1960 Lenoir Rhyne Bears football team

The 1960 Lenoir Rhyne Bears football team was an American football team that compiled an undefeated 11–0–1 record and won the NAIA national football championship.

1960 Lenoir Rhyne Bears football
NAIA national champion
NSC champion
ConferenceNorth State Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3 (UPI small college)
APNo. 2 (AP small college)
Record11–0–1 (6–0 NSC)
Head coach
Home stadiumLenoir Rhyne College Field
1960 North State Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Lenoir–Rhyne $^ 6 –0 –012 –0 –0
Appalachian State 5 –1 –08 –2 –0
East Carolina 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
Western Carolina 2 –4 –06 –5 –0
Elon 2 –4 –04 –6 –0
Catawba 2 –4 –02 –9 –0
Guilford 0 –6 –01 –8 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA poll

Season summary

The team represented Lenoir Rhyne College (now known as Lenoir–Rhyne University) as a member of the North State Conference (NSC) during the 1960 NAIA football season. In their 19th season under head coach Clarence Stasavich, the team compiled an 11–0–1 record (6–0 against NSC opponents) and won the NSC championship.[1] The Bears were ranked No. 2 in the final Associated Press small college poll and No. 3 in the final UPI small college coaches poll. (The small college polls included both NCAA and NAIA programs.) Both polls were issued before the team's post-season victories.[2][3]

On December 3, the Bears played Northern Michigan in the NAIA's Eastern Regional playoff. The game ended in a 20–20 tie. NAIA officials decided to award Lenoir Rhyne the Eastern berth in the Holiday Bowl (then the NAIA national championship game) based on total yards gained by in the playoff game.[4]

In the Holiday Bowl, Lenoir Rhyne defeated Humboldt State, 15–14, to win the NAIA national championship. The Bears trailed, 14-12, late in the game after freshman kicker Marion Kirby missed two extra point tries. With 1:35 remaining in the game, Kirby kicked a game-winning field goal.[5]

The team played its home games at Lenoir Rhyne College Field in Hickory, North Carolina.

Honors and awards

The team was led on offense by tailback Lee Farmer. He was selected as the NSC's most valuable player for the second consecutive season.[6] Farmer scored both of Lenoir Rhyne's touchdowns in the Holiday Bowl and was named the game's most valuable player.[7]

Coach Stasavich finished second in the balloting (behind New Mexico State's Warren Woodson) for small college coach of the year.[8]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 17at Wofford*
W 30–6
September 24at Presbyterian*Clinton, SCW 8–0
October 1at Newberry*Newberry, SCW 34–12
October 8Appalachian State
W 26–8[9]
October 15Guilford
  • Lenoir Rhyne College Field
  • Hickory, NC
W 21–6[10]
October 22Western Carolina
  • Lenoir Rhyne College Field
  • Hickory, NC
W 31–6[11]
October 29Georgetown (KY)*
  • Lenoir Rhyne College Field
  • Hickory, NC
W 63–14[12]
November 5East Carolina
  • Lenoir Rhyne College Field
  • Hickory, NC
W 17–0[13]
November 12at ElonBurlington, NCW 14–0[14]
November 24at Catawba
W 56–65,500[15]
December 3Northern Michigan*
  • Lenoir Rhyne College Field
  • Hickory, NC (NAIA Eastern football playoff)
T 20–206,500[16][4]
December 10vs. Humboldt State*
W 15–147,000[5][17]
  • *Non-conference game

References
  1. "1960 Football Schedule". Lenoir–Rhyne Bears. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  2. "Ohio Cops 'Small' AP Grid Poll". Fort Lauderdale News. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. December 1, 1960. p. 6-D. Retrieved May 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  3. "La. Tech Sixth On Final Ballot". The Monroe News-Star. Monroe, Louisiana. November 25, 1960. p. 11-A. Retrieved May 8, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  4. "Lenoir Rhyne Gets Holiday Bowl Bid". The High Point Enterprise. December 4, 1960 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Bears Win Holiday Bowl 15-14 In Photo". Tampa Bay Times. December 11, 1960. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Lee Farmer Notches MVP Honors For Second Year". Asheville Citizen-Times. December 4, 1960 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. George Cunningham (December 12, 1960). "Lee Farmer Voted MVP In Holiday". The Charlotte Observer. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Stasavich Runner-Up For Honor". Rocky Mount Telegram. January 12, 1961. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Lenoir Rhyne Bears trounce Appalachian by 26–8 score". The High Point Enterprise. October 9, 1960. Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Lenoir Rhyne Tops Guilford". The Times and Democrat. October 16, 1960 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Lenoir Rhyne Drubs Catamounts 31-6". The High Point Enterprise. October 23, 1960. p. C1 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Emil Parker (October 30, 1960). "Lenoir Rhyne Massacres Georgetown". The Charlotte Observer. p. 4B – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Lenoir Rhyne Defeats East Carolina by 17-0". The News and Observer. November 6, 1960. p. 2-II – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Lenoir Rhyne Bears Stop Elon's Christians 14-0". The High Point Enterprise. November 13, 1960. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  15. Phil Grose (November 25, 1960). "Bears Crush Catawba, 56-6". The Charlotte Observer. p. 4C – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Top-Rated Lenoir Rhyne Named for N.A.I.A. Game". The Kansas City Star. November 25, 1960 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. Don Terbush (December 12, 1960). "Lumberjacks Succumb To Bear Attack". Eureka Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. p. 21. Retrieved April 3, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.open access
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