1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team
American college football season
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The 1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team was an American football team that represented the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1961 college football season. In their 17th year under head coach Bobby Dodd, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 7–3 record (4–3 in conference games), tied for fourth place in the SEC, and outscored opponents by a total of 162 to 50. They were ranked 13th in the final AP and UPI polls, and were invited to the 1961 Gator Bowl, where they lost to Penn State.[1]
| 1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football | |
|---|---|
Gator Bowl, L 15–30 vs. Penn State | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 13 |
| AP | No. 13 |
| Record | 7–4 (4–3 SEC) |
| Head coach |
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| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Grant Field |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Alabama + | 7 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 LSU + | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Ole Miss | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Georgia Tech | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tennessee | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Auburn | 3 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia | 2 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | 1 | – | 5 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 1 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The team played its home games at Grant Field in Atlanta.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 22 | at USC* | W 27–7 | 36,950 | [2] | |||
| September 30 | No. 7 Rice* | W 24–0 | 43,501 | [3] | |||
| October 7 | at LSU | No. 3 | L 0–10 | 66,000 | [4] | ||
| October 14 | Duke* |
| W 21–0 | 44,015 | [5] | ||
| October 21 | Auburn | No. 8 |
| W 7–6 | 45,376 | [6] | |
| October 28 | at Tulane | No. 9 | W 35–0 | 22,000 | [7] | ||
| November 4 | Florida | No. 7 |
| W 20–0 | 44,940 | [8] | |
| November 11 | at Tennessee | No. 9 | L 6–10 | 46,000 | [9] | ||
| November 18 | at No. 2 Alabama | L 0–10 | 53,000 | [10] | |||
| December 2 | Georgia |
| W 22–7 | 47,098 | [11] | ||
| December 30 | vs. No. 17 Penn State* | No. 13 | CBS | L 15–30 | 50,202 | [12] | |
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Statistics
The team gained an average of 164.9 rushing yards and 91.2 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 105.4 rushing yards and 47.0 passing yards per game.[14]
The passing offense was led by quarterbacks Stan Gann (43-for-79, 450 yards) and Billy Lothridge (26-for-63, 371 yards).[14]
The rushing offense was led by backs Mike McNamee (350 yards, 94 carries, 3.7-yard average), Billy Williamson (331 yards, 63 carries, 5.3-yard average), and Chick Graning (184 yards, 48 carries, 3.8-yard average).[14]
The team's leading receivers were Billy Martin (16 receptions, 233 yards), Billy Williamson (21 receptions, 221 yards), and Joe Auer (10 receptions, 145 yards).[14]
Awards and honors
The team selected three captains for the 1961 team: center Willie McGaughey and halfbacks Billy Williamson and Chick Graning.[15]
Guard Dave Watson was selected by both the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) as a first-team player on the 1961 All-SEC football team. Others receiving All-SEC honors were halfback Billy Williamson (AP-3, UPI-2) and guards Harold Erickson (AP-2) and Rufus Guthrie (UPI-2).[16][17]
Personnel
Players
- Joe Auer, halfback
- Foy Bentley, guard
- Mike Biddle, guard
- Bobby Caldwell, center
- Mickey Carmack, halfback
- Joe Chapman, end
- Ed Chancey, center
- Doug Cooper, halfback
- Ted Davis, end
- Wink Davis, linebacker
- Bob Dobyns, guard
- Buddy Elders, end
- Harold Erickson, guard
- Bill Farrington, tackle
- Russ Foret, tackle
- Stan Gann, quarterback
- Chick Granning, halfback
- Ed Griffin, tackle
- Ronnie Grubbs, guard
- Rufus Guthrie, guard
- Raymond Holt, center
- Vic Laxson, tackle
- Al Lederle, end
- Bob Lincoln, tackle
- Harry Littleton, halfback
- Billy Lothridge, quarterback
- Billy Martin, end
- Jon Martin, fullback
- John Matlock, guard
- Willie McGaughey, center
- Mike McNames, fullback
- Ray Mendheim, fullback
- Jack Moss, guard
- Jimmy Nail, halfback
- Mike Nicholl, tackle
- Mike O'Neill, fullback
- Lee Reid, fullback
- Frank Sexton, end
- Bob Sheridan, halfback
- Zollie Sircy, halfback
- Bob Solomon, end
- Larry Stallings, tackle
- Dave Steadman, tackle
- George Swanson, guard/tackle
- Don Toner, corner linebacker/halfback
- Carlton Waskey, center
- Dave Watson, guard
- Ed Weinman, corner linebacker/fullback
- Billy Williamson, halfback
- Bill Wilson, tackle
- Tom Winninger, halfback
- John Wright, end