1961 Maine Black Bears football team

1961 Maine Black Bears football
Yankee Conference champion
Lewis O. Barrows Trophy (MIAA champion)
ConferenceYankee Conference, Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Record8–0–1 (5–0 Yankee, 2–0–1 MIAA)
Head coach
Captains
Home stadiumAlumni Field
1961 Yankee Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW L T
Maine $ 5 0 08 0 1
UMass 3 1 05 4 0
Connecticut 2 2 02 7 0
New Hampshire 1 3 03 5 0
Rhode Island 1 4 02 6 1
Vermont 0 2 03 3 1
  • $ Conference champion

The 1961 Maine Black Bears football team was an American football team that represented the University of Maine as a member of the Yankee Conference and Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association during the 1961 college football season. In its 11th season under head coach Harold Westerman, the Black Bears compiled an 8–0–1 record (5–0 in Yankee Conference and 2–0–1 in MIAA games) and won the Yankee Conference championship. They also compiled a 2–0–1 record in Maine State Series competition to win the Lewis O. Barrows Trophy.

The team was led by quarterback Manchester Wheeler (715 passing yards), halfback Dave Cloutier (42 points scored), and end Dick Kinney (171 receiving yards). All three were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-Yankee Conference team. Kinney and Cloutier were also the team captains.

The team played its home games at Alumni Field in Orono, Maine.