1961 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football team

American college football season

1961 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football
Conference	Independent
Record	9–0
Head coach	Lee Tressel (4th season)
Seasons← 19601962 →

1961 NAIA independents football records
v t e	Conf			Overall
Team	W	L	T	W		L		T
No. 2 Baldwin–Wallace		–		9	–	0	–	0
Wheaton (IL)		–		8	–	0	–	0
No. 8 Tampa		–		8	–	1	–	0
Westminster (UT)		–		7	–	1	–	1
Earlham		–		7	–	1	–	0
Oklahoma Panhandle State		–		9	–	2	–	0
La Verne		–		7	–	2	–	0
Hillsdale		–		6	–	3	–	0
Eastern New Mexico		–		6	–	4	–	0
McMurry		–		6	–	4	–	0
St. Mary of the Plains		–		4	–	5	–	0
Georgetown (KY)		–		2	–	3	–	1
Austin		–		2	–	7	–	0

Rankings from NAIA poll

The 1961 Baldwin–Wallace Yellow Jackets football team was an American football team that represented Baldwin–Wallace University as an independent during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Lee Tressel, the Yellow Jackets compiled a 9–0 record and outscored opponents by a total of 204 to 55. They were the only Ohio football team to completee a perfect season in 1961 and were ranked No. 2 in both the UPI and AP small college football rankings.

The team was the first in Baldwin-Wallace football history to complete a perfect season. In a poll of Ohio coaches, Lee Tressel was selected as the 1961 Ohio College Football Coach of the Year. Tressel remained at Baldwin-Wallace until 1980 and was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The 1961 team remained Tressel's only team to complete an undefeated, untied season.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance
September 23	at Quantico Marines		Quantico, VA	W 18–7
September 30	Muskingum		Berea, OH	W 35–6
October 7	Youngstown		Ray Watts Stadium Berea, OH	W 40–0
October 13	at Eastern Michigan	No. 7	Briggs Field Ypsilanti, MI	W 27–14
October 21	at Hillsdale	No. 2	Hillsdale, MI	W 16–7	4,500
October 28	vs. Akron	No. 3	Cuyahoga Falls, OH	W 7–0	6,531
November 4	Heidelberg	No. 2	Berea, OH	W 33–7	8,300
November 11	at Findlay	No. 2	Findlay, OH	W 14–6	6,000
November 18	at Kent State	No. 2	Memorial Stadium Kent, OH	W 14–6	3,500
Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Statistics

The Yellow Jackets out-gained their opponents by 2,778 yards (308.6 yards per game) to 1,655 yards (183.8 yards per game). In rushing yardage, they more than doubled their opponents' total, gaining 1,776 rushing yards (197.3 per game) to 826 yards (91.7 per game) for opponents.

Halfback Gary Stoufer was the team's rushing leader, tallying 629 yards on 151 carries (4.2 yards per carry). Stoufer also led the team in scoring with 48 points on eight touchdowns. Halfback Bill Ridge added 335 yards on 72 carries (4.7 yards per carry).

The team's passing leaders were quarterbacks Tom French (28-for-55, .509 percentage, 529 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions) and Bill Lacey (24-for-38, .632 percentage, 255 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions).

The receiving leaders were end Bill Eyerdom (19 receptions for 369 yards, 19.4-yard average, and four touchdowns) and halfback Bill Ridge (eight receptions for 146 yards, 18.2-yard average, and one touchdown).

References

"1935 - Baldwin-Wallace (OH)". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
"Baldwin-Wallace Boasts Ohio's Only Perfect Grid Mark". Urbana Daily Citizen. November 27, 1961. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
"Kansas School Nabs Small College Honor". The Lawton Constitution. Lawton, Oklahoma. November 23, 1961. p. 26. Retrieved January 25, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
"B-W's Coach Tressel Makes Yellow Jackets Grid Power". The Salem News. November 29, 1961. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
"Lee Tressel Is Named Ohio Grid Coach of Year". The Coshocton Tribune. December 3, 1961. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
"Muskingum Beaten By Baldwin-Wallace". The Sunday Times Recorder. October 1, 1961. p. D1 – via Newspapers.com.
"Jackets Win 3rd Straight, 40 to 0". The Plain Dealer. October 8, 1961. p. 11C – via Newspapers.com.
"Eastern Runs Into Buzzsaw". Detroit Free Press. October 14, 1961. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
"B-W Wins 5th in Row, 16 to 7". The Plain Dealer. October 22, 1961. p. 10C – via Newspapers.com.
"B-W Gets 10th in Row". Dayton Daily News. November 5, 1961. p. IV-6 – via Newspapers.com.
"Oilers Slip". Mansfield News-Journal. November 12, 1961. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
Phil Dietrich (November 19, 1961). "Flashes Complete Worst Campaign". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. 1B, 6B – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics". NCAA. Retrieved August 22, 2024.

v t e Baldwin Wallace Yellow Jackets football
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