1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
American college football season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented Ohio State University in the 1961 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 11th year under head coach Woody Hayes, the Buckeyes compiled an 8–0–1 record (6–0 in conference games), won the Big Ten Conference (Big Ten) championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 221 to 83. They tied with TCU (7–7) in the season opener and then won nine consecutive games, including victories over No. 8 Iowa (29–13) and rival Michigan (50–20). Ohio State was ranked No. 2 in the final AP writers and UPI coaches polls. However, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) chose Ohio State as national champion over undefeated Alabama.
.png)
| 1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football | |
|---|---|
Maxwell Award winner Bob Ferguson | |
FWAA national champion Big Ten champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 2 |
| AP | No. 2 |
| Record | 8–0–1 (6-0 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| Captains |
|
| Home stadium | Ohio Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 2 Ohio State $ | 6 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 0 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Minnesota | 6 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Michigan State | 5 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Purdue | 4 | – | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 5 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northwestern | 2 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 0 | – | 6 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 0 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 0 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fullback Bob Ferguson, who led the team with 938 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, was the first African-American player to win the Maxwell Award as the best player in college football. He finished second in close voting for the 1961 Heisman Trophy. Other notable contributors to the 1961 Ohio State team included halfbacks Paul Warfield and Matt Snell, guard Mike Ingram, tackle Bob Vogel, and linebacker Gary Moeller.
Days after the conclusion of the regular season, and with growing concern over Ohio State's reputation as a "football school", Ohio State's faculty council voted to reject an invitation to play in the Rose Bowl. The decision prompted protests by students on the school's campus.[1][2][3]
The team played it home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, and led the nation in home attendance with an average crowd size of 82,941 for five home games.[4]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 30 | 1:30 p.m. | TCU* | No. 3 | T 7–7 | 82,878 | |||
| October 7 | 1:30 p.m. | UCLA* | No. 8 |
| W 13–3 | 82,992 | ||
| October 14 | 1:00 p.m. | Illinois | No. 7 |
| W 44–0 | 82,374 | ||
| October 21 | at Northwestern | No. 7 | W 10–0 | 43,259 | ||||
| October 28 | at Wisconsin | No. 6 | ABC | W 30–21 | 58,411 | [5] | ||
| November 4 | 1:30 p.m. | No. 9 Iowa | No. 5 |
| W 29–13 | 83,795 | ||
| November 11 | at Indiana | No. 3 | W 16–7 | 27,108 | ||||
| November 18 | 1:30 p.m. | Oregon* | No. 3 |
| W 22–12 | 82,073 | ||
| November 25 | 1:00 p.m. | at Michigan | No. 2 | ABC | W 50–20 | 80,444 | ||
| ||||||||
Game summaries
TCU
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TCU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Ohio St | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
- Date: September 30
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game attendance: 82,878
- Game weather: Sunny; 82 °F (28 °C); wind 20 mph
| 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 |
UCLA
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| • Ohio St | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 |
- Date: October 7
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game attendance: 82,992
- Game weather: Sunny; 72 °F (22 °C); wind 5 mph ESE
| 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 |
Illinois
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Ohio St | 0 | 21 | 16 | 7 | 44 |
- Date: October 14
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game attendance: 82,974
- Game weather: Cloudy; 48 °F (9 °C); wind 15 mph NNW
| 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 |
Northwestern
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio St | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Northwestern | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
- Date: October 21
- Location: Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois
- Game attendance: 43,259
- Game weather: Cloudy; 48 °F (9 °C)
| 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 |
Wisconsin
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio St | 7 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 21 |
- Date: October 28
- Location: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin
- Game attendance: 58,411
- Game weather: Cloudy; 52 °F (11 °C); wind 10 mph S
- Referee: Tony Skover
| 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 |
Iowa
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| • Ohio St | 6 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 29 |
- Date: November 4
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game attendance: 83,795
- Game weather: Cloudy; 46 °F (8 °C); wind 5 mph E
| 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 |
Indiana
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio St | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 16 |
| Indiana | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
- Date: November 11
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
- Game attendance: 27,106
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C); wind 8 mph SSE
| 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 |
Oregon
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
| • Ohio St | 8 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 22 |
- Date: November 18
- Location: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Game attendance: 82,073
- Game weather: Sunny; 38 °F (3 °C); wind 9 mph NNW
| 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 |
Michigan
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Ohio St | 7 | 14 | 0 | 29 | 50 |
| Michigan | 0 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 20 |
- Date: November 25
- Location: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Game attendance: 80,444
- Game weather: Clear
| 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 |
On November 25, 1961, Ohio State defeated Michigan, 50-20, before a crowd of 80,444 at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State fullback Bob Ferguson scored four touchdowns in the game. Paul Warfield also scored on a 69-yard run, and Bob Klein scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Joe Sparma. The Buckeyes' 50 points was the fourth highest point total allowed by a Michigan team up to that time, with two of the prior occasions occurring in the 1890s. Michigan's Dave Raimey returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.[15][16][17]
The 1961 Ohio State team featured Michigan's next two head coaches. Bo Schembechler was Hayes' line coach, and Gary Moeller was a linebacker for the 1961 Buckeyes.
Statistics
The 1961 Buckeyes ran the ball an average of 58 time per game and tallied an average of 271.9 rushing yards per game. They relied far less on a passing game, averaging only 10 passes per game for 77.2 yards per game. On defense, they gave up an average of 123.8 rushing yards and 129.8 passing yards per game.[18]
The team's leading rushers were Bob Ferguson (938 yards, 202 attempts, 4.6-yard average), Paul Warfield (420 yards, 77 attempts, 5.5-yard average), John Mummey (392 yards, 69 attempts, 5.7-yard average), Matt Snell (197 yards, 50 attempts, 3.9-yard average), and Bob Klein (177 yards, 26 attempts, 6.8-yard average).[18]
Joe Sparma, who later played professional baseball for the Detroit Tigers, led the team in passing yardage, completing 16 of 38 passes for 341 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions, and a 159.1 quarterback rating. William Mrukowski led the team in completions with 23 completed passes out of 35 attempts; he tallied 231 passing yards and a 119.2 quarterback rating.[18]
The leading receivers were Chuck Bryant (15 receptions, 270 yards, 18.0-yard average), Paul Warfield (9 receptions, 120 yards, 13.3-yard average), and Bob Klein (4 receptions, 112 yards, 28.0-yard average).[18]
Awards
Fullback Bob Ferguson received multiple awards and honors following the 1961 season.
- Ferguson received the Maxwell Award as the outstanding player in college football in 1961.[19] He also received "Player of the Year" awards from the United Press International (UPI) and the Sporting News.[20][21]
- Ferguson finished second in close voting for the 1961 Heisman Trophy. Syracuse back Ernie Davis won the trophy with 824 points, and Ferguson had 771 points.[22]
- Ferguson was a consensus first-team All-American, receiving first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press (AP), UPI, and Football Writers Association of America, among others.
- He received first-team honors from both the AP and UPI on the 1961 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[23][24]
- Ferguson was unanimously selected by his teammates as the most valuable player on the 1961 Ohio State team.[25]
- He finished second by two points to Sandy Stephens in voting for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten's most valuable player. It was one of the closest votes in the history of the award.[26]
Guard Mike Ingram received second-team All-America honors from both the AP and UPI. He also received first-team honors from the same wire services on the 1961 All-Big Ten team.[23][24]
Five Ohio State players received second- or third-team recognition on the All-Big Ten team: end Tom Perdue (AP-2, UPI-3); tackle Bob Vogel (UPI-2); center Bill Armstrong (AP-3); end Charles Bryant (UPI-3); and halfback Paul Warfield (UPI-3).[23][24]
Personnel
Coaching staff
- Woody Hayes – Head coach – 11th year
Roster
| 1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
|
Defense
|
Special teams
|
Roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Depth chart
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1962 pro draftees
| Player | Draft | Round | Pick | Position | NFL club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Ferguson | NFL | 1 | 5 | Fullback | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| Bob Ferguson | AFL | 1 | 8 | Fullback | San Diego Chargers |
| Chuck Bryant | NFL | 3 | 34 | End | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Chuck Bryant | AFL | 13 | 104 | End | San Diego Chargers |
| Sam Tidmore | NFL | 6 | 81 | Linebacker | Cleveland Browns |
| Sam Tidmore | AFL | 20 | 156 | Linebacker | Buffalo Bills |
| John Havlicek | NFL | 7 | 95 | End | Cleveland Browns |
| Jack Roberts | NFL | 20 | 273 | Tackle | Chicago Bears |
| Mike Ingram | AFL | 31 | 246 | Guard | Boston Patriots |