1961 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox sports season
| title = 1961 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season
| color =
| color text =
| league = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| sport = Football
| logo =
| pixels =
| caption =
| duration =
| no_of_teams = 6
| attendance =
| TV =
| draft =
| draft_link =
| top_pick =
| picked_by =
| season =
| season_champs = Albion
| 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
| altseason_link =
| altseason_year =
| nextseason_link =
| nextseason_year = 1962
}}
{{1961 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings}}
The 1961 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) as part of the 1961 college football season. Albion compiled a perfect 8–0 record and was the MIAA champion for 1961.
Albion
{{Main|1961 Albion Britons football team}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Albion Britons
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| short_conf = MIAA
| record = 8–0
| conf_record = 5–0
| head_coach = Morley Fraser
| hc_year = 8th
| mvp = Joe Shurmur
| captain = Dale Springer
| captain2 = Ray Hoag{{cite news|title=Joe Shurmur Named Most Valuable Briton|newspaper=The Battle Creek Enquirer and News|date=November 17, 1961|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-joe-shurmur-named/140365740/|via=Newspapers.com}}
| stadium = Alumni Field
| champion = MIAA champion
}}
The 1961 Albion Britons football team compiled a perfect 8–0 record (5–0 against MIAA members), won the MIAA championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 186 to 56.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16||Eastern Michigan
|September 30||Kalamazoo|Alumni Field|Albion, MI|W 15-0|2,000–3,820|{{cite news|title=Olivet, Albion Win MIAA Grid Battles|newspaper=The Battle Creek Enquirer and News|date=October 1, 1961|page=IV-1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-olivet-albion-win/140366529/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 7|at|Hope|Riverview Park|Holland, MI|W 26-14|4,500–4,850|{{cite news|title=Strong 2nd Half Gives Albion Win Over Hope: Britons Score 26-14 Victory Over Dutch|newspaper=The Holland Sentinel|date=October 9, 1961|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-holland-evening-sentinel-strong-2nd/140350941/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|October 14||Anderson (IN)
|October 21||Olivet
|October 28|at|Ferris Institute
|November 4|at|Alma||Alma, MI|W 27-12|4,030|{{cite news|title=Albion Whips Alma, 21-12, For 7th Straight Victory|newspaper=The Battle Creek Enquirer and News|date=November 5, 1961|page=IV-2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-albion-whips-alma/140350031/|via=Newspapers.com}}
|November 11|at|Adrian||Adrian, MI|W 35-17|4,285|{{cite news|title=Albion Wraps Up Perfect Season|newspaper=The Battle Creek Enquirer and News|date=November 12, 1961|page=IV-1|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/battle-creek-enquirer-albion-wraps-up-pe/140349562/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
{{cite web|title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Albion 1961)|url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/15/stats/12865 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=February 5, 2024 }}
Olivet
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Olivet Comets
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| short_conf = MIAA
| record = 8–1
| conf_record = 4–1
| head_coach = Stuart Parsell
| hc_year = 3rd
| captain =
| stadium =
}}
The 1961 Olivet Comets football team represented Olivet College of Olivet, Michigan. In their third year under head coach Stuart Parsell, the Comets compiled an 8–1 record (4–1 against MIAA opponents), finished in second place in the MIAA, and outscored opponents by a total of 163 to 69.{{cite web|title=Olivet (MI) Records by Year|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|access-date=May 14, 2023|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/year_by_year_current.php?teamid=2401|archive-date=September 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907091218/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/incomplete_data/year_by_year_current.php?teamid=2401|url-status=dead}}
The team tallied 2,470 yards ot total offense (274.4 yards per game), consisting of 1,829 rushing yards and 641 passing yards. Halfback Tim Nesbitt led the team in both rushing (791 yards on 147 carries) and total offense (830 yards). On defense, the Comets held opponents to 1,694 yards (187.8 yards per game)
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16|at|Franklin
|September 23||Indiana Central
|September 30||Adrian||Olivet, MI|W 9-0||
|October 7|at|Kalamazoo||Kalamazoo, MI|W 13-6||
|October 14||Hope||Olivet, MI|W 20-8||
|October 21|at|Albion||Albion, MI|L 0-13||
|October 28||Illinois College
|November 4|at|Ohio Northern
|November 11|at|Alma||Alma, MI|W 26-6||
}}
{{Olivet Comets football navbox}}
{{-}}
Kalamazoo
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Kalamazoo Hornets
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| short_conf = MIAA
| record = 4–4
| conf_record = 3–2
| head_coach = Rolla Anderson
| hc_year = 9th
| captain =
| stadium = Angell Field
| champion =
}}
The 1961 Kalamazoo Hornets football team represented Kalamazoo College of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Led by head coach Bob Nulf, the Hornets compiled a 4–4 record (3–2 in conference games), finished third in the conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 219 to 81.{{cite web|title=Kalamazoo Yearly Results|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|access-date=May 14, 2023|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/k/kalamazoo/1960-1964_yearly_results.php|archive-date=September 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907090857/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/k/kalamazoo/1960-1964_yearly_results.php|url-status=dead}}
The Hornets tallied 2,424 yards of total offense (303.0 yards per game), consisting of 1,282 rushing yards and 1,142 passing yards. On defense, they held opponents to 2,134 yards (266.8 yards per game.
Quarterback Jim Harkema completed 39 of 74 passes for 590 yards with five touchdown passes and nine interceptions. He also led the team with 590 yards of total offense. (Harkema later won 109 games as a head coach.) The team's other statistical leaders included halfback Norm Young with 342 rushing yards, fullback Eglis Lode with 30 points scored, and end John Persons with 25 receptions for 401 yards.{{cite web|title=Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics (Kalamazoo 1961)|publisher=NCAA|access-date=August 2, 2024|url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/326/stats/13014}}
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 23|at|Ohio Wesleyan
|September 30|at|Albion||Albion, MI|L 0-14|2,000|
|October 7||Olivet|Angell Field|Kalamazoo, MI|L 6-13|1,700|
|October 14|at|Carthage
|October 21||Alma|Angell Field|Kalamazoo, MI|W 30-24|1,200|
|October 28|at|Adrian||Adrian, MI|W 26-7|2,000|
|November 4||Hiram
|November 11||Hope|Angell Field|Kalamazoo, MI|W 42-12|1,000|
}}
{{Kalamazoo Hornets football navbox}}
{{-}}
Alma
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Alma Scots
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| short_conf = MIAA
| record = 2–6
| conf_record = 2–3
| head_coach = Art Smith
| hc_year = 6th
| captain =
| stadium =
}}
The 1961 Alma Scots football team represented Alma College of Alma, Michigan. In their sixth year under head coach Art Smith, the Scots compiled a 2–6 record (2–3 against MIAA opponents), finished in fourth place in the MIAA, and were outscored by a total of 159 to 71.{{cite news|title=Alma Yearly Results|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|access-date=May 14, 2023|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/a/alma/1960-1964_yearly_results.php|archive-date=September 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906112156/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/a/alma/1960-1964_yearly_results.php|url-status=dead}}
The team tallied 1,081 yards of total offense (134 yards per game), consisting of 444 rushing yards and 637 passing yards. On defense, Alma allowed opponents to 2,078 yards (260 per game).{{cite web|title=Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics (Alma 1961)|access-date=August 2, 2024|publisher=NCAA|url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/21/stats/12865}}
The team's individual statistical leaders included halfback Lou Economon with 187 rushing yards and 140 receiving yards, quarterback Terry Ebright with 444 passing yards, and halfback Van Mulligan with 14 points scored.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16||Ohio Northern
|September 23|at|Bluffton
|September 30||Wittenberg
|October 14||Adrian||Alma, MI|W 8-7|6,500|
|October 21|at|Kalamazoo||Kalamazoo, MI|L 24-30|2,500|
|October 28||Hope||Alma, MI|W 14-10|1,500|
|November 4|at|Albion||Albion, MI|L 12-21|3,000|
|November 11||Olivet||Alma, MI|L 6-26|2,000|
}}
{{Alma Scots football navbox}}
{{-}}
Adrian
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Adrian Bulldogs
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| short_conf = MIAA
| record = 2–6
| conf_record = 1–4
| head_coach = Les Leggett
| hc_year = 3rd
| captain =
| stadium =
}}
The 1961 Adrian Bulldogs football team represented Adrian College of Adrian, Michigan. In their third and final year under head coach Les Leggett, the Bulldogs compiled a 2–6 record (1–4 against MIAA opponents) and finished in fifth place in the MIAA.{{cite web|title=Adrian Yearly Results|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|access-date=May 14, 2023|url=http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/a/adrian/1960-1964_yearly_results.php|archive-date=September 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906092120/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/active/a/adrian/1960-1964_yearly_results.php|url-status=dead}}
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 16|at|Findlay
|September 23||Defiance
|September 30|at|Olivet||Olivet, MI|L 0-9||
|October 14|at|Alma||Alma, MI|L 7-8||
|October 21|at|Ferris Institute
|October 28||Kalamazoo||Adrian, MI|L 7-26||
|November 4|at|Hope||Holland, MI|W 25-14||
|November 11||Albion||Adrian, MI|L 17-35||
}}
{{Adrian Bulldogs football navbox}}
{{-}}
Hope
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Hope Flying Dutchmen
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association
| short_conf = MIAA
| record = 0–7
| conf_record = 0–5
| head_coach = Russ DeVette
| hc_year = 7th
| captain =
| stadium =
}}
The 1961 Hope Flying Dutchmen football team represented Hope College of Hope, Michigan. In their seventh year under head coach Russ DeVette, the Dutchmen compiled a 0–7 record (0–5 against MIAA opponents) and finished in last place in the MIAA.
{{CFB schedule
| attend = y
| source = y
|September 23||Valparaiso
|September 30||Wheaton (IL)
|October 7||Albion|Riverview Park|Holland, MI|L 14-26||
|October 14|vs|Olivet||Charlotte, MI|L 8-20|1,500|
|October 28|at|Alma||Alma, MI|L 0-14||
|November 4||Adrian||Holland, MI|L 14-25||
|November 11|at|Kalamazoo||Kalamazoo, MI|L 12-42||
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football navbox}}