1961 Lehigh Engineers football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1961 Lehigh Engineers football Middle Atlantic Conference University Division MAC 7–2 3–2 Bill Leckonby 16th Michael Semcheski Taylor Stadium Lambert Cup The 1961 Lehigh Engineers football team was an American football team that represented Lehigh University during the 1961 college football season. Despite not winning either of its two conferences, Lehigh was awarded the Lambert Cup as the best small-college football team in the East. In their 16th year under head coach Bill Leckonby, the Engineers compiled a 7–2 record.Lehigh Football Record Book Year-by-Year Results Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pa. 22 June 20, 2020 https://static.lehighsports.com/custompages/Record%20Books/Football/Football%20Record%20Book%20060419.pdf Michael Semcheski was the team captain.Lehigh Football Record Book Lehigh Football Captains Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pa. 12 June 20, 2020 https://static.lehighsports.com/custompages/Record%20Books/Football/Football%20Record%20Book%20060419.pdf In conference play, Lehigh's 3–2 record against opponents in the Middle Atlantic Conference, University Division, secured a tie with Delaware, and placed them behind Rutgers (4–0) and Bucknell (5–2). The Engineers went 1–1 against the Middle Three, losing to Rutgers and beating Lafayette. The Engineers were a sporadic entry on the national small college rankings. Lehigh was rated No. 9, with one first-place vote, in the October 5, 1961 AP poll, but dropped out of the top 10 the next week. The team returned to the AP rankings on November 9, 1961, at No. 8, before rising the next week to No. 6, its eventual year-end ranking. The season's first UPI coaches poll did not place Lehigh in the top 20, though the Engineers made it to No. 19 for two weeks in October 1961 before returning for good in mid-November 1961. Following the rivalry victory over Lafayette, Lehigh climbed to a final ranking of No. 11 in the coaches poll. In both polls, Lehigh ended up the top-ranked team in the geographic area covered by the Lambert awards. Rutgers, which defeated Lehigh and won both conferences, was considered a "major" university and not eligible for the Lambert Cup. Of the eight members of the Lambert selection committee, seven listed Lehigh as their No. 1 choice, with the eighth listing it as No. 2. As the winners of the inaugural small-college Lambert Cup in 1957, Lehigh became the first college to receive the award twice.Lehigh Lambert Cup Winner; Amherst 2d United Press International November 29, 1961 38 The Boston Daily Globe Boston, Mass. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68542363/1961-lehigh-lambert/ Lehigh played its home games at Taylor Stadium on the university campus in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Schedule 1961 small college UPI y y y September 23 @ Delaware Delaware Stadium Newark, DE (rivalry) L 6 14 7,100 Second Team Credited with Sparking U. of D. Victory Izzy Katzman Izzy Katzman September 25, 1961 26 Evening Journal Wilmington, Del. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68456687/1961-delaware-lehigh/ September 30 @ Harvard<ncg> Harvard Stadium Boston, MA W 22 17 11,000 Lehigh Sets Back Harvard, 22 to 17, on 2 Late Passes October 1, 1961 S7 The New York Times New York, N.Y. October 7 @ 1961 Gettysburg Bullets Gettysburg Memorial Field Gettysburg, PA W 20 6 5,000 Bullets Show Improvement but Go Down Before Big Lehigh Grid Squad 20-6 October 9, 1961 5 The Gettysburg Times Gettysburg, Pa. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68459141/1961-lehigh-gettysburg/ October 14 Merchant Marine<ncg> 19 Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA W 20 6 6,000 Lehigh Laces Kings Point Jim Buss October 15, 1961 D1 Sunday Call-Chronicle Allentown, Pa. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68460797/1961-lehigh-marine/ October 21 @ Rutgers 19 Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ L 15 32 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 @ Columbia<ncg> Baker Field New York, NY W 14 7 10,000–10,429 Lehigh Tops Columbia; Engineers Rally Robert L. Teague October 29, 1961 S1 The New York Times New York, N.Y. November 4 Colgate Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA W 20 15 10,000 Lehigh Checks Colgate Tommy Holmes November 5, 1961 1C Democrat and Chronicle Rochester, N.Y. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68463534/1961-colgate-lehigh/ November 11 Bucknell 11 Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA W 12 7 11,000 Lehigh Escapes Bucknell Scare, 12-7 Jim Buss November 12, 1961 D1 Sunday Call-Chronicle Allentown, Pa. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68465032/1961-bucknell-lehigh/ November 18 Lafayette 15 Taylor Stadium Bethlehem, PA (The Rivalry) W 17 14 15,000 Lehigh Field Goal Reverses Lafayette in Last 6 Seconds Bob Fachet November 19, 1961 S1 The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia, Pa. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/68465360/1961-lafayette-lehigh/ Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (1961 Lehigh) https://stats.ncaa.org/team/352/stats/12865 National Collegiate Athletic Association August 16, 2024 References Lehigh Lehigh Category:Lehigh Mountain Hawks football seasons Lehigh Engineers football