1961 NCAA University Division football rankings
| 1961 NCAA University Division football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1961 |
| Bowl season | 1961–62 bowl games |
| Preseason No. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Alabama |
Final AP poll
| Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | Ohio State |
| 3 | Texas |
| 4 | LSU |
| 5 | Mississippi |
| 6 | Minnesota |
| 7 | Colorado |
| 8 | Michigan State |
| 9 | Arkansas |
| 10 | Utah State |
| 11 | Missouri |
| 12 | Purdue |
| 13 | Georgia Tech |
| 14 | Syracuse |
| 15 | Rutgers |
| 16 | UCLA |
| 17 (t) | Arizona |
| 17 (t) | Rice |
| 17 (t) | Penn State |
| 20 | Duke |
Final Coaches' poll
| Ranking | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | Ohio State |
| 3 | LSU |
| 4 | Texas |
| 5 | Mississippi |
| 6 | Minnesota |
| 7 | Colorado |
| 8 | Arkansas |
| 9 | Michigan State |
| 10 | Utah State |
| 11 (t) | Purdue |
| 11 (t) | Missouri |
| 13 | Georgia Tech |
| 14 | Duke |
| 15 | Kansas |
| 16 | Syracuse |
| 17 | Wyoming |
| 18 | Wisconsin |
| 19 (t) | Miami (FL) |
| 19 (t) | Penn State |