The 1961 Linfield Wildcats football team represented the Linfield University of McMinnville, Oregon . In their 14th year under head coach Paul Durham , the team compiled a 10–1 record (5–0 against NWC opponents) and won the Northwest Conference championship. The Wildcats advanced to the NAIA playoffs, defeated Whittier in the semifinals and lost to Pittsburg State in the Camellia Bowl , the NAIA national championship game.[ 1] [ 2]
Back Steve Beguin received third-team honors on the 1961 Little All-America college football team .[ 3]
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source September 23 at Southern Oregon * Ashland, OR W 34–25[ 4] September 30 Oregon College of Education* W 13–7[ 5] October 7 at Lewis & Clark Portland, OR W 33–9[ 6] October 14 Chico State * Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR W 34–71,200 [ 7] October 21 Whitman Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR W 52–0[ 8] October 28 at College of Idaho Caldwell, ID W 44–7
November 4 at Pacific (OR) Forest Grove, OR W 46–0[ 9] November 11 Portland State* Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR W 55–19[ 10] November 18 Willamette Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR W 34–12[ 11] November 25 Whittier * Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR (NAIA semifinals) W 18–7[ 12] December 9 vs. No. 1 Pittsburg State * No. 7 Sacramento, CA (NAIA Championship Game—Camellia Bowl )L 7–1210,000 [ 13] *Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
[ 14]
The 1961 Lewis & Clark Pioneers football team represented Lewis & Clark College of Portland, Oregon . In their 15th year under head coach Joe Huston , the Pioneers compiled a 6–3 record (3–2 in conference games) and finished in a tie for second place in the conference.
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 23 Portland State Roosevelt HS field Portland, OR W 39–6[ 15] September 30 at Southern Oregon W 28–26[ 16] October 7 Linfield Portland, OR L 9–33
October 14 at Whitman Walla Walla, WA W 27–13
October 21 College of Idaho Portland, OR W 46–0
October 28 Willamette McCulloch Stadium L 7–14
November 4 at San Diego Marine Recruit Depot San Diego, CA L 20–22
November 11 at Oregon College of Education Monmouth, OR W 28–13
November 18 Pacific (OR) Portland, OR W 36–7
[ 17]
The 1961 College of Idaho Coyotes football team represented the College of Idaho of Caldwell, Idaho . In their fourth year under head coach James A. Brown , the team compiled a 5–4 record (3–2 against NWC opponents) and tied for second place in the Northwest Conference.
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 23 at Eastern Oregon * La Grande, OR W 14–0[ 18] September 30 Westminster (UT) * Caldwell, ID L 7–13250 [ 19] October 7 at Pacific (OR) Forest Grove, OR W 32–0
October 14 Willamette Caldwell, ID W 34–24
October 21 at Lewis & Clark Portland, OR L 0–46
October 28 Linfield Caldwell, ID L 7–44
November 4 Whitman Caldwell, ID W 67–0
November 11 at Oregon Tech * L 6–12[ 20] November 18 Eastern Washington* W 23–6
[ 21]
The 1961 Willamette Bearcats football team epresented the Willamette University of Salem, Oregon . In their tenth season under head coach Ted Ogdahl , the team compiled a 4–4 record (3–2 against NWC opponents) and finished in fourth place in the conference.
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 23 Puget Sound L 19–20
September 30 Humboldt State McCulloch Stadium Salem, OR L 13–274,500 [ 22] October 14 at College of Idaho Caldwell, ID L 24–34
October 21 Pacific (OR) W 31–14
October 28 Lewis & Clark McCulloch Stadium Salem, OR W 14–7
November 4 at British Columbia Vancouver, BC W 47–20
November 11 Whitman McCulloch Stadium Salem, OR W 53–7
November 18 at Linfield Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR L 12–34[ 11]
[ 23]
The 1961 Whitman Fighting Missionaries football team represented Whitman College of Walla Walla, Washington . In their seventh season under head coach Robert Thomsen, the team compiled a 1–7 record (1–4 against NWC opponents) and finished in fifth place in the Northwest Conference.
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source Central Washington L 0–19
September 30 Eastern Oregon Walla Walla, WA L 13–19[ 24] October 7 at British Columbia Vancouver, BC L 0–16
October 14 Lewis & Clark Walla Walla, WA L 13–27
October 21 at Linfield Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR L 0–52[ 8] October 28 Pacific (OR) Walla Walla, WA W 19–13
November 4 at College of Idaho Caldwell, ID L 0–67
November 11 at Willamette McCulloch Stadium Salem, OR L 7–53
[ 25]
The 1961 Pacific Badgers football team represented Pacific University of Forest Grove, Oregon . In their first season under head coach Noah G. Allen , the team compiled a 0–9 record (0–5 against NWC opponents) and finished in last place in the Northwest Conference.
Date Opponent Site Result Attendance Source September 23 Pacific Lutheran* Forest Grove, OR L 9–12
September 30 at Chico State * L 17–203,700
October 7 College of Idaho Forest Grove, ID L 0–32
October 14 Oregon College of Education * McCready Stadium Forest Grove, OR L 14–27[ 26] October 21 Willamette L 14–31
October 28 at Whitman Walla Walla, WA L 13–19
November 4 Linfield Forest Grove, OR L 0–46
November 11 vs. Southern Oregon * McCready Stadium Forest Grove, OR L 0–33[ 27] [ 28] November 18 at Lewis & Clark Portland, OR L 7–36
*Non-conference game
[ 29]
^ "Linfield Third As Whittier Fourth; Pittsburgh Top Team" . Humboldt Standard Eureka, California . November 22, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com ^ "Northwest Conference Football History" (PDF) . Northwest Conference . p. 5. Retrieved January 2, 2022 .^ Harold Claassen (December 6, 1961). "Annual Little All-Americans -- Small College Stars Selected" . The Shreveport Journal . p. 17 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Wildcats Dump SOC" . Herald and Press . September 24, 1961. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com .^ "Wildcats Get Past Wolves 13-7" . The Oregon Statesman . October 1, 1961. p. 46 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Linfield Smashes Pioneers" . The Oregon Statesman . October 8, 1961. pp. 9, 10 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Linfield Smacks Chico State '11' . The Oregon Statesman . October 15, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com .^ a b "Wildcats Blast Whitman, 52-0" . Capital Journal . October 23, 1961. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Linfield Wins 46-0: Rugged Wildcats Storm by Badgers" . The Oregon Statesman . November 5, 1961. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Linfield in 55-19 Win Over PSC" . The Oregon Statesman . November 12, 1961. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com .^ a b Gordon Rice (November 19, 1961). "Linfield Rips Bearcats, 34-12, Hopes for Bid" . The Oregon Statesman . p. 11 – via Newspapers.com . ^ Ron Blankenbaker (November 26, 1961). "Linfield Wins NAIA Playoff Berth" . The Oregon Statesman . p. 9 – via Newspapers.com . ^ "Pittsburg Wins NAIA Football Championship" . Hays Daily News . December 10, 1961. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com .^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book . National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 117.^ "Pioneers Rip PSC 39-6" . Statesman . September 24, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Pioneers Nose Out Red Raiders 28-26" . Medford Mail Tribune . October 2, 1961. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com .^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book . National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 116.^ "Eastern Oregon Drops Football Opener To College Of Idaho" . La Grande Observer . September 25, 1961. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com .^ "Sophomore Back Leads Westminster To Surprise Win Over Coyotes, 13-7" . The Idaho Statesman . October 1, 1961. p. Sports 1 – via Newspapers.com .^ Wayne Scott (November 12, 1961). "Owls Edge Coyotes 12-6 In '61 Finale" . Herald and News . p. 1D – via Newspapers.com . ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book . National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 112.^ "Humboldt State Whips Highly Regarded Willamette" . Eureka Humboldt Standard . Eureka, California. October 2, 1961. p. 15. Retrieved April 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com . ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book . National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 160.^ "Mounties Post Victory Over Missionaries" . La Grande Observer . October 2, 1961. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com .^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book . National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 142.^ "Oregon College Tops Pacific Eleven 27-14" . Statesman . October 15, 1961. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com .^ "SOC Downs Pacific 33-0" . Statesman . November 12, 1961. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com .^ "SOC Blanks Pacific In Gridiron Finale" . Medford Mail Tribune . November 13, 1961. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com .^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book . National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 127.
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