1961 Texas Longhorns football team

Summary

The 1961 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas (now known as the University of Texas at Austin) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. In their fifth year under head coach Darrell Royal, the Longhorns compiled an overall record of 10–1, with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, and finished as SWC co-champion. Texas concluded their season with a victory over Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl Classic.[1]

1961 Texas Longhorns football
SWC co-champion
Cotton Bowl Classic champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 3
Record10–1 (6–1 SWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Texas + 6 1 0 10 1 0
No. 9 Arkansas + 6 1 0 8 3 0
Rice 5 2 0 7 4 0
Texas A&M 3 4 0 4 5 1
TCU 2 4 1 3 5 2
Baylor 2 5 0 6 5 0
Texas Tech 2 5 0 4 6 0
SMU 1 5 1 2 7 1
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 season was first season that Texas wore the "Bevo" Longhorn decal on their helmets. Texas debuted the helmet decal in season opener against Cal in Berkeley, and have continued to wear it ever since.

Schedule edit

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 233:30 p.m.at California*No. 4W 28–341,500[2]
September 307:30 p.m.Texas TechNo. 6W 42–1443,500[3]
October 77:30 p.m.Washington State*No. 5
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX
W 41–840,000[4]
October 142:00 p.m.vs. Oklahoma*No. 4ABCW 28–775,504[5]
October 212:00 p.m.at No. 10 ArkansasNo. 3W 33–733,000[6]
October 287:30 p.m.RiceNo. 3
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX (rivalry)
W 34–762,310[7]
November 42:00 p.m.at SMUNo. 3
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 27–041,000[8]
November 112:00 p.m.BaylorNo. 1
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX
W 33–762,000[9]
November 182:00 p.m.TCUNo. 1
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Austin, TX (rivalry)
L 0–650,000[10]
November 231:30 p.m.at Texas A&MNo. 4ABCW 25–042,000[11]
January 11:30 p.m.vs. No. 5 Ole Miss*No. 3
CBSW 12–775,000[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

Personnel edit

1961 Texas Longhorns football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OL Scott Appleton
OL George Brucks
QB Duke Carlisle
RB Jack Collins
RB Jerry Cook
RB John Allen Cook
QB Mike Cotten
RB Pat Culpepper
OL Ken Ferguson
RB Tommy Ford
WR Bobby Fults
QB Johnny Genung
OL Dave Kristynik
OL Marv Kubin
WR Tommy Lucas
OL David McWilliams
OL Perry McWilliams
WR Bob Moses
RB Bobby Nunis
RB Darrell Oliver
OL Eddie Padgett
RB Ray Poage
RB David Russell
WR Sandy Sands
B Jimmy Saxton
WR Charles Talbert
OL Don Talbert
OL Johnny Treadwell
QB Tommy Wade
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

Season summary edit

TCU edit

TCU Horned Frogs (2–5–1) at #1 Texas Longhorns (8–0)
Period 1 2 34Total
TCU 0 6 006
Texas 0 0 000

at Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas

  • Date: November 18, 1961
  • Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
  • Game attendance: 50,000
  • Box Score
Game information

It's not what they eat and tote off, it's what they fall into and mess up that hurts.

Darrell Royal, postgame comparing TCU to cockroaches

Awards and honors edit

  • Mike Cotten, Quarterback, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player
  • Bob Moses, End, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player
  • Jimmy Saxton, Back, Consensus All-American[13]

References edit

  1. ^ "1961 Texas Longhorns Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  2. ^ "Bears ripped; Texas halts Cal 28 to 3 in opener". Oakland Tribune. September 24, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Longhorns slaughter Tech in opener, 42–14". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 1, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Saxton spurs Longhorns past Washington State". The Vernon Daily Record. October 8, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Stampeding Steers lower boom on Sooners, 28–7". The Marshall News Messenger. October 15, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Texas socks Hogs, takes SWC lead". The Nashville Tennessean. October 22, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Texas smears Rice, 34–7". The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. October 29, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Saxton puts Texas by SMU". The Victoria Advocate. November 5, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Top-ranked Longhorns hand Baylor 33–7 spanking". The Marshall News Messenger. November 12, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Inspired TCU stuns powerful Texas, 6–0". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. November 19, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Texas whips Aggies, 25–0; In Cotton Bowl". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. November 24, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Longhorn interceptions help kill Rebels, 12–7". The Clarion-Ledger. January 2, 1962. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Official website of the Texas Longhorns – Texas Football Archived 2010-11-01 at the Wayback Machine. MackBrown-TexasFootball.com. Retrieved on June 13, 2011.