1961 Northwest Conference football season

The 1961 Northwest Conference football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Northwest Conference (NWC) as part of the 1961 college football season. The 1961 Linfield Wildcats football team won the conference championship with an undefeated 9–0 record in the regular season. They advanced to the NAIA playoffs where they defeated Whittier in the semifinals and lost to Pittsburg State in the Camellia Bowl, the NAIA national championship game.

1961 Northwest Conference football season
SportFootball
Number of teams6
ChampionLinfield
Football seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Northwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Linfield $^ 5 0 0 10 1 0
Lewis & Clark 3 2 0 6 3 0
College of Idaho 3 2 0 5 4 0
Willamette 3 2 0 4 4 0
Whitman 1 4 0 1 7 0
Pacific (OR) 0 5 0 0 9 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA poll

Teams

edit

Linfield

edit
1961 Linfield Wildcats football
NWC champion
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Record10–1 (5–0 NWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMaxwell Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →

The 1961 Linfield Wildcats football team represented the Linfield University of McMinnville, Oregon. In their 14th year under head coach Paul Durham, the team compiled a 10–1 record (5–0 against NWC opponents) and won the Northwest Conference championship. The Wildcats advanced to the NAIA playoffs, defeated Whittier in the semifinals and lost to Pittsburg State in the Camellia Bowl, the NAIA national championship game.[1][2]

Back Steve Beguin received third-team honors on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.[3]

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at Southern Oregon*Ashland, ORW 34–25[4]
September 30Oregon College of Education*
W 13–7[5]
October 7at Lewis & ClarkPortland, ORW 33–9[6]
October 14Chico State*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 34–71,200[7]
October 21Whitman 
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 52–0[8]
October 28at College of IdahoCaldwell, IDW 44–7
November 4at Pacific (OR)Forest Grove, ORW 46–0[9]
November 11Portland State*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 55–19[10]
November 18Willamette
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
W 34–12[11]
November 25Whittier*
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR (NAIA semifinals)
W 18–7[12]
December 9vs. No. 1 Pittsburg State*No. 7Sacramento, CA (NAIA Championship Game—Camellia Bowl)L 7–1210,000[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

Lewis & Clark

edit
1961 Lewis & Clark Pioneers football
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Record8–3 (3–2 NWC)
Head coach
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →

The 1961 Lewis & Clark Pioneers football team represented Lewis & Clark College of Portland, Oregon. In their 15th year under head coach Joe Huston, the Pioneers compiled a 6–3 record (3–2 in conference games) and finished in a tie for second place in the conference.

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23Portland State
  • Roosevelt HS field
  • Portland, OR
W 39–6[15]
September 30at Southern Oregon
  • Fuller Field
  • Ashland, OR
W 28–26[16]
October 7LinfieldPortland, ORL 9–33
October 14at WhitmanWalla Walla, WAW 27–13
October 21College of IdahoPortland, ORW 46–0
October 28WillametteMcCulloch StadiumL 7–14
November 4at San Diego Marine Recruit DepotSan Diego, CAL 20–22
November 11at Oregon College of EducationMonmouth, ORW 28–13
November 18Pacific (OR)Portland, ORW 36–7

[17]

College of Idaho

edit
1961 College of Idaho Coyotes football
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Record5–4 (3–2 NWC)
Head coach
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →

The 1961 College of Idaho Coyotes football team represented the College of Idaho of Caldwell, Idaho. In their fourth year under head coach James A. Brown, the team compiled a 5–4 record (3–2 against NWC opponents) and tied for second place in the Northwest Conference.

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23at Eastern Oregon*La Grande, ORW 14–0[18]
September 30Westminster (UT)*Caldwell, IDL 7–13250[19]
October 7at Pacific (OR)Forest Grove, ORW 32–0
October 14WillametteCaldwell, IDW 34–24
October 21at Lewis & ClarkPortland, ORL 0–46
October 28LinfieldCaldwell, IDL 7–44
November 4WhitmanCaldwell, IDW 67–0
November 11at Oregon Tech*L 6–12[20]
November 18Eastern Washington*W 23–6
  • *Non-conference game

[21]

Willamette

edit
1961 Willamette Bearcats football
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Record4–4 (3–2 NWC)
Head coach
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →

The 1961 Willamette Bearcats football team epresented the Willamette University of Salem, Oregon. In their tenth season under head coach Ted Ogdahl, the team compiled a 4–4 record (3–2 against NWC opponents) and finished in fourth place in the conference.

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23Puget SoundL 19–20
September 30Humboldt State
  • McCulloch Stadium
  • Salem, OR
L 13–274,500[22]
October 14at College of IdahoCaldwell, IDL 24–34
October 21Pacific (OR)W 31–14
October 28Lewis & Clark
  • McCulloch Stadium
  • Salem, OR
W 14–7
November 4at British ColumbiaVancouver, BCW 47–20
November 11Whitman
  • McCulloch Stadium
  • Salem, OR
W 53–7
November 18at Linfield
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
L 12–34[11]

[23]

Whitman

edit
1961 Whitman Fighting Missionaries football
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Record1–7 (1–4 NWC)
Head coach
  • Robert Thomsen (7th season)
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →

The 1961 Whitman Fighting Missionaries football team represented Whitman College of Walla Walla, Washington. In their seventh season under head coach Robert Thomsen, the team compiled a 1–7 record (1–4 against NWC opponents) and finished in fifth place in the Northwest Conference.

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
Central WashingtonL 0–19
September 30Eastern OregonWalla Walla, WAL 13–19[24]
October 7at British ColumbiaVancouver, BCL 0–16
October 14Lewis & ClarkWalla Walla, WAL 13–27
October 21at Linfield
  • Maxwell Field
  • McMinnville, OR
L 0–52[8]
October 28Pacific (OR)Walla Walla, WAW 19–13
November 4at College of IdahoCaldwell, IDL 0–67
November 11at Willamette
  • McCulloch Stadium
  • Salem, OR
L 7–53

[25]

Pacific (OR)

edit
1961 Pacific Badgers football
ConferenceNorthwest Conference
Record0–9 (0–5 NWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumMcCready Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →

The 1961 Pacific Badgers football team represented Pacific University of Forest Grove, Oregon. In their first season under head coach Noah G. Allen, the team compiled a 0–9 record (0–5 against NWC opponents) and finished in last place in the Northwest Conference.

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 23Pacific Lutheran*Forest Grove, ORL 9–12
September 30at Chico State*
  • College Field
  • Chico, CA
L 17–203,700
October 7College of IdahoForest Grove, IDL 0–32
October 14Oregon College of Education *
  • McCready Stadium
  • Forest Grove, OR
L 14–27[26]
October 21WillametteL 14–31
October 28at WhitmanWalla Walla, WAL 13–19
November 4LinfieldForest Grove, ORL 0–46
November 11vs. Southern Oregon*
  • McCready Stadium
  • Forest Grove, OR
L 0–33[27][28]
November 18at Lewis & ClarkPortland, ORL 7–36
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming

[29]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Linfield Third As Whittier Fourth; Pittsburgh Top Team". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. November 22, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ "Northwest Conference Football History" (PDF). Northwest Conference. p. 5. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  3. ^ Harold Claassen (December 6, 1961). "Annual Little All-Americans -- Small College Stars Selected". The Shreveport Journal. p. 17 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Wildcats Dump SOC". Herald and Press. September 24, 1961. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Wildcats Get Past Wolves 13-7". The Oregon Statesman. October 1, 1961. p. 46 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Linfield Smashes Pioneers". The Oregon Statesman. October 8, 1961. pp. 9, 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Linfield Smacks Chico State '11'". The Oregon Statesman. October 15, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Wildcats Blast Whitman, 52-0". Capital Journal. October 23, 1961. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Linfield Wins 46-0: Rugged Wildcats Storm by Badgers". The Oregon Statesman. November 5, 1961. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Linfield in 55-19 Win Over PSC". The Oregon Statesman. November 12, 1961. p. 33 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b Gordon Rice (November 19, 1961). "Linfield Rips Bearcats, 34-12, Hopes for Bid". The Oregon Statesman. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Ron Blankenbaker (November 26, 1961). "Linfield Wins NAIA Playoff Berth". The Oregon Statesman. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Pittsburg Wins NAIA Football Championship". Hays Daily News. December 10, 1961. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 117.
  15. ^ "Pioneers Rip PSC 39-6". Statesman. September 24, 1961. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Pioneers Nose Out Red Raiders 28-26". Medford Mail Tribune. October 2, 1961. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 116.
  18. ^ "Eastern Oregon Drops Football Opener To College Of Idaho". La Grande Observer. September 25, 1961. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Sophomore Back Leads Westminster To Surprise Win Over Coyotes, 13-7". The Idaho Statesman. October 1, 1961. p. Sports 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Wayne Scott (November 12, 1961). "Owls Edge Coyotes 12-6 In '61 Finale". Herald and News. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 112.
  22. ^ "Humboldt State Whips Highly Regarded Willamette". Eureka Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. October 2, 1961. p. 15. Retrieved April 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com. 
  23. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 160.
  24. ^ "Mounties Post Victory Over Missionaries". La Grande Observer. October 2, 1961. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 142.
  26. ^ "Oregon College Tops Pacific Eleven 27-14". Statesman. October 15, 1961. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "SOC Downs Pacific 33-0". Statesman. November 12, 1961. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "SOC Blanks Pacific In Gridiron Finale". Medford Mail Tribune. November 13, 1961. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ Official Collegiate Football Record Book. National Collegiate Athletic Association. 1962. p. 127.