1961 RPI Engineers football team

The 1961 RPI Engineers football team was an American football team that represented Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) as an independent during the 1961 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Ed Hoffman, the Engineers compiled a 0–7 record, suffered four shutouts, and were outscored by a total of 168 to 24.[1]

1961 RPI Engineers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record0–7
Head coach
Home stadium'86 Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Eastern college football independents records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Middlebury     5 1 1
Villanova     8 2 0
Southern Connecticut State     7 2 0
Alfred     6 2 0
Montclair State     6 2 0
Delaware Valley     6 2 0
No. 17 Penn State     8 3 0
No. 14 Syracuse     8 3 0
Trinity (CT)     5 2 1
Holy Cross     7 3 0
C. W. Post     6 3 0
Army     6 4 0
Merchant Marine     6 4 0
Tufts     5 3 0
Rochester     5 3 0
Hamilton     4 3 0
Cortland State     4 3 0
American International     5 4 0
Colgate     5 4 0
Northeastern     4 4 0
Coast Guard     4 4 0
Ithaca     4 4 0
Boston University     4 5 0
Buffalo     4 5 0
Bridgeport     4 5 0
Norwich     3 4 1
Worcester Tech     3 4 0
Boston College     4 6 0
Union (NY)     3 5 0
Pittsburgh     3 7 0
Nichols     2 3 0
Trenton State     1 6 0
King's (PA)     1 8 0
Springfield     0 7 1
Brockport     0 7 0
RPI     0 7 0
Hobart     0 8 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1961 season was part of a 43-game winless streak. The streak began on October 24, 1959, with a 16–0 loss to Middlebury College and ended six years later on October 23, 1965, with a 28-14 victory over Middlebury. RPI managed only a single tie (20–20 with Nichols College in 1964) during that span.[2] [3] [4]

The team's leaders on offense included quarterback Dick Lundgren, fullback Rod Quirk, halfback Hank Light, and end Ron Leasman.[5]

The team played its home games at '86 Field (a gift from the school's Class of 1886) in Troy, New York. Admission for home games was $1 for adults and 50 cents for children under age 14.[6]

Schedule

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DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 30at St. LawrenceCanton, NYL 0–26[7]
October 7Hamilton
L 10–22[8]
October 21Union (NY)
  • '86 Field
  • Troy, NY
L 8–103,000[9][10]
October 28Middlebury
  • '86 Field
  • Troy, NY
L 6–202,800[11]
November 4at Worcester TechWorcester, MAL 0–40[12]
November 11Coast Guard
  • '86 Field
  • Troy, NY
L 0–131,000[13]
November 18at Rochester
L 0–372,600[14]

[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b "1961 Football Schedule". Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "True Story: RPI Wins!". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. October 24, 1965. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "1959 Football Schedule". Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  4. ^ "1964 Football Schedule". Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  5. ^ "Brief Summary of Cumulative Football Statistics (RPI)". Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  6. ^ "RPI Football Schedule: 4 Home, 3 Away Games". The Times Record. September 23, 1961. p. B2 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Larries Top RPI Gridmen By 26-0". The Times Record. October 2, 1961. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Angelo Micozzi (October 9, 1961). "Hamilton Rips RPI, 22-10". The Troy Record. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Joe Cooley (October 17, 1961). "Coaches Look For Tough Game". The Troy Record. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "RPI "11" Edged By Union 10-8: 17-Yd. Field Goal Wins For Dutchmen". The Times Record. October 23, 1961. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Joe Presbrey (October 30, 1961). "Middlebury Defeats RPI, 20-6, at Troy". The Burlington Free Press. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Worcester Trounces RPI, 40-0". The Times Record. November 6, 1961. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Coast Guard Beats RPI By 13-0". The Hartford Courant. November 12, 1961. p. 5C – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Dave Warner (November 19, 1961). "UR Wins 16th Straight at Home". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. pp. 1C, 3C – via Newspapers.com.