1961 Harvard Crimson football
Ivy League co-champion
ConferenceIvy League
Record6–3 (6–1 Ivy)
Head coach
CaptainAlex W. “Pete” Hart
Home stadiumHarvard Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Ivy League football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Columbia + 6 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Harvard + 6 – 1 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Dartmouth 5 – 2 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Princeton 5 – 2 – 0 5 – 4 – 0
Yale 3 – 4 – 0 4 – 5 – 0
Cornell 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
Penn 1 – 6 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Brown 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 9 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1961 Harvard Crimson football team was an American football team that represented Harvard University during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. Harvard was co-champion of the Ivy League.

In their fifth year under head coach John Yovicsin, the Crimson compiled a 6–3 record but and outscored opponents 160 to 97. Alex W. “Pete” Hart was the team captain.[1]

The Crimson's 6–1 conference record tied for best in the Ivy League standings. Harvard shared the title though it had lost to the other co-champion, Columbia, during the season. The Crimson outscored Ivy opponents 143 to 60.[2]

Harvard played its home games at Harvard Stadium in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30 Lehigh*
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA
L 17–22 11,000 [3]
October 7 Cornell
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA
W 14–0 11,000 [4]
October 14 Colgate*
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA
L 0–15 12,000 [5]
October 21 Columbia
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA
L 14–26 11,000 [6]
October 28 Dartmouth
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA (rivalry)
W 21–15 32,500 [7]
November 4 at Penn
W 37–6 15,345 [8]
November 11 Princeton
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA (rivalry)
W 9–7 30,000 [9]
November 18 Brown
  • Harvard Stadium
  • Boston, MA
W 21–6 10,000 [10]
November 25 at Yale
W 27–0 61,789 [11]
  • *Non-conference game

References

  1. ^ "Football Record Book: Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  2. ^ "Year-by-Year History". Ivy League Football Media Guide (PDF). Princeton, N.J.: Ivy League. 2017. p. 23. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. ^ "Lehigh Sets Back Harvard, 22 to 17, on 2 Late Passes". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. October 1, 1961. p. S7.
  4. ^ Strauss, Michael (October 8, 1961). "Harvard Blanks Cornell, 14-0, in Upset; Halaby Scores Twice for Crimson". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  5. ^ Tuckner, Howard M. (October 15, 1961). "Colgate's Rushing Tops Harvard, 15-0". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  6. ^ Werden, Lincoln A. (October 22, 1961). "Columbia Wins; Lions Score, 26-14". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  7. ^ White, Gordon S. Jr. (October 29, 1961). "Harvard Halts Dartmouth, 21-15; 32,500 See Upset". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  8. ^ Effrat, Louis (November 5, 1961). "Harvard Running Trims Penn, 37-6, in 3d Ivy Victory". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  9. ^ Sheehan, Joseph M. (November 12, 1961). "Harvard Wins, 9-7; Princeton Loses". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  10. ^ White, Gordon S. Jr. (November 19, 1961). "Harvard Tops Brown, 21-6; Crimson Runners Excel". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
  11. ^ Danzig, Allison (November 26, 1961). "Harvard Crushes Yale, 27-0, and Ties for Ivy Title; 61,789 at Bowl". The New York Times. New York, N.Y. p. S1.
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