1961 Marshall Thundering Herd football team

American college football season

1961 Marshall Thundering Herd football

Conference| Mid-American Conference
Record| 2–7–1 (1–4 MAC)
Head coach|

* Charlie Snyder (3rd season)

Captain| Ralph May, Rucker Wickline
Home stadium| Fairfield Stadium

Seasons

<- 1960

1962 ->

1961 Mid-American Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Bowling Green $  | 5  | - | 1  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 0
Western Michigan | 4  | - | 1  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Miami (OH) | 3  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 6  | - | 4  | - | 0
Ohio | 3  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 5  | - | 3  | - | 1
Toledo | 2  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Marshall | 1  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 7  | - | 1
Kent State | 1  | - | 5  | - | 0 |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

The 1961 Marshall Thundering Herd football team was an American football team that represented Marshall University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1961 college football season. In its third season under head coach Charlie Snyder, the Thundering Herd compiled a 2–7–1 record (1–4 against conference opponents), finished in sixth place out of seven teams in the MAC, and was outscored by a total of 183 to 62. Ralph May and Rucker Wickline were the team captains.[1] Marshall played home games at Fairfield Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia.

Two Marshall players were selected by the conference coaches as first-team players on the 1961 All-MAC football team: halfback Millard Fleming and center Rucker Wickline. Fleming was a unanimous pick.[2]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 16| VMI*|

* Fairfield Stadium
* Huntington, WV

| L 6–33| 8,000| [3]
September 23| Bowling Green|

* Fairfield Stadium
* Huntington, WV

| L 0–40| 6,500| [4]
September 30| at Louisville*|

* Cardinal Stadium
* Louisville, KY

| L 7–32| 3,162| [5]
October 7| at Toledo|

* Glass Bowl
* Toledo, OH

| L 6–33| 7,800| [6]
October 14| Kent State|

* Fairfield Stadium
* Huntington, WV

| W 14–8| | [7]
October 21| Morehead State*|

* Fairfield Stadium
* Huntington, WV

| T 0–0| | [8]
October 28| at Western Michigan|

* Waldo Stadium
* Kalamazoo, MI

| L 0–20| 10,500| [9]
November 4| Ohio|

* Fairfield Stadium
* Huntington, WV (rivalry)

| L 7–14| | [10]
November 11| at Xavier*|

* Xavier Stadium
* Cincinnati, OH

| L 2–3| | [11]
November 18| vs. Eastern Kentucky*| Ashland, KY| W 20–0| 2,500| [12]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming

[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2008 Marshall Football Guide" (PDF). Marshall University. 2018. p. 185\. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
2. ^ "Marshall Lands Two On All-MAC Football Team". Beckley Post-Herald and Register. December 10, 1961. p. 17 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Perry Scouts Marshall--VMI: Falcon Defense Slated For Work This Week". The Daily Sentinel-Tribune. September 18, 1961. p. 8 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ Gene Welty (September 25, 1961). "Falcons Paste 40-0 Defeat On Marshall Green: Major College Debut Also 1st MAC Win". The Daily Sentinel-Tribune. p. 10 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Johnny Carrico (October 1, 1961). "Giles Warms To Task, Hurls 4 T.D.'s To Tie Unitas Mark In 32-6 U.L. Rout". The Courier-Journal. pp. 1, 5 (section 2) - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Toledo)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
7. ^ "Marshall Stings Kent State, 14-8". The Akron Beacon-Journal. October 15, 1961. p. 1B - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Marshall, Morehead Battle To 0-0 Tie". The Ironton Tribune. October 22, 1961. p. B1 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Western Michigan)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
10. ^ Bill Smith (November 6, 1961). "Marshall Almost Pulls Upset -- Snyder: How Close Can You Come?". Charleston Daily Mail. p. 15 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Xavier defeats Marshall by 3–2". The Lexington Herald. November 12, 1961. Retrieved May 10, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Eastern Falls To Marshall; Passes Beat Maroons, 20-0". Owensboro Messenger and Enquirer. November 19, 1961. p. 11A - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Marshall)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 18, 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Marshall Thundering Herd football

Venues|

* Central Field (1895–1927)
* Fairfield Stadium (1928–1990)
* Joan C. Edwards Stadium (1991–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Appalachian State
* East Carolina
* Ohio: Battle for the Bell
* West Virginia: Friends of Coal Bowl

Culture & lore|

* Marco the Bison
* "Sons of Marshall"
* Marching Thunder
* Plane crash
* Marshall University: Ashes to Glory
* We Are Marshall

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910
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* 1912
* 1913
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* 1918
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* 1928
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* 1932
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* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943–1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
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* 1953
* 1954
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* 1956
* 1957
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* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
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National championship seasons in bold
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties