1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football
Gator Bowl, L 15–30 vs. Penn State
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 13
APNo. 13
Record7–4 (4–3 SEC)
Head coach
CaptainChick Graning, Willie McGaughey, Billy Williamson
Home stadiumGrant Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Alabama + 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 0 – 0
No. 4 LSU + 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 5 Ole Miss 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. 13 Georgia Tech 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
Auburn 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Georgia 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Tulane 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team was an American football team that represented the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1961 college football season. In their 17th year under head coach Bobby Dodd, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 7–3 record (4–3 in conference games), tied for fourth place in the SEC, and outscored opponents by a total of 162 to 50. They were ranked 13th in the final AP and UPI polls, and were invited to the 1961 Gator Bowl, where they lost to Penn State.[1]

The team played its home games at Grant Field in Atlanta.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 22at USC*
W 27–736,950[2]
September 30No. 7 Rice*
W 24–043,501[3]
October 7at LSUNo. 3
L 0–1066,000[4]
October 14Duke*
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 21–044,015[5]
October 21AuburnNo. 8
W 7–645,376[6]
October 28at TulaneNo. 9
W 35–022,000[7]
November 4FloridadaggerNo. 7
  • Grant Field
  • Atlanta, GA
W 20–044,940[8]
November 11at TennesseeNo. 9
L 6–1046,000[9]
November 18at No. 2 Alabama
L 0–1053,000[10]
December 2Georgia
W 22–747,098[11]
December 30vs. No. 17 Penn State*No. 13
CBSL 15–3050,202[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

Statistics

The team gained an average of 164.9 rushing yards and 91.2 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 105.4 rushing yards and 47.0 passing yards per game.[14]

The passing offense was led by quarterbacks Stan Gann (43-for-79, 450 yards) and Billy Lothridge (26-for-63, 371 yards).[14]

The rushing offense was led by backs Mike McNamee (350 yards, 94 carries, 3.7-yard average), Billy Williamson (331 yards, 63 carries, 5.3-yard average), and Chick Graning (184 yards, 48 carries, 3.8-yard average).[14]

The team's leading receivers were Billy Martin (16 receptions, 233 yards), Billy Williamson (21 receptions, 221 yards), and Joe Auer (10 receptions, 145 yards).[14]

Awards and honors

The team selected three captains for the 1961 team: center Willie McGaughey and halfbacks Billy Williamson and Chick Graning.[15]

Guard Dave Watson was selected by both the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) as a first-team player on the 1961 All-SEC football team. Others receiving All-SEC honors were halfback Billy Williamson (AP-3, UPI-2) and guards Harold Erickson (AP-2) and Rufus Guthrie (UPI-2).[16][17]

Personnel

Players

  • Joe Auer, halfback
  • Foy Bentley, guard
  • Mike Biddle, guard
  • Bobby Caldwell, center
  • Mickey Carmack, halfback
  • Joe Chapman, end
  • Ed Chancey, center
  • Doug Cooper, halfback
  • Ted Davis, end
  • Wink Davis, linebacker
  • Bob Dobyns, guard
  • Buddy Elders, end
  • Harold Erickson, guard
  • Bill Farrington, tackle
  • Russ Foret, tackle
  • Stan Gann, quarterback
  • Chick Granning, halfback
  • Ed Griffin, tackle
  • Ronnie Grubbs, guard
  • Rufus Guthrie, guard
  • Raymond Holt, center
  • Vic Laxson, tackle
  • Al Lederle, end
  • Bob Lincoln, tackle
  • Harry Littleton, halfback
  • Billy Lothridge, quarterback
  • Billy Martin, end
  • Jon Martin, fullback
  • John Matlock, guard
  • Willie McGaughey, center
  • Mike McNames, fullback
  • Ray Mendheim, fullback
  • Jack Moss, guard
  • Jimmy Nail, halfback
  • Mike Nicholl, tackle
  • Mike O'Neill, fullback
  • Lee Reid, fullback
  • Frank Sexton, end
  • Bob Sheridan, halfback
  • Zollie Sircy, halfback
  • Bob Solomon, end
  • Larry Stallings, tackle
  • Dave Steadman, tackle
  • George Swanson, guard/tackle
  • Don Toner, corner linebacker/halfback
  • Carlton Waskey, center
  • Dave Watson, guard
  • Ed Weinman, corner linebacker/fullback
  • Billy Williamson, halfback
  • Bill Wilson, tackle
  • Tom Winninger, halfback
  • John Wright, end

[18]

Coaches and administrators

  • Head coach: Bobby Dodd
  • Assistant coaches: Jack Griffin, Charlie Tate, Lewis Woodruff, Dick Inman, John Robert Bell, Jimmy Carlen, Art Davis, Jesse Berry, Jim Luck, Spec Landrum, Billy "Dynamite" Goodloe[19]
  • Trainer: Henry L. "Buck" Andel[19]
  • Athletic director: Bobby Dodd

References

  1. ^ "1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 19, 2017.
  2. ^ "Hard hitting Georgia Tech toys with Troy in 27–7 win". The Fresno Bee. September 23, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Yellow Jackets chill Rice, 24–0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 1, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "LSU Tigers upset vaunted Georgia Tech, 10–0". Monroe Morning World. October 8, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Gann leads Tech to 21–0 win over Duke". The Tampa Tribune. October 15, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Auburn gamble fails as Tech gains 7 to 6 victory". The Decatur Daily. October 22, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Yellow Jackets smother Tulane for fifth victory". Monroe Morning World. October 29, 1961. Retrieved September 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Revenge-minded Jackets thumo Florida, 20–0". The Orlando Sentinel. November 6, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Vols upset Engineers, 10–6". Richmond Times Dispatch. November 12, 1961. Retrieved April 13, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Alabama wins, 10–0". Daily Press. November 19, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Ga. Tech whips Georgia, 22–7". Kingsport Times-News. December 3, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Energetic Penn State wins". Tallahassee Democrat. December 31, 1961. Retrieved October 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ 2011 Georgia Tech Media Guide Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. p. 171.
  14. ^ a b c d "1961 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Al Thomy (January 17, 1961). "Tri-Captains on the Flats: Jackets Choose McGaughey, Graning and Williamson". The Atlanta Constitution. pp. 27, 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Vernon Butler (December 6, 1961). "Trammell, Watson Head AP All-SEC". The Atlanta Constitution. p. 41 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Four Tiders Selected For UPI All-SEC Team: Tech Guard Dave Watson Only Jacket on Dream Team". The Atlanta Constitution. November 30, 1961. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ 1962 Georgia Tech yearbook, pp. 242-243.
  19. ^ a b 1962 Georgia Tech yearbook, p. 241.