1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football Alex Kroll and John Bateman.png 250 Captain Alex Kroll and head coach John F. Bateman Middle Atlantic Conference University Division MAC 15 9–0 4–0 John F. Bateman 2nd Sam Mudie Alex Kroll Rutgers Stadium MAC University Division champion The 1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team was an American football team that represented Rutgers University as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) during the 1961 college football season. In their second season under head coach John F. Bateman, the Scarlet Knights compiled a perfect 9–0 record (4–0 in conference games), won the MAC University Division championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 246 to 102. It was Rutgers' first undefeated season, 92 years after winning the first ever intercollegiate football game in 1869. The team ranked fifteenth in the final Associated Press writers poll.AP Rankings Tucson Citizen December 5, 1961 29 https://www.newspapers.com/article/tucson-citizen-ap/153073125/ Newspapers.com Rutgers was one of two major teams to compile a perfect season in 1961, Alabama being the other. The Scarlet Knights were considered a contender for the 1962 Rose Bowl, but Rutgers officials stated that it was the university's policy to turn down any and all bowl bids.Rutgers U. Students Seek Bowl Trip Bristol Courier December 2, 1961 11 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bristol-daily-courier-rutgers-u-stu/153076362/ Newspapers.com Center and team captain Alex Kroll was a consensus first-team All-American and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Sam Mudie played quarterback on offense and safety on defense and was selected as the team's most valuable player. He led the team with 703 yards of total offense (402 rushing, 300 passing), 60 points scored, and six interceptions with 167 return yards. The team played its home games at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Schedule y y September 30 at Princeton<ncg> Palmer Stadium Princeton, NJ (rivalry) W 16-13 41,000 Rutgers Defeats Princeton; Tigers Bow, 16-13 Joseph M. Sheehan October 1, 1961 S1 The New York Times New York, N.Y. October 7 Connecticut<ncg> Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ W 35-12 11,000 Rutgers Trounces Connecticut by 35-12 Bill Newell October 8, 1961 3C The Hartford Courant Hartford, Conn. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68458299/1961-rutgers-uconn/ October 14 at Bucknell Memorial Stadium Lewisburg, PA W 21-6 8,000 Rutgers Dumps Bucknell, 21-6 Jimmie Fleming October 15, 1961 1 The Sunday Home News New Brunswick, N.J. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68460274/1961-bucknell-rutgers/ October 21 Lehigh<hc> Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ W 32-15 17,000 Rutgers Swamps Lehigh in Rain Jimmie Fleming October 22, 1961 1 The Sunday Home News New Brunswick, N.J. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68461959/1961-lehigh-rutgers/ October 28 at Penn<ncg> Franklin Field Philadelphia, PA W 20-6 14,996 Rutgers Continues as Easts' Major Unbeaten Football Team by Halting Penn Lincoln A. Werden October 29, 1961 S2 The New York Times New York, N.Y. November 4 at Lafayette Fisher Field Easton, PA W 37-6 6,500 Rutgers Wallops Lafayette to Remain Undefeated Sunday Call-Chronicle Allentown, Pa. Bob Yarashus November 5, 1961 D1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44281941/rutgers_wallops_lafayette_to_remain/ Newspapers.com November 11 Delaware Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ W 27-19 22,000 Rutgers Trips Delaware for MAC Title Herb Good November 12, 1961 S1 The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, Pa. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68464628/1961-delaware-rutgers/ November 18 at Colgate<ncg> Colgate Athletic Field Hamilton, NY W 26-6 8,500 Rutgers Defeats Colgate, 26 to 6 Lincoln A. Werden The New York Times New York, N.Y. November 19, 1961 S1 November 25 Columbia<ncg> Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ W 32-19 25,000 Rutgers Gets Undefeated Season Jimmie Fleming The Sunday Home News New Brunswick, N.J. November 26, 1961 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44283220/rutgers_gets_undefeated_season/ Newspapers.com Awards Alex Kroll, who played at center on offense and linebacker on defense, was a consensus first-team pick at center on the 1961 All-America team. He received first-team honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Newspaper Enterprise Association, and United Press International.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 9 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf With Kroll's strength in the middle of the line, Rutgers used the quarterback sneak as an offensive weapon, scoring seven touchdowns on the play. He was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.Alex Kroll National Football Foundation August 11, 2024 https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1926 Kroll and fullback Steve Simms received first-team honors on the 1961 All-Eastern football team.Kroll and Simms Are Voted To AP All-East First Team The Daily Home News December 1, 1961 22 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/106256083/kroll-and-simms-are-voted-to-ap/ Newspapers.comPenn State Puts Three on All-Eastern Team The Beaver County Times December 7, 1961 18 https://books.google.com/books?id=hukuAAAAIBAJ&dq=1961+All-Eastern+football+team&pg=PA31&article_id=6035,1195662 Quarterback Sam Mudie won the Homer Hazel Award as the team's most valuable player.1961: The Gold Standard Rutgers University November 4, 2021 https://scarletknights.com/news/2021/11/4/football-1961-the-gold-standard.aspx Statistics Rutgers tallied 2,612 yards of total offense, consisting of 1,968 rushing yards (218.7 yards per game) and 644 passing yards (71.6 yards per game). On defense, the team held opponents to 2,114 yards with 1,230 rushing yards (136.7 yards per game) and 884 passing yards (98.2 yards per game). Rutgers also intercepted 23 passes which they returned for 405 yards. The team's passing leaders were Bill Speranza (15 of 46 for 318 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions) and Sam Mudie (23 of 64 for 300 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions).1961 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Stats Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football August 10, 2024 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/rutgers/1961.html The team's rushing leaders were Steve Simms (614 yards, 130 carries, 4.7 yard average), Sam Mudie (403 yards, 80 carries), Bill Thompson (372 yards, 67 carries), and Pierce Frauenheim (190 yards, 46 carries). The receiving leaders were Lee Curley (12 catches, 274 yards), Pierce Frauenheim (six catches, 108 yards), and Bob Flower (five catches, 77 yards). The scoring leaders were Sam Mudie (60 points), Pierce Frauenheim (32 points), Bill Speranza (30 points), Pierce Frauenheim (30 points), Steve Simms (30 points), Bill Thompson (18 points), and Lee Curley (18 points). Mudie also led the team in total offense (703 yards on 144 plays).Mudie, Simms, Speranza Were Rutgers Leaders on Offense The Daily Home News November 30, 1961 23 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-mudie/153070571/ Newspapers.com Rutgers led the country with 23 interceptions. They tallied 405 return yards on the 23 interceptions. Mudie led the team with six interceptions and 167 return yards. He tallied three interceptions returned for 117 yards in Rutgers' victory over Colgate.All-East QB Berth To Rutgers' Mudie The Daily Home News November 21, 1961 11 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-all-eas/153072239/ Newspapers.com Pierce Frauenheim added four interceptions for 50 yards, while Bob Yaksic and Keith Krayer had three each. Players 20em Addison Bradley, guard Bill Craft, end Lee Curley, end Romeo Dixon, halfback George Elias, tackle Marv Engle, end Pierce Frauenheim, halfback and safety Gus Giebelhaus, tackle Bob Harrison, guard Bradley Harrison, guard Hoeflinger, guard Tom Kocaj, guard Joe Kowalski, fullback and corner linebacker Alex Kroll, center and captain Dick Lawrence, end Sam Mudie, quarterback and safety Jon Paulson, center Steve Simms, fullback Tony Simonelli, tackle Bill Speranza, quarterback Tom Tappen, tackle Bill Thompson, halfback Dick Webb, halfback Bob Yaksick, halfback and corner linebacker Helmet stickers Michael Pellowski, in his book Rutgers Football: A Gridiron Tradition in Scarlet, credits Rutgers defensive backs coach Dewey King with being "one of the first" to award helmet stickers in 1961. The stickers were given for interceptions only. Every time there was an interception, the crowd yelled "give him the star." The stars can be seen in a photo of the 1961 Rutgers team walking from the locker room to the field prior to the season finale against Columbia.http://image.nj.com/home/njo-media/width960/img/njcom_photos/photo/2014/11/14/-84504ed9fd572be7.jpg Rutgers football 1961: 'The greatest team, the greatest season, and the greatest coach that any college ever had' Sargeant, Keith November 14, 2014 NJ Advance Media for NJ.com May 5, 2016 References Rutgers Rutgers Category:Rutgers Scarlet Knights football seasons Category:College football undefeated seasons Rutgers Scarlet Knights football