1961 Harvard Crimson football team

1961 Harvard Crimson football
Ivy League co-champion
Conference	Ivy League
Record	6–3 (6–1 Ivy)
Head coach	John Yovicsin (5th season)
Captain	Alex W. “Pete” Hart
Home stadium	Harvard Stadium
Seasons ←  1960 1962  →

1961 Ivy League football standings
v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Columbia +	6	–	1	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Harvard +	6	–	1	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Dartmouth	5	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Princeton	5	–	2	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Yale	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	0
Cornell	2	–	5	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Penn	1	–	6	–	0			2	–	7	–	0
Brown	0	–	7	–	0			0	–	9	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions

The 1961 Harvard Crimson football team was an American football team that represented Harvard University during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. Harvard was co-champion of the Ivy League.

In their fifth year under head coach John Yovicsin, the Crimson compiled a 6–3 record but and outscored opponents 160 to 97. Alex W. “Pete” Hart was the team captain. ^[1]

The Crimson's 6–1 conference record tied for best in the Ivy League standings. Harvard shared the title though it had lost to the other co-champion, Columbia, during the season. The Crimson outscored Ivy opponents 143 to 60. ^[2]

Harvard played its home games at Harvard Stadium in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 30	Lehigh *	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA	L 17–22	11,000	[3]
October 7	Cornell	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA	W 14–0	11,000	[4]
October 14	Colgate *	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA	L 0–15	12,000	[5]
October 21	Columbia	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA	L 14–26	11,000	[6]
October 28	Dartmouth	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA (rivalry)	W 21–15	32,500	[7]
November 4	at Penn	Franklin Field Philadelphia, PA (rivalry)	W 37–6	15,345	[8]
November 11	Princeton	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA (rivalry)	W 9–7	30,000	[9]
November 18	Brown	Harvard Stadium Boston, MA	W 21–6	10,000	[10]
November 25	at Yale	Yale Bowl New Haven, CT (The Game)	W 27–0	61,789	[11]
*Non-conference game

References

1. "Football Record Book: Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University . Retrieved June 20, 2020.
2. "Year-by-Year History". Ivy League Football Media Guide (PDF). Princeton, N.J.: Ivy League. 2017. p. 23. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
3. "Lehigh Sets Back Harvard, 22 to 17, on 2 Late Passes". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. October 1, 1961. p. S7.
4. Strauss, Michael (October 8, 1961). "Harvard Blanks Cornell, 14-0, in Upset; Halaby Scores Twice for Crimson". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
5. Tuckner, Howard M. (October 15, 1961). "Colgate's Rushing Tops Harvard, 15-0". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
6. Werden, Lincoln A. (October 22, 1961). "Columbia Wins; Lions Score, 26-14". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
7. White, Gordon S. Jr. (October 29, 1961). "Harvard Halts Dartmouth, 21-15; 32,500 See Upset". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
8. Effrat, Louis (November 5, 1961). "Harvard Running Trims Penn, 37-6, in 3d Ivy Victory". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
9. Sheehan, Joseph M. (November 12, 1961). "Harvard Wins, 9-7; Princeton Loses". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
10. White, Gordon S. Jr. (November 19, 1961). "Harvard Tops Brown, 21-6; Crimson Runners Excel". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.
11. Danzig, Allison (November 26, 1961). "Harvard Crushes Yale, 27-0, and Ties for Ivy Title; 61,789 at Bowl". The New York Times . New York, N.Y. p. S1.