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1961 Georgia Bulldogs football team

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1961 Georgia Bulldogs football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
Record3–7 (2–5 SEC)
Head coach
Home stadiumSanford Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Alabama + 7 – 0 – 0 11 – 0 – 0
No. 4 LSU + 6 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 5 Ole Miss 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
No. 13 Georgia Tech 4 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Tennessee 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Florida 3 – 3 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
Auburn 3 – 4 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
Kentucky 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Georgia 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Mississippi State 1 – 5 – 0 5 – 5 – 0
Tulane 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
Vanderbilt 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 8 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 Georgia Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented the University of Georgia as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1961 college football season. In their first year under head coach Johnny Griffith, the Bulldogs compiled a 3–7 record (2–5 in conference games), finished in ninth place in the SEC, and were outscored by a total of 177 to 84.[1]

The team's statistical leaders included Larry Rakestraw (710 passing yards) and Billy McKenny (328 rushing yards, 202 receiving yards).[2] Tackle Peter Case received first-team honors on the 1961 All-SEC football team.

The team played its home games at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23No. 3 Alabama
L 6–3244,000[3]
September 30Vanderbilt
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA (rivalry)
L 0–2122,000[4]
October 7South Carolina*
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA (rivalry)
W 17–1430,000[5]
October 14at Florida State*
L 0–321,200[6]
October 21vs. Mississippi State
W 10–718,000[7]
October 28Kentuckydagger
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA
W 16–1531,000[8]
November 3at Miami (FL)*
L 7–3238,210[9]
November 11vs. Florida
L 14–2147,000[10]
November 18Auburn
  • Sanford Stadium
  • Athens, GA (rivalry)
L 7–1041,000[11]
December 2at Georgia Tech
L 7–2247,098[12]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[13]

Statistics

[edit]

The Bulldogs gained an average of 104.3 rushing yards and 92.0 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 138.5 rushing yards and 91.0 passing yards per game.[2]

Quarterback Larry Rakestraw completed 68 of 136 passes (50.0%) for 710 yards with four touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and an 85.9 quarterback rating. Rakestraw also rushed for 131 yards for a team-best 841 yards of total offense.[2]

Bill McKenny led the team in both rushing (328 yards, 81 carries, 4.0-yard average) and receiving (23 passes, 202 yards). Other notable performers were Bill Godfrey (234 rushing yards, 64 carries, 3.7-yard average) and John Landry (11 receptions, 191 yards).[2]

Awards and honors

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Tackle Peter Case received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and second team honors from the United Press International (UPI) on the 1961 All-SEC football team.[14][15]

Quarterback Larry Rakestraw was selected as the quarterback on the AP's All-SEC sophomore football team.[16]

Personnel

[edit]

Players

[edit]
  • Bobby Allen, guard, 207 pounds
  • Frederick Amtower
  • Michael Babb
  • Elmer Blanchard
  • Richard Boykin, halfback, 165 pounds
  • Rooks Boynton
  • Ronald Lee "Pete" Case, tackle and captain, 221 pounds
  • George Cheek
  • Clyde Childers, end, 207 pounds
  • Ray Clark, end and captain, 207 pounds
  • James Cone
  • MacArthur Faircloth
  • David Aaron Godfrey, fullback, 195 pounds
  • Bobby Green
  • Carlton Guthrie
  • Len Hauss, center, 215 pounds
  • Paul Holmes, Jr., tackle, 212 pounds
  • William Ivey
  • Richard Kelly
  • William Knowles, Jr., halfback, 167 pounds
  • John Landry, Jr., end, 182 pounds
  • Raymond Maddox
  • John McEachern
  • Charles J. McKenny, III
  • Bill McKenny, halfback, 185 pounds
  • Durward Pennington, Jr.
  • Larry Rakestraw, quarterback, sophomore, 188 pounds
  • Jake Saye, quarterback, 176 pounds
  • Patrick Smith, center, 200 pounds
  • Wayne Taylor, fullback, 195 pounds
  • Kenneth Vann, guard, 215 pounds
  • Leonard Vella
  • A.D. Watson, III
  • Ralph Westmoreland
  • Langdale Williams
  • Wallace Williamson, guard, 200 pounds
  • Brigham Woodward

Coaches and staff

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1961 Georgia Bulldogs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "1961 Georgia Bulldogs Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Alabama whips Georgia". Chattanooga Sunday Times. September 24, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Vanderbilt vanquishes Georgia in 21–0 upset". The Clarion-Ledger. October 1, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Georgia rallies to top Gamecocks, 17–14". The Times and Democrat. October 8, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "FSU upsets Georgia 3–0 on Messer's field goal". The Tampa Tribune. October 15, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Georgia over Maroons 10–7". The Decatur Daily. October 22, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Georgia stops Kentucky, 16–15". The Macon Telegraph & News. October 29, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Miami beats Georgia, 32–7; Mira scores two". The Warren County Observer. November 4, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Florida stages rally in last 5 minutes, trims Georgia by 21–14". Chattanooga Sunday Times. November 12, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Hunt triggers Tiger win over Dogs, 10–7". The Macon Telegraph & News. November 19, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Ga. Tech whips Georgia, 22–7". Kingsport Times-News. December 3, 1961. Retrieved October 11, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1961 Football Schedule". GeorgiaDogs.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  14. ^ "AP's All-SEC". The Monroe News-Star. December 5, 1961. p. 8. Retrieved June 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  15. ^ "UPI All-Southeastern". The Delta Democrat-Times. November 29, 1961. p. 12. Retrieved June 8, 2015 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  16. ^ "Faircloth, Rakestraw Top AP's All-SEC Sophomores". The Atlanta Constituteion. December 4, 1961. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
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