The 1961 College Football All-America team is composed of

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

players who were selected as

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

ns by various organizations and writers that chose

College Football All-America Team The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term ''All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Football ...

s in 1961. The six selectors recognized by the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

as "official" for the 1961 season are (1) the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

(AFCA), (2) the

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(AP), (3) the

Football Writers Association of America The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) is an organization of college football media members in the United States founded in 1941. It is composed of approximately 1,200 professional sports writers from both print and Internet media out ...

(FWAA), (4) the

Newspaper Enterprise Association The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...

(NEA), (5) the ''

Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...

'', and (6) the

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...

(UPI).

Consensus All-Americans

For the year 1961, the NCAA recognizes six published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.

All-American selections for 1961

Ends

* Gary Collins, Maryland (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC) * Bill Miller, Miami (Fla.) (AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-2, Time, WC) * Greg Mather, Navy (AP-3, FWAA, UPI-2, CP) * Gary Hillebrand, Colorado (AP-1, FWAA) * Pat Richter, Wisconsin (AP-2, UPI-1) * Robert Mitinger, Penn State (AFCA, UPI-3) *

Hugh Campbell Hugh Campbell (born May 21, 1941) is a former American football and Canadian football player, coach, and executive. He served as a head coach in three different professional gridiron football leagues: the Canadian Football League (CFL), the Unit ...

, Washington State (AP-3, UPI-3)

Tackles

* Billy Neighbors, Alabama (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA uard NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, WC) *

Merlin Olsen Merlin Jay Olsen (; September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010) was an American football player, announcer, and actor. For his entire 15-year professional football career he was a defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football Le ...

, Utah State (AP-1, FWAA, NEA, UPI-1, Time, WC) *

Bobby Bell Bobby Lee Bell Sr. (born June 17, 1940) is an American former professional football player who played as an outside linebacker and defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the College Football ...

, Minnesota (AFCA, AP-3, FWAA, SN, UPI-2, CP) *

Ed Blaine Edward Homer Blaine (born January 30, 1940) is a former American Football Guard as well as an honorary professor and investigator from the University of Missouri. He was born in Farmington, Missouri on January 30, 1940.Don Talbert Don Larry Talbert (born March 1, 1939) is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Falcons, and New Orleans Saints. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He p ...

, Texas (FWAA, UPI-3) *

Fate Echols Fate Leonard Echols (June 29, 1939 – October 10, 2002) was an American football offensive tackle who played two seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round of ...

, Northwestern (Time) * Steve Barnett, Oregon (AP-2) *

Jim Dunaway James Kenneth Dunaway (September 3, 1941 – May 12, 2018) was an American football player. A defensive tackle, he played college football at the University of Mississippi, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Buffal ...

, Ole Miss (UPI-2) *Art Gregory, Duke (AP-3)

Guards

Roy Winston Roy Charles Winston (September 15, 1940 – March 5, 2022) was an American professional football player. He played 15 seasons as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Minnesota Vikings. Winston graduated from Louisiana St ...

, LSU (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC) *

Joe Romig Joe Romig (born April 11, 1941) was an American football player. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 1973. Romig attended Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Colorado, the Universit ...

, Colorado (AFCA, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, WC) *

Dave Behrman David Wesley Behrman (November 9, 1941 – December 9, 2014) was an American football offensive lineman who played in the American Football League for the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos. He was the fourth overall pick in the 1963 AFL Draft by ...

, Michigan State (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-3 ackle *

Nick Buoniconti Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti (December 15, 1940 – July 30, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a middle linebacker in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL). He played for the Boston Patriot ...

, Notre Dame (UPI-2, CP) *

Bookie Bolin Treva Gene "Bookie" Bolin (born June 17, 1940) is a former American football offensive lineman who played professional in the National Football League (NFL) from 1962 through 1969. He played college football at the University of Mississippi where ...

, Mississippi (Time) *Mike Ingram, Ohio State (AP-2, UPI-2) *

Dave Watson David Watson (born 20 November 1961) is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player, he was a defender from 1980 to 2001. He played his entire career for Norwich City and Everton. With the Toffees he played in ...

, Georgia Tech (AP-2) *Stan Sezurek, Purdue (AP-3, UPI-3) *Larry Vignali, Pitt (AP-3, UPI-3)

Centers

* Alex Kroll, Rutgers (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, UPI-1, WC) * Bill Van Buren, Iowa (SN, CP) *

Ron Hull Ron E. Hull (April 18, 1940 – July 22, 2001) was an American football player and coach. He played for the UCLA Bruins football team from 1959 to 1961. He was captain of the 1961 UCLA football team that won the conference championship and lost ...

, UCLA (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-3) * Irv Goode, Kentucky (Time) * Larry Onesti, Northwestern (AP-3, UPI-2)

Quarterbacks

Sandy Stephens Sanford Emory Stephens II (September 21, 1940 – June 6, 2000) was an American college football player and civic leader. Stephens was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area city of Uniontown, Pennsylvania and is best known for his career as a c ...

, Minnesota (AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, WC) *

Roman Gabriel Roman Ildonzo Gabriel Jr. (born August 5, 1940) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was the second overall pick in the 1962 NFL Draft and played for the Los Angeles Rams for eleven seaso ...

, North Carolina State (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, Time) *

John Hadl John Willard Hadl (February 15, 1940 – November 30, 2022) was an American football quarterback who played in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 16 years. He won an AFL championship with the San Diego Cha ...

, Kansas (FWAA-1, AP-3, UPI-2) *

Doug Elmore James Douglas Elmore (December 15, 1939 – June 28, 2002) was an American football Punter (American football), punter in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins and in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Calgary Stam ...

, Mississippi (CP) * Eddie Wilson, Arizona (AP-3)

Halfbacks

Ernie Davis Ernest Davis (December 14, 1939 – May 18, 1963) was an American football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1961 and was its first African-American recipient. Davis played college football for Syracuse University and was the first pick in the ...

, Syracuse (AFCA, AP-1,FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC) *

Jimmy Saxton James Everett Saxton Jr. (May 21, 1940 – May 28, 2014) was an All-American football and College Hall of Fame player for the University of Texas and a finalist for the 1961 Heisman Trophy. He played one year of professional football, winning ...

, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, WC) *

Lance Alworth Lance Dwight Alworth (born August 3, 1940), nicknamed “Bambi”, is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) an ...

, Arkansas (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2) * Ronnie Bull, Baylor (UPI-3, Time) *

Pat Trammell Patrick Lee Trammell (July 11, 1940 – December 10, 1968) was an American college football player. He played quarterback at the University of Alabama from 1958 to 1961. In his senior season, he led the 1961 Alabama Crimson Tide football team t ...

, Alabama (AP-2, UPI-2) *

Bennie McRae Benjamin Prince "Bennie" McRae (December 8, 1939November 22, 2012) was an American football player. A native of Newport News, Virginia, McRae played college football as a halfback at the University of Michigan from 1959 to 1961 and profession ...

, Michigan (AP-3) *Dave Hoppman, Iowa State (AP-3, UPI-3)

Fullbacks

* Bob Ferguson, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC) *

Billy Ray Adams Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a youn ...

, Mississippi (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-3) *

George Saimes George Thomas Saimes (September 1, 1941 – March 8, 2013) was an American football defensive back and fullback for Michigan State University and the Buffalo Bills of the American Football League, which produced American Football League Champion ...

, Michigan State (UPI-3)

Key

Official selectors

Other selectors

References

{{College Football All-America Teams

All-America Team The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

College Football All-America Teams