1961 major college football rankings

none August 2023 December 2025 1961 Iowa Alabama Two human polls comprised the 1961 major college football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. Legend   Increase in ranking   Decrease in ranking   Not ranked previous week   National champion (#–#)   Win–loss record (Italics)   Number of first place votes т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol AP poll November 2025 The final AP poll was released on December 5, at the end of the regular season, weeks before the bowls.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=olspAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ecDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4343%2C1944288 Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington Associated Press Bryant says Crimson Tide best team he's ever had December 6, 1961 15 Starting in the 1961 season and until the 1967 season, the AP poll ranked only 10 teams. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (Final) Aug Sep 25 Oct 2 Oct 9 Oct 16 Oct 23 Oct 30 Nov 6 Nov 13 Nov 20 Nov 27 Dec 5 Iowa (22) Ohio State (15) Alabama (3) Texas (1) LSU Michigan State Penn State (1) Kansas (1) Ole Miss (2) Syracuse Iowa (0–0) (19) Ole Miss (1–0) (12) u Ohio State (0–0) (7) d Alabama (1–0) (6) d Syracuse (1–0) u Texas (1–0) (1) d Rice (0–0) (2) npr Penn State (1–0) (2) d UCLA (1–0) npr Michigan State (0–0) d Kansas LSU Iowa (1–0) (24) Ole Miss (2–0) (16) Georgia Tech (2–0) (7) npr Alabama (2–0) (1) Texas (2–0) (2) u Michigan State (1–0) (1) u Syracuse (2–0) d Ohio State (0–0–1) d Michigan (1–0) npr Baylor (1–0) npr UCLA Penn State Rice Ole Miss (3–0) (24) u Iowa (2–0) (11) d Alabama (3–0) (4) u Texas (3–0) (3) u Michigan State (2–0) (2) u Michigan (2–0) (2) u Ohio State (1–0–1) u Notre Dame (2–0) (1) npr Baylor (2–0) u Maryland (3–0) npr Georgia Tech Syracuse Michigan State (3–0) (16) u Ole Miss (4–0) (21) d Texas (4–0) (2) u Iowa (3–0) (2) d Alabama (4–0) (4) d Notre Dame (3–0) (1) u Ohio State (2–0–1) (1) Georgia Tech (3–1) npr Colorado (3–0) npr Arkansas (3–1) т tnpr LSU (3–1) т npr Baylor Maryland Michigan Michigan State (4–0) (29) Ole Miss (5–0) (11) Texas (5–0) (3) Alabama (5–0) (4) u Iowa (4–0) (1) d Ohio State (3–0–1) u LSU (4–1) u Notre Dame (3–1) d Georgia Tech (4–1) d Colorado (4–0) d Arkansas Michigan State (5–0) (31) Ole Miss (6–0) (8) Texas (6–0) (6) Alabama (6–0) (2) Ohio State (4–0–1) u LSU (5–1) u Georgia Tech (5–1) u Colorado (5–0) u Iowa (4–1) d Missouri (5–0–1) npr Notre Dame Texas (7–0) (35) u Alabama (7–0) (6) u Ohio State (5–0–1) (7) u LSU (6–1) u Minnesota (5–1) npr Michigan State (5–1) d Ole Miss (6–1) d Colorado (6–0) Georgia Tech (6–1) d Missouri (5–1–1) Iowa Texas (8–0) (41) Alabama (8–0) (3) Ohio State (6–0–1) (2) LSU (7–1) (1) Minnesota (6–1) Ole Miss (7–1) u Purdue (5–2) npr Colorado (6–1) Michigan State (5–2) d Syracuse (6–2) npr Georgia Tech Missouri Alabama (9–0) (39) u Ohio State (7–0–1) (6) u Minnesota (7–1) (2) u LSU (8–1) (1) Texas (8–1) d Ole Miss (8–1) (1) Colorado (7–1) u Michigan State (6–2) u Arkansas (7–2) npr Kansas (6–2–1) npr Purdue Syracuse Alabama (9–0) (26) Ohio State (8–0–1) (21) LSU (9–1) (1) u Texas (9–1) u Ole Miss (8–1) (1) u Colorado (8–1) u Minnesota (7–2) d Michigan State (7–2) Arkansas (8–2) Missouri (7–2–1) npr Kansas Alabama (10–0) (26) nc Ohio State (8–0–1) (20) Texas (9–1) u LSU (9–1) (1) d Ole Miss (9–1) (1) Minnesota (7–2) u Colorado (9–1) d Michigan State (7–2) Arkansas (8–2) Utah State (9–0–1) npr Missouri UPI Coaches Poll The final United Press International (UPI) Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on December 5.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3lBYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=evcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6729%2C220534 Bend Bulletin Oregon UPI Joyce Dick Alabama No. 1 football team in final UPI poll December 5, 1961 3 Alabama received 18 of the 35 first-place votes; Ohio State received fifteen, Ole Miss one, and Colorado one. Ranking Team Conference Bowl 1 Alabama SEC Won Sugar, 10–3 2 Ohio State Big Ten none 3 LSU SEC Won Orange, 25–7 4 Texas Southwest Won Cotton, 12–7 5 Ole Miss SEC Lost Cotton, 7–12 6 Minnesota Big Ten Won Rose, 21–3 7 Colorado Big Eight Lost Orange, 7–25 8 Arkansas Southwest Lost Sugar, 3–10 9 Michigan State Big Ten none 10 Utah State Skyline Lost Gotham, 9–2411 Purdue Big Tennone Missouri Big Eight 13 Georgia Tech SEC Lost Gator, 15–30 14 Duke ACC none 15 Kansas Big Eight Won Bluebonnet, 33–7 16 Syracuse Independent Won Liberty, 15–14 17 Wyoming Skylinenone 18 Wisconsin Big Ten19 Miami (FL) Independent Lost Liberty, 14–15 Penn State Independent Won Gator, 30–15 Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and AAWU (later Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl. The Ivy League has prohibited its members from participating in postseason football since the league was officially formed in 1954. See also 1961 College Football All-America Team References * Category:College football rankings