1961 Northern State Wolves football team

The 1961 Northern State Wolves football team was an American football team that represented Northern State Teachers College (now known as Northern State University) as a member of the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference (SDIC) during the 1961 college football season. In their 16th year under head coach Clark Swisher, the Wolves compiled a 9–0 record in the regular season (6–0 in conference games), won the SDIC championship, outscored opponents by a total of 357 to 82, and were ranked No. 6 in the final NAIA poll.[1][2] Northern State then lost to the eventual national champion, Pittsburg State, in an NAIA semifinal playoff game. The team played home games at Simmons Field in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

1961 Northern State Wolves football
SDIC champion
ConferenceSouth Dakota Intercollegiate Conference
Record9–1 (6–0 SDIC)
Head coach
Home stadiumSimmons Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 6 Northern State $^ 6 0 0 9 1 0
Huron 5 1 0 7 2 0
Southern State (SD) 4 2 0 6 3 0
South Dakota Tech 2 4 0 3 5 0
Black Hills 2 4 0 3 5 0
Dakota Wesleyan 2 4 0 2 7 0
General Beadle 0 6 0 2 7 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NAIA playoff participant
Rankings from NAIA poll

Senior fullback Jim Vogt scored 22 points against Dakota Wesleyan,[3] and was one of the nation's leading rushers and scorers, but he was lost to the team after sustaining a chipped vertebrae and near fracture in his neck.[4]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultSource
September 9Moorhead State*Aberdeen, SDW 46–10[5]
September 16at Southern State (SD)Springfield, SDW 27–20[6]
September 23South Dakota TechAberdeen, SDW 47–0[7]
September 30Dakota WesleyanAberdeen, SDW 40–13[8]
October 7Nebraska Wesleyan*  Aberdeen, SD (Gypsy Day)W 32–0[9]
October 14at Black HillsSpearfish, SDW 52–13[10]
October 21Huron
  • Simmons Field
  • Aberdeen, SD
W 33–13[11]
October 28at General BeadleMadison, SDW 41–13[12]
November 4Dickinson State*Aberdeen, SDW 39–0[13]
November 23at No. 1 Pittsburg State*Pittsburg, KS (NAIA Semifinal)L 14–28[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References

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  1. ^ "Black Hills Defeats Tech in Final Game". The Daily Republic. Mitchell, South Dakota. Associated Press. November 13, 1961. p. 12. Retrieved November 26, 2019 – via Newspapers.com  .
  2. ^ "Linfield Third As Whittier Fourth; Pittsburgh Top Team". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. November 22, 1961. p. 10. Retrieved June 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com  .
  3. ^ "Haller Fourth In NAIA Point Totals". The Daily Plainsman. October 8, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Craig Stolze (October 18, 1961). "No Vogt May Mean Vote for Huron But Swisher Syas, 'We'll Show Up'". Sioux Falls Argus Leader. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "State College, Northern, Southern Win Initial Contests; Huron Losses". The Daily Republic. September 11, 1961. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Wolves Edge Southern". Rapid City Journal. September 17, 1961. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Northern Smashes Tech". Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. September 24, 1961. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Northern Racks Up 40-13 Win To Hand DWU Third Defeat". The Daily Plainsman. October 1, 1961. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Wolves Smash Nebraska Foe". Rapid City Daily Journal. October 8, 1961. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Vogt Missing But Wolves Roll 52-13". Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. October 15, 1961. p. 3D – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Wolves Down Huron 33-13". Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. October 22, 1961. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Northern Trims Beadle 42-13; Clinches Crown". Sioux Falls Argus-Leader. October 29, 1961. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Northern Rips Dickinson In Snow Storm". The Daily Plainsman. November 5, 1961. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Pittsburg State Rambles Past Northern State to Earn Bowl Bid". Great Bend Daily Tribune. November 24, 1961. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.