86
Dick Van Raaphorst
So
C
50
Jerry Vanscoy
Jr
OT , DL
73
Bob Vogel
Jr
QB
23
Jack Wallace
Sr
HB , DB
42
Paul Warfield
So
E
82
George Wittmer
Sr
C
51
Albert Zima
Jr
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
MG
55
Wayne Betz
Jr
DL
34
Robert Butts
Jr
DL
93
Dennis Clotz
Sr
DL
77
Dan Connor
Jr
DB
28
Bill Hess
Jr
DB
49
Ron Houck
Sr
MG
67
Dave Katterhenrich
Jr
DT , PK
79
Charles Mamula
So
MG
60
Wes Mirick
So
MG , LB
68
Gary Moeller
Jr
LB
63
Al Parker
So
DE
87
Tom Perdue (C)
Sr
DE
89
Elwood Rayford
Jr
DT
78
George Tolford
Sr
DE
85
Sam Tidmore
Sr
DB
44
Ed Ulmer
Jr
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
PK
18
Stewart Baffer
So
PK
20
Ben Jones
Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Roster Last update: 2024-Feb-24.
Game summaries
TCU
1
2 3 4 Total
TCU
0
0 0 7
7
Ohio St
7
0 0 0
7
[5]
UCLA
1
2 3 4 Total
UCLA
0
3 0 0
3
• Ohio St
0
0 0 13
13
[6]
Illinois
1
2 3 4 Total
Illinois
0
0 0 0
0
• Ohio St
0
21 16 7
44
[7]
Northwestern
1
2 3 4 Total
• Ohio St
0
3 0 7
10
Northwestern
0
0 0 0
0
[8]
Wisconsin
1
2 3 4 Total
• Ohio St
7
10 6 7
30
Wisconsin
0
15 0 6
21
[9]
Iowa
1
2 3 4 Total
Iowa
0
0 7 6
13
• Ohio St
6
6 0 17
29
[10]
Indiana
1
2 3 4 Total
• Ohio St
0
9 7 0
16
Indiana
0
7 0 0
7
[11]
[12]
Oregon
1
2 3 4 Total
Oregon
0
6 0 6
12
• Ohio St
8
7 7 0
22
[13]
Michigan
1
2 3 4 Total
• Ohio St
7
14 0 29
50
Michigan
0
6 6 8
20
[14]
[15]
Depth chart
Defense
LB
MLB
LB
Thomas Perdue
Bill Mrukowski
Samuel Tidmore
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
DE
DT
NT
DT
DE
George Tolford
Larry Stephens
Gary Moeller
Mike Ingram
Jack Roberts
⋅
Wesley Mirick
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
Offense
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
Robert Vogel
Thomas Jenkins
Bill Armstrong
Rod Foster
Daryl Sanders
⋅
⋅
Gary Moeller
⋅
Rick Laskoski
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
⋅
TE
Robert Middleton
Ormonde Ricketts
⋅
QB
John Mummey
Bill Mrukowski
⋅
[16]
Coaching staff
1962 Pro draftees
References
^ "Buckeyes finally lose, 28-25 in bowl debate" . Toledo Blade . Ohio. Associated Press. November 29, 1961. p. 48.
^ "Ohio State's rejection of Rose Bowl bid trip triggers sharp comments" . Youngstown Vindicator . Ohio. Associated Press. November 29, 1961. p. 60.
^ "Ohio State rejects chance to play in Rose Bowl game" . Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. November 29, 1961. p. 11.
^ Stevenson, Jack (December 3, 1961). "Minnesota accepts bid, plays Uclans in Rose tilt" . Youngstown Vindicator . Ohio. Associated Press. p. D-1.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Eugene Register-Guard. 1961 Nov 12.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ "Buckeyes Win Big 10 Title." Palm Beach Post. 1961 Nov 26.
^ Ohio State Official Athletic Site - Football - Archives Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved March 30, 2015.
^ 1962 Ohio State football media guide
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore Media People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1936–1949 1950s 1960s
1960 : Minnesota (AP, Coaches, NFF ) / Ole Miss (FWAA)
1961 : Alabama (AP, Coaches, NFF) / Ohio State (FWAA)
1962 : USC
1963 : Texas
1964 : Alabama (AP, Coaches) / Arkansas (FWAA) / Notre Dame (NFF)
1965 : Alabama (AP, FWAA) / Michigan State (Coaches, FWAA, NFF)
1966 : Notre Dame (AP, Coaches, FWAA, NFF) / Michigan State (NFF)
1967 : USC
1968 : Ohio State
1969 : Texas
1970s 1980–1991
Western Conference Big Ten Big Nine Big Ten National championships in bold