1961 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1961
| team = Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Ohio Valley Conference
| short_conf = OVC
| record = 6–3
| conf_record = 4–2
| head_coach = Nick Denes
| hc_year = 5th
| captain = Winton Boone
| stadium =
}}
{{1961 Ohio Valley Conference football standings}}
The 1961 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky State College (now known as Western Kentucky University) as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1961 college football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Nick Denes, the Hilltoppers compiled an overall record of 6–3 with a mark of 4–2 in conference play, plaching third place in the OVC. The team's captain was Winton Boone.{{cite web |author= |title=WKU Football 2021 Media Guide |url=https://wkusports.com/documents/2021/8/2/2021_Media_Guide.pdf |publisher=Western Kentucky University |location=Bowling Green, Kentucky |page=176 |access-date=December 2, 2021 }}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 16
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=Southeast Missouri State Indians|title=Southeast Missouri State}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Cape Girardeau, MO
| score = 13–0
| attend = 4,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 24
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=East Tennessee State Buccaneers|title=East Tennessee State}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, KY
| score = 32–14
| attend = 4,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Middle Tennessee
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Murfreesboro, TN
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 6–14
| attend = 6,500–7,000
| source = {{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/419/stats/12865 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 17, 2022 }}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 7
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=Austin Peay Governors|title=Austin Peay}}
| site_stadium = Municipal Stadium
| site_cityst = Clarksville, TN
| score = 26–6
| attend = 4,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 14
| w/l = l
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles|title=Tennessee Tech}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, KY
| score = 12–13
| attend = 7,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Louisville
| site_stadium = Fairgrounds Stadium
| site_cityst = Louisville, KY
| score = 0–20
| attend = 4,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 28
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=Eastern Kentucky Maroons|title=Eastern Kentucky}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Richmond, KY
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 16–15
| attend = 7,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 4
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=Morehead State Eagles|title=Morehead State}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, KY
| score = 7–0
| attend = 7,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 11
| w/l = w
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1961|team=Murray State Thoroughbreds|title=Murray State}}
| site_stadium =
| site_cityst = Bowling Green, KY
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 14–6
| attend = 4,500
}}
}}
{{cite web |author= |title=Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics |url=https://stats.ncaa.org/team/772/stats/12865 |publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association |access-date=December 17, 2022 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football navbox}}