View source for 1961 Rocky Mountain Conference football season

{{Infobox sports season
| title              = 1961 Rocky Mountain Conference football season
| color              =
| color text         =
| league             =
| sport              = Football
| logo               =
| pixels             =
| caption            =
| duration           =
| no_of_teams        = 5
| attendance         =
| TV                 =
| draft              =
| draft_link         =
| top_pick           =
| picked_by          =
| season             =
| season_champs      = [[1961 Adams State Indians football team|Adams State]]
| season_champ_name  = Champion
| league_champs      =
| league_champ_name  =
| second_place       =
| minor_premiers     =
| MVP                =
| MVP_link           =
| Cup_MVP            =
| Cup_MVP_link       =
| top_scorer         =
| top_scorer_link    =
| promote            =
| promote_from       =
| relegate           =
| relegate_to        =
| playoffs           =
| playoffs_link      =
| conf1              =
| conf1_link         =
| conf1_champ        =
| conf1-runner-up    =
| conf2              =
| conf2_link         =
| conf2_champ        =
| conf2-runner-up    =
| playoffs_MVP       =
| playoffs_MVP_link  =
| finals             =
| finals_link        =
| finals_champ       =
| finals_runner-up   =
| finals_MVP         =
| finals_MVP_link    =
| final_four_MVP     =
| final_four_MVP_link=
| seasonslist        =
| seasonslistnames = Football
| prevseason_link    =
| prevseason_year  = [[1960 Rocky Mountain Conference football season|1960]]
| altseason_link    =
| altseason_year    =
| nextseason_link    =
| nextseason_year  = [[1962 Rocky Mountain Conference football season|1962]]
}}
{{1961 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings}}
The '''1961 Rocky Mountain Conference football season''' was the season of [[college football]] played by the five member schools of the [[Rocky Mountain Conference]] (RMC) as part of the [[1961 college football season]]. The [[1961 Adams State Indians football team]] defeated all four conference opponents to win the conference championship and compiled an 8–2 overall record.
{{-}}
==Teams==
===Adams State===
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Adams State Indians
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = [[Rocky Mountain Conference]]
| short_conf = RMC
| record = 8–2
| conf_record = 4–0
| head_coach = [[Darrell Mudra]]
| hc_year = 3rd
| captain =
| stadium = Rex Field
| champion = RMC champion
}}
The '''1961 Adams State Indians football team''' represented Adams State College (now known as the [[Adams State University]]) of [[Alamosa, Colorado]]. In their third year under head coach [[Darrell Mudra]], the team compiled an 8–2 record (4–0 against RMC opponents) and won the RMC championship.<ref name=s1/>
Five Adams State players were named to the 1961 all-conference team: halfback Bill Farnsworth; backs Walt Weaver, Bob Hidalgo, and Jim Edwards; and tackle Bob Dando.<ref>{{cite news|title=5 Adams State Gridders Make All-Loop Team|newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan|date=November 30, 1961|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-collins-coloradoan-5-adams-state-gr/151009777/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bears Place Trio on All-RMC Team|newspaper=Greeley Daily Tribune|date=November 27, 1961|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/greeley-daily-tribune-bears-place-trio-o/151010059/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Western New Mexico Mustangs|title=New Mexico Western}}<ncg>|Rex Field|[[Alamosa, Colorado|Alamosa, CO]]|W 43-12||<ref>{{cite news|title=Adams State Raps N.M. Western|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=September 17, 1961|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-adams-state-raps-nm/151005052/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|September 23||[[1961 Arizona State–Flagstaff Lumberjacks football team|Arizona State–Flagstaff]]<ncg>|Rex Field|Alamosa, CO|W 14-6|4,700|<ref>{{cite news|title=Adams State Rally Edges Axers, 14-6|newspaper=Arizona Republic|author=Bill Nixon|date=September 24, 1961|page=2C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-adams-state-rally-edges/151005331/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref name=NCAA>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Arizona State–Flagstaff) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/501/stats/12865 |publisher=[[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] |access-date=December 22, 2022 }}</ref>
|September 30|at|{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds|title=Eastern New Mexico}}<ncg>||[[Portales, New Mexico|Portales, NM]]|L 13-32||<ref>{{cite news|title=Adams State Suffers Its First Loss|newspaper=Greeley Daily Tribune|date=October 2, 1961|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/greeley-daily-tribune-adams-state-suffer/151008322/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 7|at|[[1961 Panhandle A&M Aggies football team|Panhandle A&M]]<ncg>||[[Goodwell, Oklahoma|Goodwell, OK]]|L 7-30||<ref>{{cite news|title=Adams Bows To Panhandle|newspaper=The Daily Oklahoman|date=October 8, 1961|page=6E|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-oklahoman-adams-bows-to-panhan/151007872/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 14|at|[[1961 Western State Mountaineers football team|Western State (CO)]]||[[Gunnison, Colorado|Gunnison CO]]|W 29-0||<ref name=wead>{{cite news|title=Adams Tops Western State|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=October 15, 1961|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-adams-tops-western-st/151008089/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 21||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=New Mexico Highlands Cowboys|title=New Mexico Highlands}}<ncg>|Rex Field|Alamosa, CO|W 32-8|5,100|<ref>{{cite news|title=HU Pokes Fall To Adams State 32-8|newspaper=Las Vegas Daily Optic|author=Eddie Groth|date=October 23, 1961|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/las-vegas-daily-optic-hu-pokes-fall-to-a/151006437/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 28|at|[[1961 Colorado State–Greeley Bears football team|Colorado State–Greeley]]||[[Greeley, Colorado|Greeley, CO]]|W 7-0||<ref name=adgre>{{cite news|title=Adams State Nips CSC Bears, 7-0|newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan|date=October 29, 1961|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-collins-coloradoan-adams-state-nips/151006752/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 4|at|[[1961 Colorado College Tigers football team|Colorado College]]||[[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs, CO]]|W 25-8||<ref name=ccad>{{cite news|title=Adams State Whips Tigers|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=November 5, 1961|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-adams-state-whips-tig/151007005/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 11|at|[[1961 Cal Poly Mustangs football team|Cal Poly]]<ncg>|Mustang Stadium|San Luis Obispo, CA|W 10-6|4,500|<ref>{{cite news|title=Indians Edge Cal Poly, 10-6|newspaper=San Luis Obispo County Telgram-Tribune|date=November 13, 1961|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-indians-edge-cal-poly-10-6/151007316/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 18||[[1961 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team|Colorado Mines]]||Alamosa, CO|W 23-17||<ref name=cmad>{{cite news|title=Indians Lick Mines 23-17|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=November 19, 1961|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-indians-lick-mines-23/151007534/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
}}
<ref name=s1>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1962|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=95}}</ref>
{{Adams State Grizzlies football navbox}}
===Colorado College===
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Colorado College Tigers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = [[Rocky Mountain Conference]]
| short_conf = RMC
| record = 5–3–1
| conf_record = 2–3
| head_coach = [[Jerry Carle]]
| hc_year = 5th
| captain =
| stadium = [[Washburn Field]]
}}
The '''1961 Colorado College Tigers football team''' represented [[Colorado College]] of [[Colorado Springs, Colorado]]. In their fifth year under head coach [[Jerry Carle]], the team compiled a 5–3–1 record (2–3 against RMC opponents) and finished in second place in the RMC.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16||[[1961 Washburn Ichabods football team|Washburn]]<ncg>|[[Washburn Field]]|[[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs, CO]]|L 14-18|1,000|
|September 23|at|{{cfb link|year=1961|team=St. Mary of the Plains Cavaliers|title=St. Mary of the Plains}}<ncg>||[[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City, KS]]|W 9-6||
|September 30||[[1961 Fort Hays State Tigers football team|Fort Hays State]]<ncg>|Washburn Field|Colorado Springs, CO|W 14-6|1,000|
|October 7|at|[[1961 Westminster Parsons football team|Westminster (UT)]]<ncg>||[[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]]|T 6-6||<ref>{{cite news|title=Westminster Linemen Sparkle As Parsons Tie Colorado, 6-6|newspaper=Deseret News|author=Dave Kadleck|date=October 9, 1961|page=6B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/deseret-news-westminster-linemen-sparkle/151320018/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 13|at|[[1961 Colorado State–Greeley Bears football team|Colorado State–Greeley]]|Jackson Field|[[Greeley, Colorado|Greeley, CO]]|W 24-13||<ref name=ccgree>{{cite news|title=CC Razzle-Dazzle Trips Bears, 24-13|newspaper=Greeley Tribune|author=Bob Scales|date=October 16, 1961|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/greeley-daily-tribune-cc-razzle-dazzle-t/151319666/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 28|at|[[1961 Western State Mountaineers football team|Western State (CO)]]||[[Gunnison, Colorado|Gunnison, CO]]|W 34-7||<ref name=wcc>{{cite news|title=Western Scores First, But CC Gains 34-6 Triumph|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=October 29, 1961|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-western-scores-first/151318687/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 4||[[1961 Adams State Indians football team|Adams State]]|Washburn Field|Colorado Springs, CO|L 8-25||<ref name=ccad/>
|November 11||[[1961 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team|Colorado Mines]]|Washburn Field|Colorado Springs, CO|L 7-10||<ref name=cmcc>{{cite news|title=Miners Whip Tigers 10-7|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=November 12, 1961|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-miners-whip-tigers-10/151319419/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 18||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Nebraska Wesleyan Plainsmen|title=Nebraska Wesleyan}}<ncg>|Washburn Field|Colorado Springs, CO|W 34-14||<ref>{{cite news|title=Plainsmen Handed 17th Loss in a Row: Tough Colorado College Is Out-Downed But Wins, 34-14|newspaper=The Lincoln Sunday Journal and Star|date=November 19, 1961|page=4D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lincoln-star-plainsmen-handed-17th-l/151319154/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
}}
<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--Not stated--> |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Colorado College) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/154/stats/12865 |publisher=[[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] |access-date=August 6, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1962|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=103}}</ref>
{{Colorado College Tigers football navbox}}
===Western State===
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Western State Mountaineers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = [[Rocky Mountain Conference]]
| short_conf = RMC
| record = 4–5
| conf_record = 2–2
| head_coach = [[Kay Dalton]]
| hc_year = 1st
| captain =
| stadium = Perkins Stadium
| champion =
}}
The '''1961 Western State Mountaineers football team''' represented Western State College (now known as [[Western Colorado University]]) of [[Gunnison, Colorado]]. In their first year under head coach [[Kay Dalton]], the team compiled a 4–5 record (2–2 against RMC opponents) and finished in a tie for third place in the RMC.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Chadron State Eagles|title=Chadron State}}|Perkins Stadium|[[Gunnison, Colorado|Gunnison, CO]]|W 56-12||<ref>{{cite news|title=Chadron Eagles Swamped By Western State, 56-12|newspaper=Chadron Record|date=September 18, 1961|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chadron-record-chadron-eagles-swamped-by/151322122/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|September 23||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=New Mexico Highlands Cowboys|title=New Mexico Highlands}}|Perkins Stadium|Gunnison, CO|L 3-33|3,100|<ref>{{cite news|title=Cowboys Outclass Western Of Colorado By 33-3 Rout|newspaper=The Optic|date=September 25, 1961|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/las-vegas-daily-optic-cowboys-outclass-w/151335062/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|September 30|at|[[1961 Idaho State Bengals football team|Idaho State]]|[[Spud Bowl]]|[[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello, ID]]|L 10-22||
|October 7||[[1961 Colorado State–Greeley Bears football team|Colorado State–Greeley]]|Perkins Stadium|Gunnison, CO|W 10-8||
|October 14||[[1961 Adams State Indians football team|Adams State]]|Perkins Stadium|Gunnison, CO|L 0-29||<ref name=wead/>
|October 21||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds|title=Eastern New Mexico}}|Perkins Stadium|Gunnison, CO|W 10-9||
|October 28||[[1961 Colorado College Tigers football team|Colorado College]]|[[Washburn Field]]|[[Gunnison, Colorado|Gunnison, CO]]|L 7-34||<ref name=wcc/>
|November 4|at|[[1961 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team|Colorado Mines]]||[[Golden, Colorado|Golden, CO]]|W 20-13||
|November 10|at|[[1961 Central State Bronchos football team|Central State (OK)]]<ncg>||[[Edmond, Oklahoma|Edmond, OK]]|L 0-30|5,000|<ref>{{cite news|title=Coloradoans Fall To Central State|newspaper=Tulsa World|date=November 11, 1961|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tulsa-world-coloradoans-fall-to-central/151336964/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
}}
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1962|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=104}}</ref>
{{Western Colorado Mountaineers football navbox}}
===Colorado Mines===
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Colorado Mines Orediggers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = [[Rocky Mountain Conference]]
| short_conf = RMC
| record = 3–6
| conf_record = 2–2
| head_coach = [[Fritz S. Brennecke]]
| hc_year = 15th
| captain =
| stadium =
| champion =
|bowl =
| bowl_result =
}}
The '''1961 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team''' represented [[Colorado School of Mines]] of [[Golden, Colorado]]. In their 15th year under head coach [[Fritz S. Brennecke]], the team compiled a 3–6 record (2–2 against RMC opponents) and finished in a tie for third place in the RMC.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16||{{cfb link|year=1961|team=New Mexico Highlands Cowboys|title=New Mexico Highlands}}<ncg>||[[Golden, Colorado|Golden, CO]]|L 0-12||
|September 23|at|[[1961 Idaho State Bengals football team|Idaho State]]<ncg>|[[Spud Bowl]]|[[Pocatello, Idaho|Pocatello, ID]]|L 6-50|3,000|
|September 30||[[1961 Omaha Indians football team|Omaha]]<ncg>||Golden, CO|W 13-12||<ref>{{cite news|title=Mines Halts Omaha Win String, 13-12|newspaper=Omaha World-Herald|date=October 1, 1961|page=1C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-mines-halts-omaha/150842595/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 7|at|[[1961 Washburn Ichabods football team|Washburn]]<ncg>||[[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka, KS]]|L 6-20||
|October 14||[[1961 Westminster Parsons football team|Westminster (UT)]]<ncg>||Golden, CO|L 0-6||<ref>{{cite news|title=Parsons 'Kick' Way To Victory|newspaper=Deseret News|author=Dave Kadleck|date=October 16, 1961|page=6B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/deseret-news-parsons-kick-way-to-victo/151579876/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 21||[[1961 Colorado State–Greeley Bears football team|Colorado State-Greeley]]<hc>||Golden, CO|W 13-6||<ref name=cmgree/>
|November 4||[[1961 Western State Mountaineers football team|Western State (CO)]]||Golden, CO|L 13-20||
|November 11|at|[[1961 Colorado College Tigers football team|Colorado College]]|[[Washburn Field]]|[[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs, CO]]|W 10-7||<ref name=cmcc/>
|November 18|at|[[1961 Adams State Indians football team|Adams State]]||[[Alamosa, Colorado|Alamosa, CO]]|L 17-23||<ref name=cmad/>
}}
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1962|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=103}}</ref>
{{Colorado Mines Orediggers football navbox}}
===Colorado State–Greeley===
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Colorado State–Greeley Bears
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = [[Rocky Mountain Conference]]
| short_conf = RMC
| record = 1–9
| conf_record = 0–4
| head_coach = [[Joe Lindahl]]
| hc_year = 8th
| captain =
| stadium = Jackson Field
| champion =
}}
The '''1961 Colorado State–Greeley Bears football team''' represented Colorado State College of [[Greeley, Colorado]] (now known as [[Northern Colorado University]]). In their eighth year under head coach [[Joe Lindahl]], the team compiled a 1–9 record (0–4 against RMC opponents) and finished in last place in the RMC.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16|at|[[1961 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team|South Dakota State]]<ncg>||Brookings, SD|L 13-36|5,000|<ref>{{cite news|title=Rabbits Jolt Bears 36-13|newspaper=Argus-Leader|author=Craig Stolze|date=September 17, 1961|page=4D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/argus-leader-rabbits-jolt-bears-36-13/151333988/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|September 23||[[1961 Omaha Indians football team|Omaha]]<ncg>|||L 6-27||<ref>{{cite news|title=O. U. Strikes Fast for 27-6 Decision|newspaper=Omaha World-Herald|author=Maurice Shadle|date=September 24, 1961|pages=1C, 7C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-o-u-strikes-fast-fo/150842859/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|September 30||[[1961 Drake Bulldogs football team|Drake]]<ncg>|Jackson Field|Greeley, CO|L 0-7|4,000|<ref>{{cite news|title=Drake U. Squeaks BY CSC Bears, 7-0|newspaper=Greeley Tribune|author=Bob Scales|date=October 2, 1961|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/greeley-daily-tribune-drake-u-squeaks-b/151327480/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 7|at|[[1961 Western State Mountaineers football team|Western State (CO)]]||[[Gunnison, Colorado|Gunnison, CO]]|L 8-10||
|October 13||[[1961 Colorado College Tigers football team|Colorado College]]|Jackson Field|Greeley, CO|L 13-24||<ref name=ccgree/>
|October 21|at|[[1961 Colorado Mines Orediggers football team|Colorado Mines]]||[[Golden, Colorado|Golden, CO]]|L 6-13|3,200|<ref name=cmgree>{{cite news|title=Miners Dump Winless Bears|newspaper=The Daily Sentinel|date=October 22, 1961|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel-miners-dump-winless-b/151332252/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|October 28||[[1961 Adams State Indians football team|Adams State]]||Greeley, CO|L 0-7||<ref name=adgre/>
|November 4||[[1961 Idaho State Bengals football team|Idaho State]]<ncg>|Jackson Field|Greeley, CO|W 27-22||<ref>{{cite news|title=Bears Shock 6th Ranked Idaho State, 27-22|newspaper=Greeley Tribune|date=November 6, 1961|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/greeley-daily-tribune-bears-shock-6th-ra/151326884/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 11||[[1961 South Dakota Coyotes football team|South Dakota]]<ncg>|Jackson Field|Greeley, CO|L 14-16||<ref>{{cite news|title=Holdsberg Leads SDU To 16-14 Win Over CSC|newspaper=Greeley Tribune|author=Paul Moloney|date=November 13, 1961|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/greeley-daily-tribune-holdsberg-leads-sd/151333587/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Coyotes Shock Bears: USD Ends Loss Streak 16-14|newspaper=Argus-Leader|date=November 12, 1961|page=1D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95264662/coyotes-shock-bears-usd-ends-loss/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|November 18||[[1961 Nevada Wolf Pack football team|Nevada]]<ncg>|[[Mackay Stadium]]|[[Reno, Nevada|Reno, NV]]|L 0-17|2,250|<ref>{{cite news|title=Nevada Blanks Colorado State; Winds Up Best Year Since '48|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|author=[[Ty Cobb]]|date=November 19, 1961|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/nevada-state-journal-nevada-blanks-color/151333168/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
}}
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1962|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=103}}</ref>
{{Northern Colorado Bears football navbox}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:1961 Rocky Mountain Conference football season| ]]