# 1961 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football season

The 1961 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football season was the season of college football played by the five member schools of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) as part of the 1961 college football season.
Whittier compiled a perfect 9–0 record in the regular season, won the SCIAC championship, and lost to Linfield in the semifinals of the NAIA playoffs. In the 1961 small college football rankings, Whittier was ranked No. 4 in the NAIA coaches poll, No. 5 in the Associated Press poll, and No. 8 in the United Press International poll.

## Teams
### Whittier

The 1961 Whittier Poets football team represented Whittier College of Whittier, California. In their second year under head coach John Godfrey, the Poets compiled a perfect 9–1 record (4–0 against SCIAC opponents) and won the SCIAC championship. In the 1961 small college football rankings, Whittier was ranked No. 4 in the NAIA coaches poll, No. 5 in the Associated Press poll, and No. 8 in the United Press International poll.
Quarterback Sei Miyano completed 63 of 115 passes for 1,154 yards with 15 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He also led the team with 1,291 yards of total offense. Halfback Dick Skinner led the team in rushing with 120 carries for 648 yards. Miyano was five feet, seven inches tall. He was one of four Japanese-American players on the 1961 Whittier team.
Three Whittier players were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-SIAC football team: junior back Dick Skinner; junior end Stan Sanders; and senior guard Dave Okura.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 16 | San Diego* | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | W 27–0 |
| September 23 | at UC Santa Barbara* | La Playa StadiumSanta Barbara, CA | W 20–0 |
| September 30 | UC Davis* | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | W 20–8 |
| October 7 | vs. Pepperdine* | Sentinel FieldInglewood, CA | W 28–11 |
| October 14 | vs. Cal Western* | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | W 46–12 |
| October 21 | at Occidental | Eagle Rock, CA | W 28–8 |
| November 4 | Pomona | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | W 25–0 |
| November 11 | at Claremont-Mudd | Claremont, CA | W 40–13 |
| November 18 | Redlands | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | W 24–6 |
| November 25 | at Linfield* | McMinnville, OR (NAIA semifinal) | L 7–18 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Redlands

The 1961 Redlands Bulldogs football team represented University of Redlands of Redlands, California. In their third year under head coach Ted Runner, the Bulldogs compiled a 6–4 record (3–1 against SCIAC opponents) and finished second the SCIAC.
Four Redlands players were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-SCIAC football team: senior quarterback Roger Chaney; senior tackle Myron Tarkanian; senior guard Marshall Nixon; and senior center Rollin Grider.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 16 | vs. Cal Western* | Point Loma High SchoolSan Diego, CA | W 31–0 | |
| September 23 | Nevada* | U.R. stadiumClaremont, CA | W 25–0 | 3,000 |
| September 30 | at Arizona State–Flagstaff* | Lumberjack StadiumFlagstaff, AZ | L 10–13 | 3,500–4,450 |
| October 7 | Cal Poly Pomona* | U.R. stadiumClaremont, CA | L 14–35 | 5,200 |
| October 14 | San Diego State* | U.R. stadiumClaremont, CA | L 20–32 | 4,200 |
| October 21 | Pomona | U.R. stadiumClaremont, CA | W 38–21 | 4,500 |
| October 28 | at Claremont-Mudd | Claremont FieldClaremont, CA | W 26–7 | |
| November 4 | at Occidental | Eagle Rock, Los Angeles | W 27–19 | 5,000 |
| November 11 | LaVerne* | U.R. stadiumClaremont, CA | W 40–28 | 4,000 |
| November 18 | at Whittier | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | L 6–24 | |
| *Non-conference gameHomecoming ||||||

### Occidental

The 1961 Occidental Tigers football team represented Occidental College of Eagle Rock, Los Angeles. In their second year under head coach Vic Schwenk, the Tigers compiled a 6–2 record (2–2 against SCIAC opponents) and finished third in the SCIAC.
Three Occidental players were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-SIAC team: junior back John Whitney; junior end Jerry Greenwalt; and senior tackle Mike Lewis.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 23 | Hamilton AFB* | Patterson FieldEagle Rock, Los Angeles | L 14–20 | |
| September 30 | at Cal Western* | San Diego, CA | W 21–2 | |
| October 7 | at Santa Clara* | Santa Clara, CA | W 36–28 | |
| October 13 | Claremont-Mudd | Patterson FieldEagle Rock, Los Angeles | W 61–0 | |
| October 21 | Whittier | Eagle Rock, CA | L 8–28 | |
| October 28 | at UC Santa Barbara* | La Playa StadiumSanta Barbara, CA | W 14–13 | 6,000 |
| November 4 | Redlands | Patterson FieldEagle Rock, Los Angeles | L 19–27 | 5,000 |
| November 10 | Caltech* | Patterson FieldEagle Rock, Los Angeles | W 47–8 | 300 |
| November 18 | at Pomona | Alumni FieldPomona, CA | W 7–0 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Pomona

The 1961 Pomona Sagehens football team represented Pomona College of Claremont, California. In their third year under head coach Chuck Mills, the Sagehens compiled a 5–4 record (1–3 against SCIAC opponents) and finished fourth in the SCIAC. Senior back Pete Rodi was a first-team selection on the 1961 All-SCIAC team.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 23 | La Verne* | Alumni FieldPomona, CA | L 28–37 | |
| September 30 | Azusa* | Claremont, CA | W 29–6 | |
| October 7 | Claremont-Mudd | Claremont, CA | W 8–6 | |
| October 14 | Caltech* | Claremont, CA | W 53–7 | |
| October 21 | Redlands | | L 21–38 | 4,500 |
| October 28 | at UC Riverside* | Riverside, CA | W 32–8 | |
| November 4 | Whittier | Hadley FieldWhittier, CA | L 0–25 | |
| November 11 | vs. Southern California College* | Newport Beach High SchoolNewport Beach, CA | W 40–0 | |
| November 18 | Occidental | Alumni FieldPomona, CA | L 0–7 | |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

### Claremont-Mudd

The 1961 Claremont-Mudd Stags football team represented Claremont College and Harvey Mudd College of Claremont, California. In their first year under head coach Jim Williams, the Stags compiled a 3–6 record (0–4 against SCIAC opponents) and finished last in the SCIAC.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result |
| September 23 | El Toro Marines | Claremont, CA | L 20–27 |
| September 30 | La Verne* | Claremont, CA | L 12–28 |
| October 7 | Pomona | Claremont, CA | L 6–8 |
| October 13 | at Occidental | Patterson FieldEagle Rock, Los Angeles | L 0–61 |
| October 21 | UC Riverside | Claremont, CA | W 21–14 |
| October 28 | Redlands | Claremont FieldClaremont, CA | L 7–26 |
| November 4 | Cal Western* | Claremont, CA | W 20–12 |
| November 11 | Whittier | Claremont, CA | L 13–40 |
| November 18 | at Caltech | Rose BowlPasadena, CA | W 60–8 |
| *Non-conference game ||||||

## All-conference selections

At the end of the season, the conference coaches selected the best players at each position to their 1961 all-SIAC football team.
First team
* Quarterback - Roger Chaney, senior, Redlands
* Backs - John Whitney, junior, Occidental; Pete Rodi, senior, Pomona; Dick Skinner, junior, Whittier
* Ends - Jerry Greenwalt, junior, Occidental, and Stan Sanders Jr., Whittier
* Tackles - Myron Tarkanian, senior, Redlands; Mike Lewis, senior, Occidental
* Guards - Dave Okura, senior, Whittier; Marshall Nixon, senior, Redlands
* Center - Rollin Grider, senior, Redlands