The 1961 small college football rankings are rankings of college football teams representing smaller college and university teams during the 1961 college football season, including the 1961 NCAA College Division football season and the 1961 NAIA football season. Separate rankings were published by the Associated Press (AP) and the United Press International (UPI). The AP rankings were selected by a board of experts, and the UPI rankings were selected by a board of small-college coaches from throughout the country.
In its final rankings, the AP selected the 1961 Pittsburg State Gorillas football team as the small-college national champion. The Gorillas finished the season with a perfect 11–0 record, shut out seven opponents, and defeated in the Camellia Bowl. For its second through fifth spots, the AP selected four other undefeated teams: Baldwin–Wallace (9–0); Fresno State (10–0); Florida A&M (10–0); and Whittier (8–0).
The UPI board of coaches also selected Pittsburg as the small-college champion with first-place votes from 14 of the participating coaches and 250 total points. The UPI rated Baldwin–Wallace second, Mississippi Southern (8–2) third, and (9–1) fourth.
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also conducted a poll of coaches at the end of the 1961 season. Pittsburg was selected as the national champion in the NAIA poll.
Legend
The AP poll
The UPI Coaches poll
NAIA coaches poll
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also conducted a poll of coaches at the end of the 1961 season. The NAIA coaches poll ranked the top 20 teams as follows:
1. Pittsburg
2. Baldwin-Wallace
3. Linfield
4. Whittier
5. Florida A&M
6. Northern State (South Dakota) 7. Southeastern Louisiana 8. Tampa 9. Central State (OK) 10. McNeese State 11. Panhandle A&M 12. Parsons 13. Humboldt State 14. Millikin 15. Lenoir-Rhyne 16. Ollgwa 17. Arkansas Tech 18. University of Minnesota-Duluth 19. Missouri Valley 20. Westchester