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1961 major college football rankings

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FieldValue
season1961
preseason_number_1[Iowa](1961-iowa-hawkeyes-football-team)
champions[Alabama](1961-alabama-crimson-tide-football-team)

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

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. Starting in the 1961 season and until the 1967 season, the AP poll ranked only 10 teams.

|Week1-1 = Iowa (22) |Week1-2 = Ohio State (15) |Week1-3 = Alabama (3) |Week1-4 = Texas (1) |Week1-5 = LSU |Week1-6 = Michigan State |Week1-7 = Penn State (1) |Week1-8 = Kansas (1) |Week1-9 = Ole Miss (2) |Week1-10 = Syracuse |Week2-1 = Iowa (0–0) (19) |Week2-1-Color = |Week2-2 = Ole Miss (1–0) (12) |Week2-2-Color = u |Week2-3 = Ohio State (0–0) (7) |Week2-3-Color = d |Week2-4 = Alabama (1–0) (6) |Week2-4-Color = d |Week2-5 = Syracuse (1–0) |Week2-5-Color = u |Week2-6 = Texas (1–0) (1) |Week2-6-Color = d |Week2-7 = Rice (0–0) (2) |Week2-7-Color = npr |Week2-8 = Penn State (1–0) (2) |Week2-8-Color = d |Week2-9 = UCLA (1–0) |Week2-9-Color = npr |Week2-10 = Michigan State (0–0) |Week2-10-Color = d |Week3-1 = Iowa (1–0) (24) |Week3-1-Color = |Week3-2 = Ole Miss (2–0) (16) |Week3-2-Color = |Week3-3 = Georgia Tech (2–0) (7) |Week3-3-Color = npr |Week3-4 = Alabama (2–0) (1) |Week3-4-Color = |Week3-5 = Texas (2–0) (2) |Week3-5-Color = u |Week3-6 = Michigan State (1–0) (1) |Week3-6-Color = u |Week3-7 = Syracuse (2–0) |Week3-7-Color = d |Week3-8 = Ohio State (0–0–1) |Week3-8-Color = d |Week3-9 = Michigan (1–0) |Week3-9-Color = npr |Week3-10 = Baylor (1–0) |Week3-10-Color = npr |Week4-1 = Ole Miss (3–0) (24) |Week4-1-Color = u |Week4-2 = Iowa (2–0) (11) |Week4-2-Color = d |Week4-3 = Alabama (3–0) (4) |Week4-3-Color = u |Week4-4 = Texas (3–0) (3) |Week4-4-Color = u |Week4-5 = Michigan State (2–0) (2) |Week4-5-Color = u |Week4-6 = Michigan (2–0) (2) |Week4-6-Color = u |Week4-7 = Ohio State (1–0–1) |Week4-7-Color = u |Week4-8 = Notre Dame (2–0) (1) |Week4-8-Color = npr |Week4-9 = Baylor (2–0) |Week4-9-Color = u |Week4-10 = Maryland (3–0) |Week4-10-Color = npr |Week5-1 = Michigan State (3–0) (16) |Week5-1-Color = u |Week5-2 = Ole Miss (4–0) (21) |Week5-2-Color = d |Week5-3 = Texas (4–0) (2) |Week5-3-Color = u |Week5-4 = Iowa (3–0) (2) |Week5-4-Color = d |Week5-5 = Alabama (4–0) (4) |Week5-5-Color = d |Week5-6 = Notre Dame (3–0) (1) |Week5-6-Color = u |Week5-7 = Ohio State (2–0–1) (1) |Week5-7-Color = |Week5-8 = Georgia Tech (3–1) |Week5-8-Color = npr |Week5-9 = Colorado (3–0) |Week5-9-Color = npr |Week5-10 = Arkansas (3–1) т |Week5-10-Color = tnpr |Week5-11 = LSU (3–1) т |Week5-11-Color = npr |Week6-1 = Michigan State (4–0) (29) |Week6-1-Color = |Week6-2 = Ole Miss (5–0) (11) |Week6-2-Color = |Week6-3 = Texas (5–0) (3) |Week6-3-Color = |Week6-4 = Alabama (5–0) (4) |Week6-4-Color = u |Week6-5 = Iowa (4–0) (1) |Week6-5-Color = d |Week6-6 = Ohio State (3–0–1) |Week6-6-Color = u |Week6-7 = LSU (4–1) |Week6-7-Color = u |Week6-8 = Notre Dame (3–1) |Week6-8-Color = d |Week6-9 = Georgia Tech (4–1) |Week6-9-Color = d |Week6-10 = Colorado (4–0) |Week6-10-Color = d |Week7-1 = Michigan State (5–0) (31) |Week7-1-Color = |Week7-2 = Ole Miss (6–0) (8) |Week7-2-Color = |Week7-3 = Texas (6–0) (6) |Week7-3-Color = |Week7-4 = Alabama (6–0) (2) |Week7-4-Color = |Week7-5 = Ohio State (4–0–1) |Week7-5-Color = u |Week7-6 = LSU (5–1) |Week7-6-Color = u |Week7-7 = Georgia Tech (5–1) |Week7-7-Color = u |Week7-8 = Colorado (5–0) |Week7-8-Color = u |Week7-9 = Iowa (4–1) |Week7-9-Color = d |Week7-10 = Missouri (5–0–1) |Week7-10-Color = npr |Week8-1 = Texas (7–0) (35) |Week8-1-Color = u |Week8-2 = Alabama (7–0) (6) |Week8-2-Color = u |Week8-3 = Ohio State (5–0–1) (7) |Week8-3-Color = u |Week8-4 = LSU (6–1) |Week8-4-Color = u |Week8-5 = Minnesota (5–1) |Week8-5-Color = npr |Week8-6 = Michigan State (5–1) |Week8-6-Color = d |Week8-7 = Ole Miss (6–1) |Week8-7-Color = d |Week8-8 = Colorado (6–0) |Week8-8-Color = |Week8-9 = Georgia Tech (6–1) |Week8-9-Color = d |Week8-10 = Missouri (5–1–1) |Week8-10-Color = |Week9-1 = Texas (8–0) (41) |Week9-1-Color = |Week9-2 = Alabama (8–0) (3) |Week9-2-Color = |Week9-3 = Ohio State (6–0–1) (2) |Week9-3-Color = |Week9-4 = LSU (7–1) (1) |Week9-4-Color = |Week9-5 = Minnesota (6–1) |Week9-5-Color = |Week9-6 = Ole Miss (7–1) |Week9-6-Color = u |Week9-7 = Purdue (5–2) |Week9-7-Color = npr |Week9-8 = Colorado (6–1) |Week9-8-Color = |Week9-9 = Michigan State (5–2) |Week9-9-Color = d |Week9-10 = Syracuse (6–2) |Week9-10-Color = npr |Week10-1 = Alabama (9–0) (39) |Week10-1-Color = u |Week10-2 = Ohio State (7–0–1) (6) |Week10-2-Color = u |Week10-3 = Minnesota (7–1) (2) |Week10-3-Color = u |Week10-4 = LSU (8–1) (1) |Week10-4-Color = |Week10-5 = Texas (8–1) |Week10-5-Color = d |Week10-6 = Ole Miss (8–1) (1) |Week10-6-Color = |Week10-7 = Colorado (7–1) |Week10-7-Color = u |Week10-8 = Michigan State (6–2) |Week10-8-Color = u |Week10-9 = Arkansas (7–2) |Week10-9-Color = npr |Week10-10 = Kansas (6–2–1) |Week10-10-Color= npr |Week11-1 = Alabama (9–0) (26) |Week11-1-Color = |Week11-2 = Ohio State (8–0–1) (21) |Week11-2-Color = |Week11-3 = LSU (9–1) (1) |Week11-3-Color = u |Week11-4 = Texas (9–1) |Week11-4-Color = u |Week11-5 = Ole Miss (8–1) (1) |Week11-5-Color = u |Week11-6 = Colorado (8–1) |Week11-6-Color = u |Week11-7 = Minnesota (7–2) |Week11-7-Color = d |Week11-8 = Michigan State (7–2) |Week11-8-Color = |Week11-9 = Arkansas (8–2) |Week11-9-Color = |Week11-10 = Missouri (7–2–1) |Week11-10-Color= npr |Week12-1 = Alabama (10–0) (26) |Week12-1-Color = nc |Week12-2 = Ohio State (8–0–1) (20) |Week12-2-Color = |Week12-3 = Texas (9–1) |Week12-3-Color = u |Week12-4 = LSU (9–1) (1) |Week12-4-Color = d |Week12-5 = Ole Miss (9–1) (1) |Week12-5-Color = |Week12-6 = Minnesota (7–2) |Week12-6-Color = u |Week12-7 = Colorado (9–1) |Week12-7-Color = d |Week12-8 = Michigan State (7–2) |Week12-8-Color = |Week12-9 = Arkansas (8–2) |Week12-9-Color = |Week12-10 = Utah State (9–0–1) |Week12-10-Color= npr

Final Coaches Poll

The final UPI Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 5.

Alabama received 18 of the 35 first-place votes; Ohio State received fifteen, Ole Miss one, and Colorado one.

RankingTeamConferenceBowl
1[Alabama](1961-alabama-crimson-tide-football-team)SEC**Won** [Sugar](1962-sugar-bowl), 10–3
2[Ohio State](1961-ohio-state-buckeyes-football-team)Big Ten*none*
3[LSU](1961-lsu-tigers-football-team)SEC**Won** [Orange](1962-orange-bowl), 25–7
4[Texas](1961-texas-longhorns-football-team)Southwest**Won** [Cotton](1962-cotton-bowl-classic), 12–7
5[Ole Miss](1961-ole-miss-rebels-football-team)SECLost [Cotton](1962-cotton-bowl-classic), 7–12
6[Minnesota](1961-minnesota-golden-gophers-football-team)Big Ten**Won** [Rose](1962-rose-bowl), 21–3
7[Colorado](1961-colorado-buffaloes-football-team)Big EightLost [Orange](1962-orange-bowl), 7–25
8[Arkansas](1961-arkansas-razorbacks-football-team)SouthwestLost [Sugar](1962-sugar-bowl), 3–10
9[Michigan State](1961-michigan-state-spartans-football-team)Big Ten*none*
10[Utah State](1961-utah-state-aggies-football-team)SkylineLost [Gotham](1961-gotham-bowl), 9–24
11[Purdue](1961-purdue-boilermakers-football-team)Big Ten*none*
[Missouri](1961-missouri-tigers-football-team)Big Eight
13[Georgia Tech](1961-georgia-tech-yellow-jackets-football-team)SECLost [Gator](1961-gator-bowl), 15–30
14[Duke](1961-duke-blue-devils-football-team)ACC*none*
15[Kansas](1961-kansas-jayhawks-football-team)Big Eight**Won** [Bluebonnet](1961-bluebonnet-bowl), 33–7
16[Syracuse](1961-syracuse-orangemen-football-team)Independent**Won** [Liberty](1961-liberty-bowl), 15–14
17[Wyoming](1961-wyoming-cowboys-football-team)Skyline*none*
18[Wisconsin](1961-wisconsin-badgers-football-team)Big Ten
19[Miami (FL)](1961-miami-hurricanes-football-team)IndependentLost [Liberty](1961-liberty-bowl), 14–15
[Penn State](1961-penn-state-nittany-lions-football-team)Independent**Won** [Gator](1961-gator-bowl), 30–15
  • 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.

References

References

  1. (December 6, 1961). "Bryant says Crimson Tide best team he's ever had". Spokesman-Review.
  2. Joyce, Dick. (December 5, 1961). "Alabama No. 1 football team in final UPI poll". Bend Bulletin.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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