1961 Utah State Aggies football team

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1961

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 16

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Texas Western

| site_stadium = Romney Stadium

| site_cityst = Logan, UT

| score = 21–6

| attend = 9,231

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 23

| w/l = w

| opponent = Montana

| site_stadium = Romney Stadium

| site_cityst = Logan, UT

| score = 54–6

| attend = 8,122–8,123

| source = {{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ScpOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fUkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5213%2C4641136 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah) |last=Ferguson |first=George |title=Aggies' rocket start dooms Montana, 54-6 |date=September 25, 1961 |page=B5}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 30

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| opponent = Washington State

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Spokane, WA

| score = 34–14

| attend = 13,000

| source = {{cite news|title=Utah State Slams Cougars, 34-14|newspaper=The Spokesman-Review|date=October 1, 1961|page=1 (sports)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review-utah-state-slams-co/153651386/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 7

| w/l = t

| away = y

| opponent = Wyoming

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Laramie, WY

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 6–6

| attend = 18,090

| source = {{cite news|title=Pokes-Utags Knock Heads To Deadlock, 6-6|newspaper=Casper Tribune-Herald & Star|date=October 8, 1961|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/casper-star-tribune-pokes-utags-knock-he/154617495/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 14

| w/l = w

| opponent = New Mexico

| site_stadium = Romney Stadium

| site_cityst = Logan, UT

| score = 41–7

| attend = 8,051

| source = {{cite news|title=Aggies Blast Lobos For 41-7 Victory|newspaper=The Herald Journal|author=Val Hess|date=October 15, 1961|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-journal-aggies-blast-lobos-fo/153607420/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 21

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Colorado State

| site_stadium = Colorado Field

| site_cityst = Fort Collins, CO

| score = 49–3

| attend = 10,700

| source = {{cite news|title=Mighty Utah State Humbles CSU, 49 to 3|newspaper=Fort Collins Coloradoan|author=Dudley Cress|date=October 22, 1961|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-collins-coloradoan-mighty-utah-stat/153529968/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 28

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Idaho

| site_stadium = Romney Stadium

| site_cityst = Logan, UT

| score = 69–0

| attend = 6,934

| source = {{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=a99iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=VTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5395%2C4408289 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho)|agency=Associated Press |title=Utags crush Vandals 69-0 |date=October 29, 1961 |page=10}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RgozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=w-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4996%2C4515806|work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |title=Utags crush Vandals, 69-0, in midst of raging blizzard |agency=Associated Press |date=October 29, 1961 |page=1, sports}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TpNSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=iUgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6646%2C6098285 |work=Deseret News |location=(Salt Lake City, Utah)|last=Ferguson|first=George|title=Ag avalanche hits Idaho |date=October 30, 1961|page=B-5}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 4

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = BYU

| site_stadium = Cougar Stadium

| site_cityst = Provo, UT

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 31–8

| attend = 13,123

| source = {{cite news|title=Ags Whip Cats 21-8; Long Gallops Feature BYU Homecoming Tilt|newspaper=The Sunday Herald (Provo, UT)|author=Ray Schwartz|date=November 5, 1961|page=1 (sports)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-herald-ags-whip-cats-21-8-lo/153651195/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 11

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Western Michigan

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| score = 65–22

| attend = 11,750–14,000

| source = {{cite news |author= |title=Ags Slay Broncos 65-22 In Michigan |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114841199/the-herald-journal/ |newspaper=The Herald Journal |location=Logan, Utah |agency=United Press International |date=November 12, 1961 |page=6 |access-date=December 18, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com {{Open access}} }}{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Western Michigan) |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/774/stats/12865 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 18, 2022 }}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 18

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Utah

| site_stadium = Ute Stadium

| site_cityst = Salt Lake City, UT

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 17–6

| attend = 32,437

| source = {{cite news|title=32,437 Watch Mighty Aggies Cuff Utes, 17-6: Record Crowd Fills Stadium|newspaper=Salt Lake Tribune|author=John Mooney|date=November 19, 1961|pages=D1, D2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-32437-watch-might/153651050/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 9

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| neutral = y

| rank = 10

| opponent = Baylor

| site_stadium = Polo Grounds

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| gamename = Gotham Bowl

| score = 9–24

| attend = 15,123

| source = {{cite news|title=Ballhawking Baylor Defeats Aggies 24-9 in Bowl Game: Bears Capitalize on Fumbles; Only 15,000 Fans See Contest|newspaper=Ogden Standard-Examiner|date=December 10, 1961|page=2B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ogden-standard-examiner-ballhawking/153650917/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

}}

{{cite web |author= |title=Utah State 2022 Football Media Guide |url=https://utahstateaggies.com/documents/2022/7/19/2022CompleteGuide-Web.pdf |publisher=Utah State University Department Of Athletics |page=197 |access-date=December 18, 2022 }}

Tom Larscheid led the team with 773 rushing yards on 121 carries (6.4-yard average). Larscheid also tallied 178 receiving yards and led the team in scoring with 78 points on 13 touchdowns.{{cite web|title=1961 Utah State Aggies Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=August 20, 2024|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/utah-state/1961.html}} He also had an 85-yard punt return versus Utah in 1961.

The team averaged over 300 rushing yards per game. In addition to Larscheid, leading rushers included Ray Harward (390 yards on 57 carries, 6.8-yard average); Ron Prince (336 yards on 50 carries, 6.7-yard average); and Larry Bryan (277 yards, 41 carries (6.8-yard average).

The team also had a strong quarterback group consisting of:

• Mel Montalbo led the group, completing 23 of 46 passes for 478 passing yards, seven touchdowns, one interception, and a 183.2 quarterback rating.
• Sophomore Bill Munson completed 23 of 53 passes (43.4%) for 323 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Munson broke the school's passing record with 1,699 passing yards in 1963 Utah State and later played 16 years in the National Football League (NFL).
• Jim Turner completed 15 of 33 passes for 292 yards. Turner later played for 16 years as a placekicker in the American Football League (AFL) and NFL.

The team's leading receivers were Bill Dahme (248 yards, seven receptions), Tom Larscheid (178 yards, 10 receptions), and Carl Hunt (120 yards, five receptions).

The scoring leaders were Larscheid (78 points), Ray Harward (30 points), and four players with 18 points each (Terry Cagaanan, Ron Prince, Bill Dahme, and Larry Bryan).

Tackle Merlin Olsen received numerous awards at the end of the 1961 season:

• Olsen won the Outland Trophy as the best guard or tackle during the 1961 college football season.{{cite news|title=Olsen Is Given Outland Trophy|newspaper=The Herald Journal|date=December 5, 1961|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-journal-olsen-is-given-outlan/153803936/|via=Newspapers.com}}
• Olsen was a consensus All-American,{{cite web|title=Football Award Winners|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)|year=2016|access-date=October 21, 2017|page=9|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf}} having received first-team designation by the Associated Press (AP),{{cite news|title=Merlin Named Member of AP All-America 11|newspaper=The Herald Journal|date=December 8, 1961|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-journal-merlin-named-member-o/153805553/|via=Newspapers.com}} United Press International (UPI),{{cite news|title=Olsen Chosen on UPI All-America|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=December 7, 1961|page=B3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-olsen-chosen-on-up/153805132/|via=Newspapers.com}} Football Writers Association of America (FWAA),{{cite news|title=Merlin Olsen Gains Spot On Look All-Star Squad|newspaper=Daily Herald|date=December 5, 1961|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-herald-merlin-olsen-gains-spot/153803240/|via=Newspapers.com}} Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and Time magazine.
• Olsen was one of eight linemen to receive the National Football Foundation's annual scholar athlete of the year award, chosen on the basis of "high scholastic standing and achievement, football ability and dedictaion and all-around leadership."{{cite news|title=Olsen Snares Honor for Grid, Books|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|date=November 28, 1961|page=B5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-olsen-snares-honor/153803700/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Five Utah State players received first-team honors on the official 1961 All-Skyline Conference football team chosen by a vote of the league's players. The Utah State players receiving first-team honors were: halfback Tom Larscheid; end L. Aldridge; tackles Merlin Olsen and Clark Miller; and guard W. Redmond. Second-team honors went to Utah State's Bill Dahme at end; Bill Dickey at guard; and Ray Harward at fullback.{{cite news|title=Official All-Skyline Team Is Reported|newspaper=The Herald Journal|date=December 5, 1961|page=4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-journal-all-skyline/153804462/|via=Newspapers.com}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://content.libraries.wsu.edu/digital/collection/wsu_fb/id/3378 Game program: Utah State vs. Washington State at Spokane] – September 30, 1961

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{{Skyline Conference (1938–1962) football champions}}

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Utah State Aggies football