1961 College Football Final Rankings

At the end of the 1961 season, undefeated Ohio State declined an invitation to participate in the Rose Bowl, citing a desire to reduce the institutional emphasis on sports over academics. The irony should not escape any modern-day sports fan, given the turn of events surrounding the Buckeye football program as we approach the 2011 season - 50 years later. The decision not to participate is even more interesting in light of the fact that the difference in the voting between the second-ranked Buckeyes and first-ranked Alabama in the polls was the slightest of margins. Although at the time there were no post-bowl polls, a convincing win in the Rose Bowl might have added to the argument that Ohio State was deserving of a national championship. It is unfathomable to see such a decision being made today - especially by the Ohio State University.

Regardless, we are left with the games that were actually played for our analysis, and that analysis shows that the polls got it right in 1961. In fact, it is doubtful that even a Rose Bowl victory would have made up the difference for Ohio State, as in our analysis, their season was only the sixth best in the country.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-0) - 1.0
2. Texas Longhorns (10-1) - 2.1
3. Ole Miss Rebels (9-2) - 3.1
4. LSU Tigers (10-1) - 4.4
5. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (9-0) - 6.2
6. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0-1) - 6.3
7. Michigan State Spartans (7-2) - 7.7
(tie) Utah State Aggies (9-1-1) - 7.7
9. Arkansas Razorbacks (8-3) - 7.8
10. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-3) - 11.0
11. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-4) - 12.3
12. Kansas Jayhawks (7-3-1) - 12.8
13. Michigan Wolverines (6-3) - 13.1
14. Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-2) - 13.7
15. Syracuse Orange (8-3) - 14.8
16. Wyoming Cowboys (6-1-2) - 15.4
17. Colorado Buffaloes (9-2) - 16.6
18. Arizona Wildcats (8-1-1) - 19.6
(tie) Memphis Tigers (8-2) - 19.6
20. Purdue Boilermakers (6-3) - 19.9
21. Missouri Tigers (7-2-1) - 21.7
22. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-4) - 21.8
23. Rice Owls (7-4) - 23.5
24. Duke Blue Devils (7-3) - 23.6
25. Miami Hurricanes (7-4) - 24.8
26. Tennessee Volunteers (6-4) - 25.2
27. Army Black Knights (6-4) - 28.1
28. Villanova Wildcats (8-2) - 28.4
29. Navy Midshipmen (7-3) - 29.1
30. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-3) - 30.1
31. Auburn Tigers (6-4) - 30.4
32. Columbia Lions (6-3) - 31.1
33. Wisconsin Badgers (6-3) - 32.1
34. Baylor Bears (6-5) - 33.2
35. Utah Utes (6-4) - 35.7
36. UCLA Bruins (7-4) - 37.6
37. North Carolina Tar Heels (5-5) - 38.0
38. Clemson Tigers (5-5) - 38.4
39. Dartmouth Big Green (6-3) - 38.8
40. Mississippi State Bulldogs (5-5) - 39.7
(tie) Notre Dame Fighting Irish (5-5) - 39.7
42. Texas A&M Aggies (4-5-1) - 39.8
43. Maryland Terrapins (7-3) - 43.4
44. Holy Cross Crusaders (7-3) - 43.6
45. Oklahoma Sooners (5-5) - 44.9
46. Houston Cougars (5-4-1) - 45.5
47. Northwestern Wildcats (4-5) - 46.7
48. Kentucky Wildcats (5-5) - 49.0
49. Harvard Crimson (6-3) - 49.5
50. Iowa State Cyclones (5-5) - 50.8
51. TCU Horned Frogs (3-5-2) - 51.3
52. Oregon Ducks (4-6) - 53.0
53. Oregon State Beavers (5-5) - 53.1
54. Princeton Tigers (5-4) - 54.9
55. Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-6-1) - 55.8
56. New Mexico Lobos (7-4) - 56.3
57. NC State Wolfpack (4-6) - 57.5
58. Furman Paladins (7-3) - 58.3
59. Detroit Mercy Titans (5-4) - 58.8
60. Wichita State Shockers (8-3) - 59.6
61. Washington Huskies (5-4-1) - 59.9
62. Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-6) - 61.6
63. West Texas A&M Buffaloes (6-4) - 62.6
64. Florida Gators (4-5-1) - 65.1
65. Pittsburgh Panthers (3-7) - 65.3
66. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-6) - 66.0
67. Citadel Bulldogs (7-3) - 67.1
68. Richmond Spiders (5-5) - 67.6
69. South Carolina Gamecocks (4-6) - 68.7
70. West Virginia Mountaineers (4-6) - 71.5
71. Florida State Seminoles (4-5-1) - 71.6
72. Boston College Eagles (4-6) - 72.0
73. Colgate Raiders (5-4) - 72.3
74. New Mexico State Aggies (5-4-1) - 72.6
75. VMI Keydets (6-4) - 75.2
76. USC Trojans (4-5-1) - 76.0
77. Texas Tech Red Raiders (4-6) - 77.6
78. San Jose State Spartans (6-4) - 78.1
79. Georgia Bulldogs (3-7) - 79.2
80. Cornell Big Red (3-6) - 79.8
81. George Washington Colonials (3-6) - 82.3
82. Virginia Cavaliers (4-6) - 82.4
83. Indiana Hoosiers (2-7) - 83.8
84. Virginia Tech Hokies (4-5) - 84.2
(tie) Washington State Cougars (3-7) - 84.2
86. Stanford Cardinal (4-6) - 84.4
87. Boston University Terriers (4-5) - 85.6
88. Yale Bulldogs (4-5) - 88.0
89. Vanderbilt Commodores (2-8) - 88.1
90. Pacific Tigers (5-4) - 88.3
91. Tulane Green Wave (2-8) - 90.3
92. Davidson Wildcats (4-4) - 90.6
93. Xavier Musketeers (6-4) - 91.3
94. SMU Mustangs (2-7-1) - 94.1
95. Montana Grizzlies (2-6) - 95.3
96. Cincinnati Bearcats (3-7) - 96.2
97. North Texas Mean Green (5-4-1) - 96.9
98. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (2-8) - 98.5
99. Air Force Falcons (3-7) - 100.3
100. BYU Cougars (2-8) - 100.4
101. California Golden Bears (1-8-1) - 100.5
102. William & Mary Tribe (1-9) - 102.5
103. Kansas State Wildcats (2-8) - 103.0
104. Idaho Vandals (2-7) - 105.2
105. UTEP Miners (3-7) - 105.5
106. Pennsylvania Relays (2-7) - 107.7
107. Colorado State Rams (0-10) - 108.3
108. Illinois Fighting Illini (0-9) - 108.5
109. Dayton Flyers (2-8) - 109.3
110. Brown Bears (0-9) - 110.7
111. Hardin-Simmons Cowboys (0-10) - 112.0

Special thanks to James Howell's College Football Scores, which provided the data for our analysis.