1961 Texas Longhorns football team

The 1961 Texas Longhorns football team was an American football team that represented the University of Texas (now known as the University of Texas at Austin) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. In their fifth year under head coach Darrell Royal, the Longhorns compiled an overall record of 10–1, with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, and finished as SWC co-champion. Texas concluded their season with a victory over Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl Classic.^[1]

1961 Texas Longhorns football
SWC co-champion Cotton Bowl Classic champion
Cotton Bowl Classic, W 12–7 vs. Ole Miss
Conference	Southwest Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 4
AP	No. 3
Record	10–1 (6–1 SWC)
Head coach	Darrell Royal (5th season)
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1960 1962 →

1961 Southwest Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 3 Texas +	6	–	1	–	0			10	–	1	–	0
No. 9 Arkansas +	6	–	1	–	0			8	–	3	–	0
Rice	5	–	2	–	0			7	–	4	–	0
Texas A&M	3	–	4	–	0			4	–	5	–	1
TCU	2	–	4	–	1			3	–	5	–	2
Baylor	2	–	5	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Texas Tech	2	–	5	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
SMU	1	–	5	–	1			2	–	7	–	1
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 season was first season that Texas wore the "Bevo" Longhorn decal on their helmets. Texas debuted the helmet decal in season opener against Cal in Berkeley, and have continued to wear it ever since.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 23	3:30 p.m.	at California*	No. 4	California Memorial Stadium Berkeley, CA		W 28–3	41,500	^[2]
September 30	7:30 p.m.	Texas Tech	No. 6	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)		W 42–14	43,500	^[3]
October 7	7:30 p.m.	Washington State*	No. 5	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX		W 41–8	40,000	^[4]
October 14	2:00 p.m.	vs. Oklahoma*	No. 4	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (rivalry)	ABC	W 28–7	75,504	^[5]
October 21	2:00 p.m.	at No. 10 Arkansas	No. 3	Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR (rivalry)		W 33–7	33,000	^[6]
October 28	7:30 p.m.	Rice	No. 3	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)		W 34–7	62,310	^[7]
November 4	2:00 p.m.	at SMU	No. 3	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX		W 27–0	41,000	^[8]
November 11	2:00 p.m.	Baylor	No. 1	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX		W 33–7	62,000	^[9]
November 18	2:00 p.m.	TCU	No. 1	Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)		L 0–6	50,000	^[10]
November 23	1:30 p.m.	at Texas A&M	No. 4	Kyle Field College Station, TX (rivalry)	ABC	W 25–0	42,000	^[11]
January 1	1:30 p.m.	vs. No. 5 Ole Miss*	No. 3	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic)	CBS	W 12–7	75,000	^[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

Personnel

1961 Texas Longhorns football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class OL Scott Appleton OL George Brucks QB Duke Carlisle RB Jack Collins RB Jerry Cook RB John Allen Cook QB Mike Cotten RB Pat Culpepper OL Ken Ferguson RB Tommy Ford WR Bobby Fults QB Johnny Genung OL Dave Kristynik OL Marv Kubin WR Tommy Lucas OL David McWilliams OL Perry McWilliams WR Bob Moses RB Bobby Nunis RB Darrell Oliver OL Eddie Padgett RB Ray Poage RB David Russell WR Sandy Sands B Jimmy Saxton WR Charles Talbert OL Don Talbert OL Johnny Treadwell QB Tommy Wade	Defense Pos. # Name Class	Special teams Pos. # Name Class	Head coach Darrell Royal Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible   Injured   Redshirt

Season summary

TCU

TCU Horned Frogs (2–5–1) at #1 Texas Longhorns (8–0)

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
TCU	0	6	0	0	6
Texas	0	0	0	0	0

at Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas

• Date: November 18, 1961
• Game weather: Cloudy, 60 °F (16 °C)
• Game attendance: 50,000
• Box Score

Game information
First quarter No scoring Second quarter TCU – Buddy Iles 50-yard pass from Sonny Gibbs (kick failed), 9:20. TCU 6–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:51. Third quarter No scoring Fourth quarter No scoring Top passers TCU UT – Mike Cotten – 3/6, 62 yards, INT Top rushers TCU UT – Jimmy Saxton – 17 rushes, 85 yards Top receivers TCU UT – Jimmy Saxton – 1 reception, 45 yards

It's not what they eat and tote off, it's what they fall into and mess up that hurts.

Darrell Royal, postgame comparing TCU to cockroaches

Awards and honors

• Mike Cotten, Quarterback, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player
• Bob Moses, End, Cotton Bowl co-Most Valuable Player
• Jimmy Saxton, Back, Consensus All-American^[13]

References

1. "1961 Texas Longhorns Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
2. "Bears ripped; Texas halts Cal 28 to 3 in opener". Oakland Tribune. September 24, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Longhorns slaughter Tech in opener, 42–14". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 1, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Saxton spurs Longhorns past Washington State". The Vernon Daily Record. October 8, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Stampeding Steers lower boom on Sooners, 28–7". The Marshall News Messenger. October 15, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Texas socks Hogs, takes SWC lead". The Nashville Tennessean. October 22, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Texas smears Rice, 34–7". The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. October 29, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Saxton puts Texas by SMU". The Victoria Advocate. November 5, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Top-ranked Longhorns hand Baylor 33–7 spanking". The Marshall News Messenger. November 12, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Inspired TCU stuns powerful Texas, 6–0". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. November 19, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Texas whips Aggies, 25–0; In Cotton Bowl". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. November 24, 1961. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Longhorn interceptions help kill Rebels, 12–7". The Clarion-Ledger. January 2, 1962. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. Official website of the Texas Longhorns – Texas Football 2010-11-01 at the Wayback Machine. MackBrown-TexasFootball.com. Retrieved on June 13, 2011.