1961 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team

1961 Oklahoma State Cowboys football
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Record4–6 (2–5 Big 8)
Head coach
MVPJim Elliott, John Maisel
Home stadiumLewis Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 7 Colorado $ 7 – 0 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. 11 Missouri 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 1
Kansas 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 3 – 1
Oklahoma 4 – 3 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Iowa State 3 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Oklahoma State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
Nebraska 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 1
Kansas State 0 – 7 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team was an American football that represented Oklahoma State University (now known as Oklahoma State University–Stillwater) as a member of the Big Eight Conference (Big 8) during the 1961 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Cliff Speegle, the Cowboys compiled a 4–6 record (2–5 in conference games), tied for sixth place in the Big 8, and were outscored by a total of 166 to 154.[1][2]

The team played its home games at Lewis Field in Stillwater, Oklahoma.[3]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at Iowa State
L 7–1416,848–18,000[4]
September 30at Colorado
L 0–2440,000[5]
October 7Tulsa*
W 26–018,500[6]
October 14Missouri
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
L 0–1018,500[7]
October 21Nebraskadagger
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 14–622,067[8]
October 28at Kansas
L 8–4225,000[9]
November 4at Wichita*
L 13–2510,115[10]
November 18Houston*
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 28–2410,000[11]
November 25Kansas State
  • Lewis Field
  • Stillwater, OK
W 45–07,500[12]
December 2at Oklahoma
L 13–2152,598[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

Statistics

On offense, the 1961 team averaged 15.4 points scored, 191.2 rushing yards, and 64.3 passing yards per game.[14] On defense, the team allowed an average of 16.6 points scored, 151.8 rushing yards, and 84.7 passing yards per game[15]

Halfback Jim Dillard led the team in both total offense and rushing. He gained 627 rushing yards on 128 carries for four touchdowns and an average of 4.9 yards per carry. He also caught 14 passes for 71 yards.[16]

Bill McFarland led the team in scoring with seven touchdowns for 42 points. He tallied 331 rushing yards on 82 carries for an average of 4.0 yards per carry.[16]

Mike Miller was the team's leading passer, completing 37 of 86 passes (43.0%) for 371 yards with zero touchdowns, seven interceptions, and a 63.0 quarterback rating. Bill Leming was the number two quarterback, completing 21 of 49 passes (42.9%) for 205 yards with one touchdown, four interceptions, and a 68.4 quarterback rating.[16]

Don Brewington was the team's leading receiver with 14 catches for 215 yards, an average of 15.4 yards per reception.

Awards and honors

The team voted to select two players as the team's most valuable player. They selected senior quarterback Jim Elliott and senior defensive quarterback John Maisel.[17]

No Oklahoma State players were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-Big Eight Conference football team.[18] Halfback Jim Dillard and tackle Frank Parker both received second-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI).[19][20]

1962 NFL draft

The 1962 NFL draft was held on December 4, 1961. The following two Oklahoma State players were selected:

Round Pick Player Position NFL club
4 51 Jim Dillard Back Baltimore Colts
7 98 Gary Cutsinger Tackle Green Bay Packers

[21]

References

  1. ^ "1961 Oklahoma State Cowboys Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  2. ^ "Oklahoma State Cowboy Football 2016 Guide" (PDF). Oklahoma State University. p. 173. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2017. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
  3. ^ 2016 Football Guide, pp. 217, 219.
  4. ^ Gus Schrader. "Goal-Line Stands Save I-State, 14-7: Hoppmann Scoots 40 To Win It". The Cedar Rapids Gazette. pp. 1, 5 (section IV) – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Frank Pitman (October 1, 1961). "Buffaloes Bomb Oklags on 2 Touchdown Aerials, 24-0". Fort Collins Coloradoan. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.(attendance reported for the Colorado-Oklahoma State game included 8,000 Band Day guests)
  6. ^ "Pokes Whitewash Hurricane, 26-0". Stillwater News-Press. October 8, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "MU Slips by Pokes, 10-0". Stillwater News-Press. October 15, 1961. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Poke Rally Hogties Nebraska, 14-6". Stillwater News-Press. October 22, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Jayhawks Rip Oklahoma State In Stron Offensive Showing: Superb Show By Hadl". The Manhattan Mercury. October 29, 1961. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Bill Hodge (November 5, 1961). "Shockers Drop OSU with 45-second 'Blitz': Wichita Cops 25-13 Victory Before 10,115". The Wichita Eagle. pp. 1A, 1B – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Poke Surge Downs Houston, 28-24". Stillwater News-Press. November 19, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Pokes smear K-State, 45-0". Shawnee News-Star. November 26, 1961. p. 9A – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Norman Rowland (December 3, 1961). "Sooners conquer Cowpokes, 21 to 13". Shawnee News-Star. p. 15A – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 138.
  15. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 140.
  16. ^ a b c "1961 Oklahoma State Cowboys Stats". SR College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  17. ^ "Elliott, Maisel Named OSU' Most Valuable". Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat. December 8, 1961. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ 2016 Football Guide, p. 155.
  19. ^ "Bowl Bound Colorado Buffaloes Land 3 On All-Big Eight Team". The Bee: Danville, Virginia. November 28, 1961. p. 3D.
  20. ^ "Colorado Dominates All-Big Eight Team". Warren County Observer. December 6, 1961. p. 23.
  21. ^ "1962 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved March 13, 2021.