1961 Wagner Seahawks football team

1961 Wagner Seahawks football
ConferenceMiddle Atlantic Conference
DivisionNorthern College Division
Record6–3 (4–2 MAC)
Head coach
Home stadiumGrymes Hill Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Middle Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
University Division
No. 15 Rutgers x 4 – 0 – 0 9 – 0 – 0
Bucknell 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Delaware 3 – 2 – 0 4 – 4 – 0
No. 6 Lehigh 3 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Gettysburg 2 – 2 – 1 3 – 5 – 1
Temple 1 – 2 – 2 2 – 5 – 2
Lafayette 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 6 – 1
Muhlenberg 0 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Northern College Division
Susquehanna x 6 – 0 – 0 8 – 0 – 1
Albright 4 – 0 – 1 7 – 0 – 1
Moravian 4 – 1 – 1 4 – 3 – 1
Wagner 4 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Lycoming 1 – 3 – 1 1 – 6 – 1
Wilkes 1 – 6 – 0 1 – 6 – 0
Hofstra * 2 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Juniata * 1 – 2 – 0 3 – 4 – 0
Upsala * 0 – 4 – 0 0 – 7 – 0
Southern College Division
Lebanon Valley x 5 – 1 – 0 6 – 1 – 0
Swarthmore 4 – 2 – 0 5 – 2 – 0
Western Maryland 4 – 2 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Dickinson 5 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 0
Pennsylvania Military 5 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Johns Hopkins 2 – 3 – 1 3 – 4 – 1
Ursinus 2 – 5 – 0 2 – 5 – 0
Drexel 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 5 – 1
Haverford 0 – 6 – 1 0 – 6 – 1
West Chester * 0 – 0 – 0 7 – 2 – 0
Franklin & Marshall * 0 – 3 – 0 1 – 7 – 0
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * – Ineligible for championship due to insufficient conference games
Rankings from major college AP poll for Rutgers and small college AP poll for Lehigh

The 1961 Wagner Seahawks football team was an American football team that represented Wagner College as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) during the 1961 college football season. In their fifth and final year under head coach Mickey Sullivan, the Seahawks compiled a 6–3 record (4–3 in conference games) and finished in fourth place in the MAC Northern College Division.

The team tallied 2,370 yards of total offense (263.3 yards per game), consisting of 1,009 rushing yards (112.1 yards per game) and 1,361 passing yards (151.2 yards per game). On defense, the team held opponents to 2,174 yards of total offense (241.6 yards per game) with 1,207 rushing yards (134.1 yards per game) and 967 passing yards (107.4 yards per game).[1]

Quarterback Don Cavalli totaled 1,331 passing yards and 1,354 yards of total offense.[1] For the second consecutive year, Cavalli led the MAC Northern College Division in both passing and total offense.[2] He also ranked seventh among the NCAA's small college players.[3]

Halfback Frank Melos led the team in rushing with 449 yards and scoring with 96 points on 14 touchdowns and six two-point conversions.[1] Melos's 96 points ranked fifth among the NCAA's small college players.[3] End Bruce Wilson was the team's leading receiver with 30 catches for 607 yards and nine touchdowns.[1]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at Pennsylvania MilitaryChester, PAL 0–14
September 30HaverfordStaten Island, NYW 34–63,500
October 7at Merchant Marine
L 16–194,500[4][5]
October 14SusquehannaStaten Island, NYL 24–282,500[6]
October 21at Dickinson
W 18–13[7]
October 28UrsinusStaten Island NYW 20–123,400
November 4Trenton State*Staten Island NYW 34–03,200
November 11at Hamilton*Clinton, NYW 48–201,900[8]
November 18at Upsala
W 21–0[9]
  • *Non-conference game

[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  2. ^ "Wagner Stars Lead M.A.C.: Cavalli Paces Circuit In Two Divisions". The Record. December 14, 1961. p. 63 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Denny Takes Offense Races". The Spokesman-Review. December 10, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Dick Clemente (October 9, 1961). "King's Point-Wanger: Just a 'Typical Game'". Newsday. p. 18C – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Merchant Marine)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Unbeaten S. U. Wins 4th In Row: S. U. Edges Wagner, 28-24". Subury Daily Item. October 16, 1961. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Wagner Defeats Dickinson By 18-13 In Free-Scoring Passing-Ground Skirmish". The Evening Sentinel (Carlisle, PA). October 23, 1961. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Melos Sets Wagner Mark in 48-20 Win". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. November 12, 1961. p. 2C – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Wagner Is Victor In Finale, 21-0: Melsos, Wilson And Cavalli Help Club Defeat Upsala". The Recor. November 20, 1961. p. 56 – via Newspapers.com.