# 1961 Central Intercollegiate Conference football season

The 1961 Central Intercollegiate Conference football season was the season of college football played by the six member schools of the Central Intercollegiate Conference (CIC) as part of the 1961 college football season.
The 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team compiled a perfect 11–0 record, including a victory over Linfield in the Camellia Bowl to secure the NAIA national championship.

## Teams
### Pittsburg State

The 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team compiled an 11–0 record, shut out seven of eleven opponents, and won the NAIA football national championship, the AP and UPI small college national championship, and the CIC championship.

### Omaha

The 1961 Omaha Indians football team was an American football team that represented the University of Omaha (now known as University of Nebraska Omaha of Omaha, Nebraska during the 1961 college football season. In their second season under head coach Al Caniglia, the team compiled an 6–3 record (4–1 against CIC opponents) and finished in second place in the CIC.
End Paul Blazevich received second-team honors on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 16 | Morningside* | Omaha, NE | W 32–6 | 5,100 |
| September 23 | Colorado State–Greeley* | Omaha, NE | W 27–6 | 2,900 |
| September 30 | at Colorado Mines* | Golden, CO | L 12–13 | |
| October 14 | at Fort Hays State | Hays, KS | W 26–0 | |
| October 21 | at Emporia State | Emporia, KS | W 27–21 | |
| October 28 | St. Benedict's | Omaha, NE | W 33–14 | 4,700–5,200 |
| November 4 | Washburn | Omaha, NE | W 27–10 | 1,900 |
| November 11 | at No. 1 Pittsburg State | Pittsburg, KS | L 18–34 | |
| November 18 | Drake | Omaha, NE | L 13–36 | 1,800–2,400 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

### Fort Hays State

The 1961 Fort Hays State Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Fort Hays State University of Hays, Kansas during the 1961 college football season. In their sixth season under head coach Wayne J. McConnell, the team compiled a 4–4–1 record (3–2 against CIC opponents) and finished in third place in the CIC.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 16 | Kearney State* | Hays, KS | W 24–0 | |
| September 23 | at Northwest Missouri State* | Maryville, MO | L 16–17 | |
| September 30 | at Colorado College* | Washburn FieldColorado Springs, CO | L 6–14 | 1,000 |
| October 7 | Eastern New Mexico* | Hays, KS | T 19–19 | |
| October 14 | Omaha | Hays, KS | L 0–26 | |
| October 21 | at No. 1 Pittsburg State | Pittsburg, KS | L 7–41 | |
| October 28 | Emporia State | Hays, KS | W 12–7 | |
| November 4 | St. Benedict's | Hays, KS | W 21–14 | |
| November 10 | at Washburn | Topeka, KS | W 14–7 | |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

### St. Benedict's

The 1961 St. Benedict's Ravens football team represented St. Benedict's College (later renamed Benedictine College) of Atchison, Kansas, during the 1961 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Ivan Schottel, the team compiled a 2–7 record (2–3 against CIC opponents) and finished in fourth place in the CIC.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 23 | at Hillsdale* | Hillsdale, MI | L 0–20 | |
| September 30 | Southeast Missouri State* | Amelia Earhart FieldAtchison, KS | L 0–14 | |
| October 7 | Southwest Missouri State* | Amelia Earhart FieldAtchison, KS | L 0–7 | |
| October 14 | at No. 4 Pittsburg State | Pittsburg, KS | L 0–26 | |
| October 21 | Washburn | Amelia Earhart FieldAtchison, KS | W 25–14 | |
| October 28 | at Omaha | Omaha, NE | L 14–33 | 4,700–5,200 |
| November 4 | at Fort Hays State | Lewis FieldHays, KS | L 14–21 | |
| November 11 | Emporia State | Amelia Earhart FieldAtchison, KS | W 19–0 | |
| November 18 | William Jewell* | | L 14–34 | |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

### Emporia State

The 1961 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University of Emporia, Kansas, during the 1946 college football season. In their seventh season under head coach Keith Caywood, the team compiled a 1–8 record (1–4 against CIC opponents) and finished in fifth place in the CIC.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 16 | at Lincoln (MO)* | Jefferson City, MO | L 16–22 |
| September 23 | at Southwest Missouri State* | Springfield, MO | L 12–19 |
| September 30 | Central State (OK)* | Emporia, KS | L 7–27 |
| October 7 | at Central Missouri State* | Warrensburg, MO | L 7–12 |
| October 14 | Washburn | Emporia, KS | W 26–10 |
| October 21 | Omaha | Emporia, KS | L 21–27 |
| October 28 | Fort Hays State | Hays, KS | L 7–12 |
| November 4 | No. 1 Pittsburg State | Emporia, KS | L 0–35 |
| November 11 | St. Benedict's | Amelia Earhart FieldAtchison, KS | L 0–19 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||

### Washburn

The 1961 Washburn Ichabods football team represented Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas, during the 1961 college football season. In their third season under head coach Ralph Brown, the team compiled an 3–6 record (0–5 against CIC opponents) and finished in last place in the CIC.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 16 | at Colorado College | Washburn FieldColorado Springs, CO | W 18–14 | 1,000 |
| September 22 | Northeast Missouri State* | Topeka, KS | L 9–27 | 4,200 |
| September 30 | Central Missouri State* | | W 27–13 | |
| October 7 | Colorado Mines* | Topeka, KS | W 20–6 | |
| October 14 | Emporia State | | L 10–26 | |
| October 21 | St. Benedict's | Amelia Earhart FieldAtchison, KS | L 14–25 | |
| October 28 | No. 1 Pittsburg State | Topeka, KS | L 0–40 | 5,500 |
| November 4 | Omaha | | L 10–27 | 1,900 |
| November 10 | Fort Hays State* | | L 7–14 | |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game ||||||