1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

The 1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represented Rutgers University in the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. In their second season under head coach John F. Bateman, the Scarlet Knights compiled a perfect 9–0 record, won the Middle Three Conference championship and outscored their opponents 246 to 102. It was Rutgers's first undefeated season, 92 years after winning the first ever intercollegiate football game in 1869.[2]

1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
Middle Three champion
ConferenceMiddle Three Conference
Ranking
APNo. 15[1]
Record9–0 (4–0 Middle Three)
Head coach
Home stadiumRutgers Stadium
1961 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
University
No. 15 Rutgers x 4 –0 –09 –0 –0
Bucknell 5 –2 –06 –3 –0
Delaware 3 –2 –04 –4 –0
No. 5 Lehigh 3 –2 –07 –2 –0
Gettysburg 2 –2 –13 –5 –1
Temple 1 –2 –22 –5 –2
Lafayette 1 –5 –12 –6 –1
Muhlenberg 0 –4 –02 –7 –0
College–Northern
Susquehanna x 6 –0 –08 –0 –1
Albright 4 –0 –17 –0 –1
Moravian 4 –1 –14 –3 –1
Wagner 4 –2 –06 –3 –0
Lycoming 1 –3 –11 –6 –1
Wilkes 1 –6 –01 –6 –0
Hofstra * 2 –0 –07 –2 –0
Juniata * 1 –2 –03 –4 –0
Upsala * 0 –4 –00 –7 –0
College–Southern
Lebanon Valley x 5 –1 –06 –1 –0
Swarthmore 4 –2 –05 –2 –0
Western Maryland 4 –2 –07 –2 –0
Dickinson 5 –3 –05 –3 –0
Pennsylvania Military 5 –3 –06 –3 –0
Johns Hopkins 2 –3 –13 –4 –1
Ursinus 2 –5 –02 –5 –0
Drexel 1 –5 –12 –5 –1
Haverford 0 –6 –10 –6 –1
West Chester * 0 –0 –07 –2 –0
Franklin & Marshall * 0 –3 –01 –7 –0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * – Ineligible for championship due to insufficient conference games
Rankings from AP Poll

The team's statistical leaders included Bill Speranza with 318 passing yards, Steve Simms with 614 rushing yards, and Lee Curley with 274 receiving yards.[3]

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30at Princeton*
W 16–1341,000[4]
October 7Connecticut*
W 35–1211,000[5]
October 14at Bucknell
W 21–68,000[6]
October 21Lehighdagger
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
W 32–1517,000[7]
October 28at Penn*
W 20–614,996[8]
November 4at Lafayette
W 37–66,500[9]
November 11Delaware
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
W 27–1922,000[10]
November 18at Colgate*
W 26–68,500[11]
November 25Columbia*
  • Rutgers Stadium
  • Piscataway, NJ
W 32–1925,000[2]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

See also
  • Helmet sticker, as the 1961 Rutgers team was one of the first teams to award them

References
  1. https://scarletknights.com/documents/2022/8/17/22RUfb_MediaGuide_spreads.pdf
  2. Fleming, Jimmie (November 26, 1961). "Rutgers Gets Undefeated Season". The Sunday Home News. New Brunswick, N.J. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  4. Sheehan, Joseph M. (October 1, 1961). "Rutgers Defeats Princeton; Tigers Bow, 16-13". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  5. Newell, Bill (October 8, 1961). "Rutgers Trounces Connecticut by 35-12". The Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. p. 3C – via Newspapers.com.
  6. Fleming, Jimmie (October 15, 1961). "Rutgers Dumps Bucknell, 21-6". The Sunday Home News. New Brunswick, N.J. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Fleming, Jimmie (October 22, 1961). "Rutgers Swamps Lehigh in Rain". The Sunday Home News. New Brunswick, N.J. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Werden, Lincoln A. (October 29, 1961). "Rutgers Continues as Easts' Major Unbeaten Football Team by Halting Penn". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S2.
  9. Yarashus, Bob (November 5, 1961). "Rutgers Wallops Lafayette to Remain Undefeated". Sunday Call-Chronicle. Allentown, Pa. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Good, Herb (November 12, 1961). "Rutgers Trips Delaware for MAC Title". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pa. p. S1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Werden, Lincoln A. (November 19, 1961). "Rutgers Defeats Colgate, 26 to 6". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.


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