The 1961 Big Ten Conference football season was the 66th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1961 NCAA University Division football season. The 1961 Ohio State Buckeyes football team, under head coach Woody Hayes, compiled an 8–0–1, won the Big Ten championship, and was recognized as the national champion by the Football Writers Association of America. Fullback Bob Ferguson was a consensus first-team All-American and won the Maxwell Award and the UPI and Sporting News College Football Player of the Year awards. The 1961 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, under head coach Murray Warmath, compiled an 8–2, was ranked No. 6 in the final AP Poll, and defeated UCLA in the 1962 Rose Bowl. Quarterback Sandy Stephens was a consensus first-team All-American and won the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award as the Big Ten's most valuable player. As of 2017, Stephens is the most recent Minnesota player to win the award. Ron Miller of Wisconsin received the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation's top collegiate passer. Season overview Results and team statistics Key AP final = Team's rank in the final AP Poll of the 1961 season AP high = Team's highest rank in the AP Poll throughout the 1961 season PPG = Average of points scored per game PAG = Average of points allowed per game MVP = Most valuable player as voted by players on each team as part of the voting process to determine the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy; trophy winner in bold Preseason On November 20, 1960, hours after the final game of the 1960 season, Iowa announced that Forest Evashevski would be replaced as head football coach by Jerry Burns. Evashevski remained at Iowa as the athletic director. Burns, who signed a three-year contract, had been an assistant coach under Evashevski since 1954 and had played at Michigan from 1947 to 1950. In the preseason AP Poll, Iowa was ranked No. 1, and Ohio State was No. 2. Regular season Bowl games Post-season developments There were no changes in the conference's head football coaches between the 1961 and 1962 seasons. Statistical leaders The Big Ten's individual statistical leaders for the 1961 season include the following: Passing yards Rushing yards Receiving yards Total yards Scoring Awards and honors All-Big Ten honors The following players were picked by the