CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1961 Wisconsin

6–⁠3 (4–⁠3 Big Ten), coached by Milt Bruhn.

Schedule and results

Wisconsin in 1961, game by game: won vs. Utah 7–0; lost vs. Michigan State 0–20; won at Indiana 6–3; won vs. Oregon State 23–20; lost at Iowa 15–47; lost vs. Ohio State 21–30; won at Northwestern 29–10; won vs. Illinois 55–7; won at Minnesota 23–21+48−32Won 7–0 vs. Utah+7UtahLost 0–20 vs. Michigan State-20Michigan StateWon 6–3 at Indiana+3IndianaWon 23–20 vs. Oregon State+3Oregon StateLost 15–47 at Iowa-32IowaLost 21–30 vs. Ohio State-9Ohio StateWon 29–10 at Northwestern+19NorthwesternWon 55–7 vs. Illinois+48IllinoisWon 23–21 at Minnesota+2Minnesota
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 23vsUtahW 7–⁠052%
Sep 30vsMichigan StateL 0–⁠2048%
Oct 7atIndianaW 6–⁠356%
Oct 14vsOregon StateW 23–⁠2061%
Oct 21atIowaL 15–⁠4723%
Oct 28vsOhio StateL 21–⁠3035%
Nov 11atNorthwesternW 29–⁠1029%
Nov 18vsIllinoisW 55–⁠776%
Nov 25atMinnesotaW 23–⁠2124%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Minnesota 23–⁠21; unranked in the final AP poll; 5th in the Big Ten.

In program history: The 63rd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 135 on file).

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1961.

Led the nationRon Miller: passing yards (1,487 yds); Pat Richter: receiving yards (817 yds)

Record
6–⁠3
Conference
4–⁠3 5th in Big Ten
AP final
Unranked
Points
179–⁠158
Coach
Milt Bruhn
Elo
1563 +64 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
10.9 No. 27 of 111 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captains
Jim Bakken and Don Schade
Most valuable player
Ron Miller

Drafted in 1962

The 1962 draft
Rd 7Jim Bakken QBLos Angeles Rams

All-Big Ten

1 first team, 1 second team

First team

Second team

From Wikipedia’s 1961 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1961 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Ohio State6–⁠08–⁠0–⁠12
Minnesota6–⁠18–⁠26
Michigan State5–⁠27–⁠28
Purdue4–⁠26–⁠312
Wisconsin4–⁠36–⁠3
Michigan3–⁠36–⁠3
Iowa2–⁠45–⁠4
Northwestern2–⁠44–⁠5
Indiana0–⁠62–⁠7
Illinois0–⁠70–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.