1961 Florida A&M Rattlers football team

1961 Florida A&M Rattlers football
ConferenceSouthern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Record10–0 (5–0 SIAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumBragg Memorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 5 Florida A&M $ 5 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 0
Alabama A&M 5 – 0 – 0 8 – 1 – 0
Allen 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Bethune–Cookman 5 – 2 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Morris Brown 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Fisk 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Tuskegee 4 – 1 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
Morehouse 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
Clark (GA) 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 3 – 2
Lane 1 – 4 – 0 2 – 5 – 1
Benedict 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
South Carolina State 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Alabama State 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
Knoxville 1 – 5 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
Fort Valley State 0 – 5 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA poll

The 1961 Florida A&M Rattlers football team was an American football team that represented Florida A&M University as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) during the 1961 college football season. In their 17th season under head coach Jake Gaither, the Rattlers compiled a perfect 10–0 record, including a victory over Jackson State in the Orange Blossom Classic for the black college football national championship, and shut out six of ten opponents. The team was ranked No. 4 in the final AP small college poll and No. 6 in the final UPI coaches poll.

Center Curtis Miranda received first-team honors on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included Robert Paremore with 376 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns and 66 points scored, Emory Collier with 742 passing yards, and Al Denson with 395 receiving yards.[2]

The team played its home games at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30at BenedictColumbia, SCW 52–0[3]
October 7vs. Lincoln (MO)*
W 49–6[4]
October 14Morris Browndagger
W 56–0[5]
October 21Bethune–Cookman
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 76–0[6]
October 28at South Carolina StateOrangeburg, SCW 60–0[7]
November 4at North Carolina A&T*No. 7Greensboro, NCW 32–12[8]
November 11AllenNo. 6
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 71–0[9]
November 18Southern*No. 5
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 46–0[10]
November 25Texas Southern*No. 4
  • Bragg Memorial Stadium
  • Tallahassee, FL
W 48–7[11]
December 9vs. Jackson State*No. 4
W 14–847,791[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

References

  1. ^ Harold Claassen (December 6, 1961). "Annual Little All-Americans -- Small College Stars Selected". The Shreveport Journal. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Florida A&M Rattler Football Media Guide" (PDF). Florida A&M University. 2015.
  3. ^ "Rattlers Slash Benedict, 52-0". Tallahassee Democrat. October 1, 1961. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Rattlers Thunder By Lincoln, 49-6". Tallahassee Democrat. October 8, 1961. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Rattlers Roll Along, 56-0". Tallahassee Democrat. October 15, 1962. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Ho, Hum -- It's Rattlers, 76-0!". Tallahassee Democrat. October 22, 1961. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Paremore Guides A&M 60-0 Win". Tallahassee Democrat. October 29, 1961. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Rattlers Get By A&T Team, 32-12". Tallahassee Democrat. November 5, 1961. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "A&M Rips By Allen, 71-0". Tallahassee Democrat. November 12, 1961. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "A&M Rips Southern, 46-0". Tallahassee Democrat. November 19, 1961. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Rattlers Bounce TSU, 48-7". Tallahassee Democrat. November 26, 1961. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "A&M Sneaks By Jackson State, 14-8". Tallahassee Democrat. December 10, 1961. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved June 18, 2023.