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 [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total TCU 0 0 0 7 7 Ohio St 7 0 0 0 7
Scoring summary Q1 7:05 OHST Bryant 2 yard pass from Mrukowski (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 7–0 Q4 11:20 TCU Glasscock 12 yard pass from Gibbs (McAteer kick) Tie 7–7
[5]
1 2 3 4 Total UCLA 0 3 0 0 3 • Ohio St 0 0 0 13 13
Scoring summary Q2 2:22 UCLA Smith 32 yard field goal UCLA 3–0 Q4 14:14 OHST Warfield 13 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 7–3 Q4 9:30 OHST Snell 33 yard run (kick failed) OHST 13–3
[6]
Illinois [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Illinois 0 0 0 0 0 • Ohio St 0 21 16 7 44
Scoring summary Q2 13:03 OHST Ferguson 2 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 7–0 Q2 10:43 OHST Warfield 36 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 14–0 Q2 :09 OHST Ferguson 2 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 21–0 Q3 9:08 OHST Ferguson 3 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 28–0 Q3 7:53 OHST Safety, Mills tackled in end zone OHST 30–0 Q3 3:09 OHST Ferguson 1 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 37–0 Q4 8:10 OHST Johnson 11 yard pass from Mummey (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 44–0
[7]
Northwestern [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 0 3 0 7 10 Northwestern 0 0 0 0 0
Scoring summary Q2 14:50 OHST Van Raaphorst 24 yard field goal OHST 3–0 Q4 2:04 OHST Mrukowski 20 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 10–0
[8]
Wisconsin [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 7 10 6 7 30 Wisconsin 0 15 0 6 21
Scoring summary Q1 5:55 OHST Katterhenrich 17 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 7–0 Q2 14:28 OHST Van Raaphorst 23 yard field goal OHST 10–0 Q2 9:57 WIS Kroner 36 yard pass from Miller (Mckinney pass from Bakken) OHST 10–8 Q2 1:41 OHST Klein 8 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 17–8 Q2 :01 WIS Miller 1 yard run (Bakken kick) OHST 17–15 Q3 3:23 OHST Warfield 5 yard run (pass failed) OHST 23–15 Q4 1:36 OHST Warfield 2 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 30–15 Q4 :02 WIS Richter 7 yard pass from Miller (pass failed) OHST 30–21
[9]
1 2 3 4 Total Iowa 0 0 7 6 13 • Ohio St 6 6 0 17 29
Scoring summary Q1 11:07 OHST Perdue 55 yard fumble return (kick failed) OHST 6–0 Q2 6:35 OHST Bryant 18 yard pass from Sparma (kick failed) OHST 12–0 Q3 6:18 IOWA Szykowny 1 yard run (Szykowny kick) OHST 12–7 Q4 14:39 OHST Bryant 62 yard pass from Sparma (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 19–7 Q4 8:04 OHST Van Raaphorst 24 yard field goal OHST 22–7 Q4 1:55 OHST Ferguson 13 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 29–7 Q4 :12 IOWA Turici 4 yard run (kick failed) OHST 29–13
[10]
Indiana [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 0 9 7 0 16 Indiana 0 7 0 0 7
Scoring summary Q2 7:43 OHST Van Raaphorst 40 yard field goal OHST 3–0 Q2 5:11 OHST Warfield 5 yard pass from Sparma (kick failed)OHST 9–0 Q2 3:42 IND Olsavsky 25 yard pass from Broome (George kick) OHST 9–7 Q3 3:42 OHST Bryant 9 yard pass from Sparma (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 16-7
[11] [12]
1 2 3 4 Total Oregon 0 6 0 6 12 • Ohio St 8 7 7 0 22
Scoring summary Q1 13:48 OHST Klein 72 yard run (Ferguson run) OHST 8–0 Q2 13:52 OHST Ferguson 7 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 15–0 Q2 :48 ORE Burleson 29 yard pass from Renfro (pass failed) OHST 15–6 Q3 9:09 OHST Ferguson 6 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 22–6 Q4 4:39 ORE Josephson 2 yard run (pass failed)) OHST 22–12
[13]
Michigan [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total • Ohio St 7 14 0 29 50 Michigan 0 6 6 8 20
Scoring summary Q1 3:26 OHST Ferguson 12 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick)OHST 7–0 Q2 11:04 OHST Ferguson 1 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 14–0 Q2 10:49 MICH Raimey 90 yard kickoff return (pass failed) OHST 14–6 Q2 9:04 OHST Warfield 69 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick)OHST 21–6 Q3 7:36 MICH McLenna 1 yard run (pass failed) OHST 21–12 Q4 14:23 OHST Ferguson 1 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 28–12 Q4 9:50 OHST Klein 80 yard pass from Sparma (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 35–12 Q4 4:45 OHST Ferguson 1 yard run (Van Raaphorst kick) OHST 42–12 Q4 :34 MICH Ward 1 yard run (Ward run) OHST 42–20 Q4 :05 OHST Tidmore 10 yard pass from Sparma (Tidmore pass from Sparma) OHST 50–20
[14] [15]
Depth chart [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] 1962 Pro draftees [ edit ] References [ edit ] ^ "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