1961 Central Intercollegiate Conference football season

1961 Central Intercollegiate Conference football season
Sport	Football
Number of teams	6
Champion	Pittsburg State
Football seasons
←  1960 1962  →

1961 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1/1 Pittsburg State $^	5	–	0	–	0			11	–	0	–	0
Omaha	4	–	1	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Fort Hays State	3	–	2	–	0			4	–	4	–	1
St. Benedict's	2	–	3	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Emporia State	1	–	4	–	0			1	–	8	–	0
Washburn	0	–	5	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll and AP small college poll

The 1961 Central Intercollegiate Conference football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Central Intercollegiate Conference (CIC) as part of the 1961 college football season.

The 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team compiled a perfect 11–0 record, including a victory over Linfield in the Camellia Bowl to secure the NAIA national championship.

Teams

Pittsburg State

Main article: 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team

1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football
NAIA national champion AP small college national champion UPI small college national champion CIC champion
Camellia Bowl, W 12–7 vs. Linfield
Conference	Central Intercollegiate Conference
Record	11–0 (5–0 CIC)
Head coach	Carnie Smith (13th season)
Home stadium	Brandenburg Stadium
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team compiled an 11–0 record, shut out seven of eleven opponents, and won the NAIA football national championship, the AP and UPI small college national championship, and the CIC championship.

Omaha

1961 Omaha Indians football
Conference	Central Intercollegiate Conference
Record	6–3 (4–1 CIC)
Head coach	Al Caniglia (2nd season)
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 Omaha Indians football team was an American football team that represented the University of Omaha (now known as University of Nebraska Omaha of Omaha, Nebraska during the 1961 college football season. In their second season under head coach Al Caniglia, the team compiled an 6–3 record (4–1 against CIC opponents) and finished in second place in the CIC.

End Paul Blazevich received second-team honors on the 1961 Little All-America college football team. ^[1]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 16	Morningside *	Omaha, NE	W 32–6	5,100
September 23	Colorado State–Greeley *	Omaha, NE	W 27–6	2,900	[2]
September 30	at Colorado Mines *	Golden, CO	L 12–13		[3]
October 14	at Fort Hays State	Hays, KS	W 26–0
October 21	at Emporia State	Emporia, KS	W 27–21
October 28	St. Benedict's	Omaha, NE	W 33–14	4,700–5,200	[4]
November 4	Washburn	Omaha, NE	W 27–10	1,900
November 11	at No. 1 Pittsburg State	Pittsburg, KS	L 18–34		[5]
November 18	Drake	Omaha, NE	L 13–36	1,800–2,400	[6]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^{[7] [8]}

Fort Hays State

1961 Fort Hays State Tigers football
Conference	Central Intercollegiate Conference
Record	4–4–1 (3–2 CIC)
Head coach	Wayne J. McConnell (6th season)
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 Fort Hays State Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Fort Hays State University of Hays, Kansas during the 1961 college football season. In their sixth season under head coach Wayne J. McConnell, the team compiled a 4–4–1 record (3–2 against CIC opponents) and finished in third place in the CIC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 16	Kearney State *	Hays, KS	W 24–0
September 23	at Northwest Missouri State *	Maryville, MO	L 16–17
September 30	at Colorado College *	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	L 6–14	1,000	[9]
October 7	Eastern New Mexico *	Hays, KS	T 19–19
October 14	Omaha	Hays, KS	L 0–26
October 21	at No. 1 Pittsburg State	Pittsburg, KS	L 7–41		[10]
October 28	Emporia State	Hays, KS	W 12–7
November 4	St. Benedict's	Hays, KS	W 21–14
November 10	at Washburn	Topeka, KS	W 14–7
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^{[11] [12]}

St. Benedict's

1961 St. Benedict's Ravens football
Conference	Central Intercollegiate Conference
Record	2–7 (2–3 CIC)
Head coach	Ivan Schottel (9th season)
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 St. Benedict's Ravens football team represented St. Benedict's College (later renamed Benedictine College) of Atchison, Kansas, during the 1961 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Ivan Schottel, the team compiled a 2–7 record (2–3 against CIC opponents) and finished in fourth place in the CIC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 23	at Hillsdale *	Hillsdale, MI	L 0–20		[13]
September 30	Southeast Missouri State *	Amelia Earhart Field Atchison, KS	L 0–14
October 7	Southwest Missouri State *	Amelia Earhart Field Atchison, KS	L 0–7
October 14	at No. 4 Pittsburg State	Pittsburg, KS	L 0–26		[14]
October 21	Washburn	Amelia Earhart Field Atchison, KS	W 25–14
October 28	at Omaha	Omaha, NE	L 14–33	4,700–5,200	[4] [7]
November 4	at Fort Hays State	Lewis Field Hays, KS	L 14–21
November 11	Emporia State	Amelia Earhart Field Atchison, KS	W 19–0
November 18	William Jewell *		L 14–34
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[15]

Emporia State

1961 Emporia State Hornets football
Conference	Central Intercollegiate Conference
Record	1–8 (1–4 CIC)
Head coach	Keith Caywood (7th season)
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University of Emporia, Kansas, during the 1946 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Keith Caywood, the team compiled a 1–8 record (1–4 against CIC opponents) and finished in fifth place in the CIC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 16	at Lincoln (MO) *	Jefferson City, MO	L 16–22
September 23	at Southwest Missouri State *	Springfield, MO	L 12–19
September 30	Central State (OK) *	Emporia, KS	L 7–27		[16]
October 7	at Central Missouri State *	Warrensburg, MO	L 7–12
October 14	Washburn	Emporia, KS	W 26–10
October 21	Omaha	Emporia, KS	L 21–27
October 28	Fort Hays State	Hays, KS	L 7–12
November 4	No. 1 Pittsburg State	Emporia, KS	L 0–35		[17]
November 11	St. Benedict's	Amelia Earhart Field Atchison, KS	L 0–19
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[18]

Washburn

1961 Washburn Ichabods football
Conference	Central Intercollegiate Conference
Record	3–6 (0–5 CIC)
Head coach	Ralph Brown (3rd season)
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

The 1961 Washburn Ichabods football team represented Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas, during the 1961 college football season. In their third season under head coach Ralph Brown, the team compiled an 3–6 record (0–5 against CIC opponents) and finished in last place in the CIC.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 16	at Colorado College	Washburn Field Colorado Springs, CO	W 18–14	1,000	[9]
September 22	Northeast Missouri State *	Topeka, KS	L 9–27	4,200	[19]
September 30	Central Missouri State *		W 27–13
October 7	Colorado Mines *	Topeka, KS	W 20–6
October 14	Emporia State		L 10–26
October 21	St. Benedict's	Amelia Earhart Field Atchison, KS	L 14–25
October 28	No. 1 Pittsburg State	Topeka, KS	L 0–40	5,500	[20]
November 4	Omaha		L 10–27	1,900	[7]
November 10	Fort Hays State *		L 7–14
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[21]

References

1. Harold Claassen (December 6, 1961). "Annual Little All-Americans -- Small College Stars Selected". The Shreveport Journal. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
2. Maurice Shadle (September 24, 1961). "O. U. Strikes Fast for 27-6 Decision". Omaha World-Herald. pp. 1C, 7C – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Mines Halts Omaha Win String, 13-12". Omaha World-Herald. October 1, 1961. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Indians Roll, 33-14; 5,200 Fans Cheer". Omaha World-Herald. October 29, 1961. pp. 1C, 8C – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Pittsburg Stymies Omaha U. by 34-18". Sunday World-Herald. November 12, 1961. pp. 1C, 11C – via Newspapers.com.
6. Maurice Shadle (November 19, 1961). "Drake Romps Past Omahans by 36-13". Omaha World-Herald. p. Sports 1, 6 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (1961 Omaha)". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved August 6, 2024.
8. Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 126.
9. "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (1961 Colorado College)". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved August 6, 2024.
10. "Fort Hays State Tigers Become First Team To Score On Pittsburg This Year". Hays Daily News. October 22, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 150.
12. "1961 Football Schedule". Fort Hays State University Athletics. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
13. "Dales 20 Ravens 0: Hillsdale's Slashing Attack Unleashes Long TD Runs". The Atchison Daily Globe. September 24, 1961. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Pitt Adds Ravens to List, 26-0". St. Joseph News-Press. October 18, 1961. p. 2B – via Newspapers.com.
15. Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 157.
16. "Bronchos Rout Emporia State". The Daily Oklahoman. September 30, 1961. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Powerful Pittsburg State Romps Over Hornets 35-0". The Gazette (Emporia, KS). November 6, 1961. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
18. Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 108.
19. "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (1961 Northeast Missouri State)". National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved August 6, 2024.
20. "Gorillas Breeze in by 40: Washburn Just No Match as Top-Ranked Pittsburg State Racks Up Seventh Straight Triumph, 40-0, in C.I.C. Game". The Kansas City Star. October 29, 1961. p. 5B – via Newspapers.com.
21. Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 159.