1961 Wheaton Crusaders football team

The 1961 Wheaton Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented Wheaton College as an independent during the 1961 college football season. In their first year under head coach Jack Swartz, the Crusaders compiled a perfect 8–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 217 to 37.[1][2]

1961 Wheaton Crusaders football
ConferenceIndependent
Record8–0
Head coach
CaptainDave Iha
Home stadiumMcCully Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 NAIA independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 2 Baldwin–Wallace     9 0 0
Wheaton (IL)     8 0 0
No. 8 Tampa     8 1 0
Westminster (UT)     7 1 1
Earlham     7 1 0
Oklahoma Panhandle State     9 2 0
La Verne     7 2 0
Hillsdale     6 3 0
Eastern New Mexico     6 4 0
McMurry     6 4 0
St. Mary of the Plains     4 5 0
Georgetown (KY)     2 3 1
Austin     2 7 0
Rankings from NAIA poll

Tackle Dave "The Bear" Kemna played on both offense and defense and was selected as a second-team player on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.[2][3] Dave Iha was a co-captain and was selected as the team's most valuable player.[2]

The team played its home games at McCully Field in Wheaton, Illinois.

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 16Valparaiso
W 35–13
September 23at Northern IllinoisW 7–23,600
September 30at Hope
W 20–02,500[4]
October 7at Wayne State (MI)
W 57–0[5]
October 14Bradley
  • McCully Field
  • Wheaton, IL
W 29–8[6]
October 21at North Central (IL)Naperville, IL (Little Brass Bell)W 20–77,500
October 28at Washington UniversityW 22–0[7]
November 4Carroll (WI)
  • McCully Field
  • Wheaton, IL
W 27–7[8]

References

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  1. ^ "1961 Football Schedule". Wheaton College. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "1961 Football team". Wheaton College. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  3. ^ Harold Claassen (December 6, 1961). "Annual Little All-Americans -- Small College Stars Selected". The Shreveport Journal. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Hope Drops 2nd Game to Wheaton: Crusaders Score 3 Times In First Half". The Holland Evening Sentinel. October 2, 1961. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Joe Dowdall (October 8, 1961). "Wheaton Crushes The Tartars, 57-0". Detroit Free Press. p. D5 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Bradley Bombed 29-8". Jacksonville Journal Courier. October 15, 1961. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "13th Loss In Row For Bears". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. October 29, 1961. p. 6E – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Wheaton Tops Pioneers 27-7; Defeat Is Second". The Waukesha County Freeman. November 6, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.