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1961 SMU Mustangs football team

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1961 SMU Mustangs football
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Record2–7–1 (1–5–1 SWC)
Head coach
CaptainBobby Hunt, Max Christian, Mike Rice
Home stadiumCotton Bowl
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Texas + 6 – 1 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 9 Arkansas + 6 – 1 – 0 8 – 3 – 0
Rice 5 – 2 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Texas A&M 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 1
TCU 2 – 4 – 1 3 – 5 – 2
Baylor 2 – 5 – 0 6 – 5 – 0
Texas Tech 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 0
SMU 1 – 5 – 1 2 – 7 – 1
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 SMU Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1961 college football season. In their fifth and final year under head coach Bill Meek, the Mustangs compiled a 2–7–1 record (1–5–1 in conference games), finished last out of eight teams in the SWC, and were outscored by a total of 191 to 92.[1]

The team's statistical leaders were Jerry Rhome (693 passing yards), Billy Gannon (187 rushing yards), and Buddy Nichols (161 receiving yards).[2]

A few hours after the final game of the season, SMU announced that Meek had been fired as the team's head coach.[3] In five seasons under Meek, SMU won only 10 SWC games and compiled an overall record of 17–29–4.

The team played its home games at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23Maryland*
L 6–1417,000[4]
September 29at USC*
L 16–2129,148[5]
October 7Air Force*
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 9–728,000
October 21at Rice
L 0–1037,000[6]
October 28Texas Tech
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 8–717,000[7]
November 4No. 3 Texas
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
L 0–2741,000[8]
November 11at Texas A&M
L 12–2518,000[9]
November 18Arkansas
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
L 7–2117,000[10]
November 25at Baylor
L 6–3117,000[11]
December 2at TCU
T 28–2820,000[3]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

[edit]
1961 SMU Mustangs football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
QB 17 Jerry Rhome So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "1961 SMU Mustangs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "1961 SMU Mustangs Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Bill Van Fleet (December 3, 1961). "Ponies Fight Back, Tie TCU, 28-28: Big Rallies Mark Wild SWC Fray". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. pp. 1, 4 (section 2).
  4. ^ "Terps stymie late SMU drives, post 14–6 victory". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 24, 1961. Retrieved January 19, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Al Wolf (September 30, 1961). "Brown Runs 93 For TD; Trojans Win; 29,148 See SMU Bow, 21-16". Los Angeles Times. pp. 1, 4 (part II) – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Paul Brookshire (October 22, 1961). "Owls Score in First Half To Beat Mustangs, 10-0". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 3 (section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Galyn Wilkins (October 29, 1961). "Ponies Pin 8-7 Defeat On Raiders". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. pp. 1, 4 (section 3) – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Saxton puts Texas by SMU". The Victoria Advocate. November 5, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ George Wallace (November 12, 1961). "Aggies Stop Pony Star, Win, 25-12: Cadets Control Ball In Fourth Quarter". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. pp. 1, 4 (section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Herb Owens (November 19, 1961). "Hogs Whip Ponies, 21-7, Pull Into Tie for Lead". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 2 (section 2) – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Dave Campbell (November 26, 1961). "Bruins Explode Early, Bury Mustangs; Stanley Sets Air Mark in 31-6 Romp". Waco Tribune-Herald. pp. 1B, 2B – via Newspapers.com.


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