1961 Ohio Bobcats football team

American college football season

1961 Ohio Bobcats football

Conference| Mid-American Conference
Record| 5–3–1 (3–2–1 MAC)
Head coach|

* Bill Hess (4th season)

Home stadium| Peden 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 Ohio Bobcats football team was an American football team that represented Ohio University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Bill Hess, the Bobcats compiled a 5–3–1 record (3–2–1 against MAC opponents), finished in fourth place in the MAC, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 129 to 116.[1][2] They played their home games in Peden Stadium in Athens, Ohio.[3]

The team's statistical leaders included Otis Wagner with 441 rushing yards, Bob Babbitt with 573 passing yards, and John Trevis with 258 receiving yards.[4]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 23| at Toledo|

* Glass Bowl
* Toledo, OH

| W 10–6| 9,200–10,100| [5][6]
September 30| Kent State|

* Peden Stadium
* Athens, OH

| L 17–23| |
October 7| at Dayton|

* Baujan Field
* Dayton, OH

| W 14–13| 12,000| [7]
October 14| Xavier*|

* Peden Stadium
* Athens, OH

| L 3–6| 14,000| [8]
October 21| at Miami (OH)|

* Miami Field
* Oxford, OH (rivalry)

| W 28–18| 12,500|
October 28| at Delaware*|

* Delaware Stadium
* Newark, DE

| W 17–16| 8,750| [9]
November 4| at Marshall|

* Fairfield Stadium
* Huntington, WV (rivalry)

| W 14–7| | [10]
November 11| Bowling Green|

* Peden Stadium
* Athens, OH

| L 6–7| | [11]
November 18| Western Michigan|

* Peden Stadium
* Athens, OH

| T 20–20| |

* *Non-conference game

[12]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2015 Ohio Football Media Guide" (PDF). Ohio University. 2015. pp. 91, 94. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 7, 2016. Retrieved October 4, 2016.
2. ^ "Bill Hess". Sports Reference.
3. ^ "Peden Stadium". Ohio University Athletics. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
4. ^ 2015 Media Guide, pp. 71, 75, 77.
5. ^ "Bobcats Whip Toledo, 10-6, In Downpour". Springfield News-Sun. September 24, 1961. p. 1 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics (Toledo)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
7. ^ Joe Burns (October 8, 1961). "Dayton's Dreams Ruined By Ohio U. Rally, 14-13". Dayton Daily News. pp. IV-1, IV-8 – via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Xavier nips Ohio U." Springfield News-Sun. October 15, 1961. Retrieved May 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ Kelley, Bob (October 30, 1961). "48-Yard Goal Fatal to Hens". Wilmington Morning News. Wilmington, Del. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
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. ^ Gene Welty (November 13, 1961). "Falcons Won't 'Kick' About 7-6 MAC Victory: Hepner, Elsea Tally; BG Ties For Crown". The Daily Sentinel-Tribune. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Schedule/Results (1961 Ohio)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved May 23, 2025.

* v
* t
* e

Ohio Bobcats football

Venues|

* Peden Stadium (1929–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Marshall: Battle for the Bell
* Miami: Battle of the Bricks

Culture & lore|

* Rufus
* "Stand Up and Cheer"
* Ohio University Marching 110

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
* 1906
* 1907
* 1908
* 1909
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* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
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* 1917
* 1918
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* 1928
* 1929
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* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
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* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943–1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
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* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
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* 1960
* 1961
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* 2015
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* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

This college football 1961 season article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

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* v
* t
* e

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf.]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties