1961 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1961 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team was the representative of the University of Nebraska and member of the Big Eight Conference
in the 1961 college football season
. The team was coached by Bill Jennings and played their home games at Memorial Stadium
in Lincoln, Nebraska
.
The Cornhuskers came out with a roar to open 1961, racking up 33 unanswered points without a serious challenge from the visiting Fighting Sioux. The overmatched North Dakota squad managed only five first downs all day, and suffered the first shutout dealt by Nebraska since a 16-0 blanking given to Kansas State in 1955. This was the only time these teams met on the field.
Nebraska and Arizona met for the first time in a closely fought battle. For every Cornhusker score, the Wildcats answered. No spectacular plays stood out on the day, just consistent production which was enough to hold on through most of the game. As the final seconds ticked away, Arizona landed on the Nebraska 27 yard line and scrambled to set up for a field goal, but time expired before they could run the play. The 14-14 final was Nebraska's first tie since a 21-21 split decision to Illinois in 1953.
The Cornhuskers rolled unchallenged over the Wildcats with a punishing ground attack. Newcomer HB Willie Ross scored the first touchdown of his career on a one yard push, and then put in two more before the time expired. It was the first loss handed to Kansas State on the year. The shutout victory was Nebraska's third unbeaten game in a row, which had not happened since 1955, and was the first time the Cornhuskers had opened a season with three unbeaten games since 1952. Nebraska's historic domination of Kansas State now stood at 34-9-2.
Riding an early wave of success, and mindful of their pattern of good fortune when going into a game as a serious underdog, Nebraska welcomed Syracuse into Lincoln in a bid to upset one of the highest-ranked teams of the east. The Orangemen proved to be a formidable opponent, playing relatively error-free football so as to not hand the game over to the Cornhuskers. Two costly interceptions that were converted into touchdowns also hurt Nebraska, and Syracuse dealt the first defeat of the Cornhuskers season. It was the third win in a row for the Orangemen over Nebraska, as they improved to 6-4-0 in the series. Syracuse finished the season at #14 in the AP Poll
.
The Cornhuskers made their first ever appearance in Stillwater against second-year Big 8 newcomer Oklahoma State. The Cornhuskers scored first, but further efforts were soon enough halted by a stiff Cowboy defensive effort. In the third quarter, Nebraska turned over a demoralizing fumble on their own 1-yard line to help Oklahoma State go ahead 7-0. The Cowboys then ground out a long, sustained drive over most of the final period to put in one more score to seal the game. The Cowboys remained perfect over the Cornhuskers in both attempts.
at 7-2-1, and placed 2nd in the Big 8.
Nebraska's early success out of the gate turned into another spiral into oblivion when Kansas brought an efficient and productive offense to town. The Cornhuskers were unable to answer as the Jawhawks ran out to a two-touchdown lead by the half. A single touchdown in the second half, followed by a failed two-point conversion, was the only feeble response that Nebraska could muster. Kansas was still only 18-43-3 in the series, but Nebraska's 3-0 start was now 3-4 and headed the wrong way.
The score was closer than the game seemed to be played, as Nebraska rolled up yards with relative ease. HB Bill Thornton accumulated more rushing yards than the entire Cyclone team. Iowa State didn't just give the game away, however, battling the Cornhuskers to a hard-earned 13-13 tie as time was running out. Finally, with just eight seconds remaining, PK Ron Meade put the ball through the uprights for 3 and a Nebraska win. The Cornhuskers continued to own the series, 43-11-1.
at 9-2-0 and claiming the Big 8 title before losing 7-25 to the #4 LSU Tigers
in the .
The final game of the season was a tale of two different games. The first half was a 14-0 Nebraska domination as the struggling Sooners looked like they would fall to the Cornhuskers for the third straight game in the series. Oklahoma Head Coach Bud Wilkinson
apparently made an effective plea during the halftime break, as the Sooners emerged a changed team for the second half. All Nebraska offense was stymied from that point on, as Oklahoma tallied 21 straight to come back and salvage their season at 5-5. The Oklahoma comeback helped them recover the lead in the series at 19-18-3, a lead that they would never relinquish.
football program, Bill Jennings compiled a 15-34-1 record, including an 8-24 record in the conference (4-14 as the Big Seven
, 4-10 as the Big 8
). After the season, the University of Nebraska replaced Jennings with Bob Devaney
, who had been successful at Wyoming
, going 35-10-5 in Laramie
. Devaney would go on to a great career as the head coach, as he helped to transform Nebraska from a losing football program into one of the most successful programs in college football history. The 3-6-1 season of 1961 would also be the last time the Cornhuskers ended the season with a losing record during the 20th century. Nebraska would not finish below .500 until the 2004 season
.
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
in the 1961 college football season
1961 college football season
During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the college football teams that would later be described as "Division I-A". The NCAA did recognize a national champion based upon the final results of "wire service" polls. The extent of that recognition came in the form of acknowledgment in...
. The team was coached by Bill Jennings and played their home games at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium, Lincoln
Memorial Stadium is located on the campus of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It is the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team....
in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
.
Before the season
Coach Jennings returned for a fifth year, with pressure mounting to put an end to the string of losing seasons that preceded his arrival. There were no changes to his assistant coaching staff for the first time in his tenure, providing a small amount of hope for enough consistency in coaching that might translate to success on the field. The schedule was favorable, with a home field Syracuse match as the only powerhouse nonconference foe on the slate, though it was those games that Jennings tended to win with an upset.Schedule
Roster
| Official Roster | ||||||
|
Larry Kramer (football coach) Larry Kramer is a former American football player and coach. He has held several head coaching positions at the collegiate level, and most recently was an assistant coach at Kansas State University.-Southern Oregon:... LT (So.) Mick Tingelhoff Henry Michael "Mick" Tingelhoff is a former football center who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-1978.-College career:... C (Sr.) |
|||||
Coaching staff
| Name | Title | First year in this position |
Years at Nebraska | Alma Mater |
| Bill Jennings | |Head Coach | 1957 | 1956–1961 | Oklahoma University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its... |
| Don Scarbrough | |Assistant Coach | 1956 | 1956–1961 | |
| Dick Monroe | | | 1957 | 1957–1961 | |
| LeRoy Pearce | | | 1958 | 1958–1961 | |
| Cletus Fischer | | | 1960 | 1960–1985 | Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
| George Kelly | | | 1960 | 1960–1968 | |
| Jack Braley | | | 1960 | 1960–1961 | Nebraska University of Nebraska–Lincoln The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is a public research university located in the city of Lincoln in the U.S. state of Nebraska... |
North Dakota
|
The Cornhuskers came out with a roar to open 1961, racking up 33 unanswered points without a serious challenge from the visiting Fighting Sioux. The overmatched North Dakota squad managed only five first downs all day, and suffered the first shutout dealt by Nebraska since a 16-0 blanking given to Kansas State in 1955. This was the only time these teams met on the field.
Arizona
|
Nebraska and Arizona met for the first time in a closely fought battle. For every Cornhusker score, the Wildcats answered. No spectacular plays stood out on the day, just consistent production which was enough to hold on through most of the game. As the final seconds ticked away, Arizona landed on the Nebraska 27 yard line and scrambled to set up for a field goal, but time expired before they could run the play. The 14-14 final was Nebraska's first tie since a 21-21 split decision to Illinois in 1953.
Kansas State
|
The Cornhuskers rolled unchallenged over the Wildcats with a punishing ground attack. Newcomer HB Willie Ross scored the first touchdown of his career on a one yard push, and then put in two more before the time expired. It was the first loss handed to Kansas State on the year. The shutout victory was Nebraska's third unbeaten game in a row, which had not happened since 1955, and was the first time the Cornhuskers had opened a season with three unbeaten games since 1952. Nebraska's historic domination of Kansas State now stood at 34-9-2.
Syracuse
|
Riding an early wave of success, and mindful of their pattern of good fortune when going into a game as a serious underdog, Nebraska welcomed Syracuse into Lincoln in a bid to upset one of the highest-ranked teams of the east. The Orangemen proved to be a formidable opponent, playing relatively error-free football so as to not hand the game over to the Cornhuskers. Two costly interceptions that were converted into touchdowns also hurt Nebraska, and Syracuse dealt the first defeat of the Cornhuskers season. It was the third win in a row for the Orangemen over Nebraska, as they improved to 6-4-0 in the series. Syracuse finished the season at #14 in the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
.
Oklahoma State
|
The Cornhuskers made their first ever appearance in Stillwater against second-year Big 8 newcomer Oklahoma State. The Cornhuskers scored first, but further efforts were soon enough halted by a stiff Cowboy defensive effort. In the third quarter, Nebraska turned over a demoralizing fumble on their own 1-yard line to help Oklahoma State go ahead 7-0. The Cowboys then ground out a long, sustained drive over most of the final period to put in one more score to seal the game. The Cowboys remained perfect over the Cornhuskers in both attempts.
Missouri
Top notch defensive stands defined the first half of the game as both teams fought to a scoreless draw at the half. The Tigers managed to finally get a field goal in to open the scoreboard in the third quarter, and the Cornhuskers were unable to answer. A fourth quarter touchdown put the game away as Nebraska suffered the season's second loss. It was Missouri's fifth straight decision in the series as they improved to 23-28-3 and kept the Missouri-Nebraska Bell another year. The Tigers finished the season ranked #11 in the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
at 7-2-1, and placed 2nd in the Big 8.
Kansas
|
Nebraska's early success out of the gate turned into another spiral into oblivion when Kansas brought an efficient and productive offense to town. The Cornhuskers were unable to answer as the Jawhawks ran out to a two-touchdown lead by the half. A single touchdown in the second half, followed by a failed two-point conversion, was the only feeble response that Nebraska could muster. Kansas was still only 18-43-3 in the series, but Nebraska's 3-0 start was now 3-4 and headed the wrong way.
Iowa State
|
The score was closer than the game seemed to be played, as Nebraska rolled up yards with relative ease. HB Bill Thornton accumulated more rushing yards than the entire Cyclone team. Iowa State didn't just give the game away, however, battling the Cornhuskers to a hard-earned 13-13 tie as time was running out. Finally, with just eight seconds remaining, PK Ron Meade put the ball through the uprights for 3 and a Nebraska win. The Cornhuskers continued to own the series, 43-11-1.
Colorado
A cold and wet day with melting snow on the ground saw the #8 Buffaloes out to prove their ranking and avoid the typical Nebraska upset of highly ranked teams. True to their ranking, Colorado completely stifled every offensive effort attempted by the Cornhuskers. It was only due to the poor on-field conditions that sustained Buffalo drives repeatedly failed to produce points. Though the win was decided by a single touchdown, the visiting team from Boulder completely outplayed Nebraska. Colorado's defense denied the Cornhuskers any first downs or completed passes through the entire game, for only the second time in the history of the program back to 1890. The triumphant Buffaloes once again brought the series to a tie at 10-10-0. Colorado went on to finish the season ranked #7 by the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
at 9-2-0 and claiming the Big 8 title before losing 7-25 to the #4 LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers football
The LSU Tigers football team, also known as the Fighting Tigers or Bayou Bengals, represents Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States in NCAA Division I FBS college football. Current head coach Les Miles has led the team since 2005. Since 1999 when Nick Saban took over as...
in the .
Oklahoma
|
The final game of the season was a tale of two different games. The first half was a 14-0 Nebraska domination as the struggling Sooners looked like they would fall to the Cornhuskers for the third straight game in the series. Oklahoma Head Coach Bud Wilkinson
Bud Wilkinson
Charles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships and 14...
apparently made an effective plea during the halftime break, as the Sooners emerged a changed team for the second half. All Nebraska offense was stymied from that point on, as Oklahoma tallied 21 straight to come back and salvage their season at 5-5. The Oklahoma comeback helped them recover the lead in the series at 19-18-3, a lead that they would never relinquish.
After the season
In five seasons as the head coach of the NebraskaNebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
football program, Bill Jennings compiled a 15-34-1 record, including an 8-24 record in the conference (4-14 as the Big Seven
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
, 4-10 as the Big 8
Big Eight Conference
The Big Eight Conference, a former NCAA-affiliated Division I-A college athletic association that sponsored football, was formed in January 1907 as the Missouri Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Association by its charter member schools: the University of Kansas, University of Missouri, University...
). After the season, the University of Nebraska replaced Jennings with Bob Devaney
Bob Devaney
Robert S. "Bob" Devaney was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at the University of Wyoming from 1957 to 1961 and at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln from 1962 to 1972, compiling a career college football record of 136–30–7...
, who had been successful at Wyoming
Wyoming Cowboys football
The Wyoming Cowboys are a college football team that represents the University of Wyoming. They compete in the Mountain West Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I. The team has won 15 conference titles...
, going 35-10-5 in Laramie
Laramie, Wyoming
Laramie is a city in and the county seat of Albany County, Wyoming, United States. The population was 30,816 at the . Located on the Laramie River in southeastern Wyoming, the city is west of Cheyenne, at the junction of Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 287....
. Devaney would go on to a great career as the head coach, as he helped to transform Nebraska from a losing football program into one of the most successful programs in college football history. The 3-6-1 season of 1961 would also be the last time the Cornhuskers ended the season with a losing record during the 20th century. Nebraska would not finish below .500 until the 2004 season
2004 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 2004 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Bill Callahan and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...
.
Future professional players
- Brown, Robert, 1964 2nd-round pick of the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Dennis ClaridgeDennis ClaridgeDennis Bert Claridge is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons...
, 1963 3rd-round pick of the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Bob Jones, 1964 18th-round pick of the Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
- Monte KiffinMonte KiffinMonte Kiffin is an American football coach. He is widely considered to be one of the preeminent defensive coordinators in modern football, as well as one of the greatest defensive coordinators in NFL history...
, 1964 15th-round pick of the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... - Larry KramerLarry Kramer (football coach)Larry Kramer is a former American football player and coach. He has held several head coaching positions at the collegiate level, and most recently was an assistant coach at Kansas State University.-Southern Oregon:...
, 1964 15th-round pick of the Baltimore ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League .... - Bill (Thunder) Thornton, 1963 5th-round pick of the St. Louis CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
- Mick TingelhoffMick TingelhoffHenry Michael "Mick" Tingelhoff is a former football center who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-1978.-College career:...
, Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960... - Willie Ross, 1964 9th-round pick of the St. Louis CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...