The 1961 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1961. The six selectors recognized by the NCAA as "official" for the 1961 season are (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), (2) the Associated Press (AP), (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), (4) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), (5) the Sporting News, and (6) the United Press International (UPI).
For the year 1961, the NCAA recognizes six published All-American teams as "official" designations for purposes of its consensus determinations. The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.
Gary Collins, Maryland (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC)
Bill Miller, Miami (Fla.) (AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-2, Time, WC)
Greg Mather, Navy (AP-3, FWAA, UPI-2, CP)
Gary Hillebrand, Colorado (AP-1, FWAA)
Pat Richter, Wisconsin (AP-2, UPI-1)
Robert Mitinger, Penn State (AFCA, UPI-3)
Hugh Campbell, Washington State (AP-3, UPI-3)
Billy Neighbors, Alabama (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA [guard], NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, WC)
Merlin Olsen, Utah State (AP-1, FWAA, NEA, UPI-1, Time, WC)
Bobby Bell, Minnesota (AFCA, AP-3, FWAA, SN, UPI-2, CP)
Ed Blaine, Missouri (AP-2, FWAA)
Don Talbert, Texas (FWAA, UPI-3)
Fate Echols, Northwestern (Time)
Steve Barnett, Oregon (AP-2)
Jim Dunaway, Ole Miss (UPI-2)
Art Gregory, Duke (AP-3)
Roy Winston, LSU (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC)
Joe Romig, Colorado (AFCA, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, WC)
Dave Behrman, Michigan State (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-3 [tackle])
Nick Buoniconti, Notre Dame (UPI-2, CP)
Bookie Bolin, Mississippi (Time)
Mike Ingram, Ohio State (AP-2, UPI-2)
Dave Watson, Georgia Tech (AP-2)
Stan Sezurek, Purdue (AP-3, UPI-3)
Larry Vignali, Pitt (AP-3, UPI-3)
Alex Kroll, Rutgers (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, UPI-1, WC)
Bill Van Buren, Iowa (SN, CP)
Ron Hull, UCLA (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-3)
Irv Goode, Kentucky (Time)
Larry Onesti, Northwestern (AP-3, UPI-2)
Sandy Stephens, Minnesota (AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, WC)
Roman Gabriel, North Carolina State (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, Time)
John Hadl, Kansas (FWAA)
Doug Elmore, Mississippi (CP)
Eddie Wilson, Arizona (AP-3)
John Hadl, Kansas (AP-3, UPI-2)
Ernie Davis, Syracuse (AFCA, AP-1,FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC)
Jimmy Saxton, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, WC)
Lance Alworth, Arkansas (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2)
Ronnie Bull, Baylor (UPI-3, Time)
Pat Trammell, Alabama (AP-2, UPI-2)
Bennie McRae, Michigan (AP-3)
Dave Hoppman, Iowa State (AP-3, UPI-3)
Bob Ferguson, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPI-1, CP, Time, WC)
Billy Ray Adams, Mississippi (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-3)
George Saimes, Michigan State (UPI-3)
Bold – Consensus All-American
-1 – First-team selection
-2 – Second-team selection
-3 – Third-team selection
AFCA = American Football Coaches Association
AP = Associated Press
FWAA = Football Writers Association of America
NEA = Newspaper Enterprise Association
SN = Sporting News
UPI = United Press International
CP = Central Press Association
Time = Time magazine
WC = Walter Camp Football Foundation
