1961 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football team
American college football season
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The 1961 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football team was an American football team that represented Baldwin–Wallace University as an independent during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Lee Tressel, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 9–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 204 to 55. They were the only Ohio football team to complete a perfect season in 1961 and were ranked No. 2 in both the UPI and AP small college football rankings.[1][2] Baldwin–Wallace played home games at Ray E. Watts Stadium in Berea, Ohio.
| 1961 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football | |
|---|---|
| Conference | Independent |
| Record | 9–0 |
| Head coach |
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| Home stadium | Ray E. Watts Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Baldwin–Wallace | – | 9 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Tampa | – | 8 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Westminster (UT) | – | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Earlham | – | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Oklahoma Panhandle State | – | 9 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| La Verne | – | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hillsdale | – | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern New Mexico | – | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| McMurry | – | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| St. Mary of the Plains | – | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgetown (KY) | – | 2 | – | 3 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austin | – | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rankings from NAIA poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The team was the first in Baldwin-Wallace football history to complete a perfect season.[3] In a poll of Ohio coaches, Lee Tressel was selected as the 1961 Ohio College Football Coach of the Year.[4] Tressel remained at Baldwin-Wallace until 1980 and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The 1961 team remained Tressel's only team to complete an undefeated, untied season.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 23 | 8:00 p.m. | Quantico Marines |
| W 18–7 | 7,525 | [5][6] | |||
| September 30 | 8:00 p.m. | Muskingum |
| W 35–6 | 8,500 | [7][8] | |||
| October 7 | Youngstown |
| W 40–0 | 7,500 | [9] | ||||
| October 13 | at Eastern Michigan | No. 7 |
| W 27–14 | 1,500 | [10] | |||
| October 21 | at Hillsdale | No. 2 | Hillsdale, MI | W 16–7 | 4,500 | [11] | |||
| October 28 | vs. Akron | No. 3 |
| W 7–0 | 6,513–6,531 | [12] | |||
| November 4 | Heidelberg | No. 2 |
| W 33–7 | 7,500–8,300 | [13][14] | |||
| November 11 | at Findlay | No. 2 | Findlay, OH | W 14–6 | 6,000 | [15] | |||
| November 18 | at Kent State | No. 2 | W 14–6 | 3,500–6,437 | [16] | ||||
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Statistics
The Yellow Jackets out-gained their opponents by 2,778 yards (308.6 yards per game) to 1,655 yards (183.8 yards per game). In rushing yardage, they more than doubled their opponents' total, gaining 1,776 rushing yards (197.3 per game) to 826 yards (91.7 per game) for opponents.[17]
Halfback Gary Stoufer was the team's rushing leader, tallying 629 yards on 151 carries (4.2 yards per carry). Stoufer also led the team in scoring with 48 points on eight touchdowns. Halfback Bill Ridge added 335 yards on 72 carries (4.7 yards per carry).[17]
The team's passing leaders were quarterbacks Tom French (28-for-55, .509 percentage, 529 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions) and Bill Lacey (24-for-38, .632 percentage, 255 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions).[17]
The receiving leaders were end Bill Eyerdom (19 receptions for 369 yards, 19.4-yard average, and four touchdowns) and halfback Bill Ridge (eight receptions for 146 yards, 18.2-yard average, and one touchdown).[17]
