1961 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

American college football season

1961 Sam Houston State Bearkats football

LSC champion

Conference| Lone Star Conference
Record| 8–1 (7–0 LSC)
Head coach|

* Paul Pierce (10th season)

Home stadium| Pritchett Field

Seasons

<- 1960

1962 ->

1961 Lone Star Conference football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
|

Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
Sam Houston State $  | 7  | - | 0  | - | 0 |  |  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 0
Texas A&I | 5  | - | 2  | - | 0 |  |  | 7  | - | 2  | - | 0
Lamar Tech | 4  | - | 2  | - | 1 |  |  | 8  | - | 2  | - | 1
Howard Payne | 4  | - | 3  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 0
East Texas State | 3  | - | 4  | - | 0 |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 0
Southwest Texas State | 2  | - | 4  | - | 1 |  |  | 4  | - | 5  | - | 1
Sul Ross | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Stephen F. Austin | 1  | - | 6  | - | 0 |  |  | 1  | - | 9  | - | 0

* $ - Conference champion

The 1961 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team was an American football team that represented Sam Houston State Teachers College (now known as Sam Houston State University) as a member of the Lone Star Conference (LSC) during the 1961 college football season. In their tenth year under head coach Paul Pierce, the Bearkats compiled an 8–1 record (7–0 in conference games), won the LSC championship, and outscored opponents by a total of 154 to 73.[1]

The team played its home games at Pritchett Field in Huntsville, Texas.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|

September 16| Louisiana College*|

* Pritchett Field
* Huntsville, TX

| L 3–17| 5,500| [2]
September 23| at Corpus Christi*|

* UCC Stadium
* Corpus Christi, TX

| W 13–6| | [3]
October 7| Howard Payne|

* Pritchett Field
* Huntsville, TX

| W 10–6| 4,500| [4]
October 14| at East Texas State|

* Memorial Stadium
* Commerce, TX

| W 14–0| | [5]
October 21| No. 7 Texas A&I|

* Pritchett Field
* Huntsville, TX

| W 28–14| 7,500| [6]
October 28| at Southwest Texas State|

* Evans Field
* San Marcos, TX

| W 9–7| 5,000–6,000| [7][8]
November 4| Sul Ross|

* Pritchett Field
* Huntsville, TX

| W 27–0| 5,500| [9]
November 11| at Stephen F. Austin|

* Memorial Stadium
* Nacogdoches, TX (rivalry)

| W 41–16| 5,500| [10]
November 18| Lamar Tech|

* Pritchett Field
* Huntsville, TX

| W 9–7| 7,300–7,500| [11][12]

* *Non-conference game
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[1][13]

## Statistics

[edit]

The Bearkats gained 2,337 yards of total offense (259.7 per game), consisting of 1,578 rushing yards (175.3 per game) and 759 passing yards (84.3 per game). On defense, they held opponents to 1,603 yards (178.1 per game), including 997 rushing yard (110.8 per game) and 606 passing yards (67.3 per game).[1]

The team was led on offense by quarterbacks Calvin Pope and Ken Wigington. Pope led the team in passing (32-for-55, 363 passing yards, three touchdowns, six interceptions) and scoring (58 points, three tuchdowns, 16 extra point kicks, eight field goals). Wigington led the team with 435 yards of total offense, consisting of 312 passing yards and 123 rushing yards.[1]

The team's leading rushers were Eliseo Villareal (356 yards, 86 carries) and Sammy McDonald (285 yards, 56 carries).[1]

The leading receivers were halfbacks Larry May (12 receptions, 163 yards) and Eliseo Villareal (11 receptions, 106 yards).[1]

Dave Smith was the team's punter. He had 40 punts for a 34.3-yard average.[1]

## Awards and honors

[edit]

Two Sam Houston players received first-team honors on the 1961 All-Lone Star Conference football team: tackle Walter Dollar and guard Steve Shaver. Two others were named to the second team: halfback Eliseo Villareal and end Henry Adair. Five others received honorable mention: quarterback Calvin Pope; halfbacks Sammy McDonald and Larry May; fullback Albert Thompson; and center Pat Derrick.[14]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
2. ^ "Wildcats trim Texans by 17–3". Lake Charles American-Press. September 17, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Sam Houston State edges Tarpons, 13–6". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. September 24, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Sam Houston scores 10–6 win". Victoria Advocate. October 8, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Sam Houston State tops East Texas St". Wichita Falls Times. October 14, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Texas A&I loses, 28–14, to Bearkats". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. October 22, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Sam Houston holds lead in Lone Star". The Abilene Reporter-News. October 29, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
9. ^ "Sam Houston routs Sul Ross with Pope". The Abilene Reporter-News. November 5, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Sam Houston smashes SF Austin". The Austin American-Statesman. November 12, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Sharp-footed Sam Houston edges Cards". The Tyler Courier-Times. November 19, 1961. Retrieved January 9, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Brief Summary Of Cumulative Football Statistics". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
13. ^ "1961 Football Schedule". Sam Houston State University. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
14. ^ "Lone Star: Two Hogs Named All-Conference". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. November 28, 1961. p. C1 - via Newspapers.com.

* v
* t
* e

Sam Houston Bearkats football

Venues|

* Pritchett Field (1912–1985)
* Bowers Stadium (1986–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Stephen F. Austin: Battle of the Piney Woods
* Texas State

Culture & lore|

* Sammy Bearkat
* "Bearkat Fight Song"
* Bearkat Marching Band

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943–1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

National championship seasons in bold

* v
* t
* e

Lone Star Conference football champions

Pre-divisional|

* North Texas State (1932)
* East Texas State (1933)
* East Texas State (1934)
* East Texas State, North Texas State, and Stephen F. Austin (1935)
* North Texas State (1936)
* East Texas State (1937)
* East Texas State (1938)
* North Texas State (1939)
* North Texas State (1940)
* North Texas State (1941)
* East Texas State (1942)
* North Texas State (1946)
* North Texas State (1947)
* Southwest Texas State (1948)
* East Texas State (1949)
* Sul Ross (1950)
* East Texas State (1951)
* East Texas State (1952)
* East Texas State (1953)
* Southwest Texas State & East Texas State (1954)
* Sam Houston State, Southwest Texas State, & East Texas State (1955)

NCAA College Division|

* Sam Houston State (1956)
* Lamar Tech (1957)
* East Texas State (1958)
* Texas A&I & East Texas State (1959)
* Texas A&I (1960)
* Sam Houston State (1961)
* Texas A&I (1962)
* Southwest Texas State (1963)

NAIA Division I|

* Sam Houston State (1964)
* Sul Ross (1965)
* East Texas State (1966)
* Texas A&I (1967)
* Texas A&I (1968)
* Texas A&I & East Texas State (1969)
* Texas A&I (1970)
* Howard Payne & Southwest Texas State (1971)
* East Texas State (1972)
* Abilene Christian (1973)
* Texas A&I (1974)
* Texas A&I (1975)
* Texas A&I (1976)
* Abilene Christian & Texas A&I (1977)
* Angelo State (1978)
* Texas A&I (1979)
* Southwest Texas State (1980)

NCAA Division II|

* Southwest Texas State (1981)
* Southwest Texas State (1982)
* Southwest Texas State & East Texas State (1983)
* Angelo State (1984)
* Texas A&I (1985)
* West Texas A&M (1986)
* Texas A&I & Angelo State (1987)
* Texas A&I (1988)
* Texas A&I & Angelo State (1989)
* East Texas State (1990)
* Eastern New Mexico (1991)
* Texas A&I (1992)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (1993)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (1994)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (1995)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (1996)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (1997)
* Central Oklahoma (1998)
* Central Oklahoma, Northeastern State, & Southeastern Oklahoma State (1999)
* Northeastern State (2000)
* Tarleton State & Texas A&M–Kingsville (2001)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (2002)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (2003)
* Texas A&M–Kingsville (2004)
* West Texas A&M (2005)
* West Texas A&M (2006)
* West Texas A&M (2007)
* Abilene Christian (2008)
* Midwestern State, Tarleton State, & Texas A&M–Kingsville (2009)
* Abilene Christian (2010)
* Midwestern State (2011)
* Midwestern State & West Texas A&M (2012)
* Eastern New Mexico & Tarleton State (2013)
* Texas A&M–Commerce (2014)
* Texas A&M–Commerce (2015)
* Texas A&M–Commerce (2016)
* Midwestern State (2017)
* Tarleton State (2018)
* Tarleton State (2019)
* No season (2020)
* Midwestern State (2021)
* Angelo State (2022)
* UT Permian Basin (2023)

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