1961 Lenoir Rhyne Bears football team

1961 Lenoir Rhyne Bears football
Carolinas Conference champion
ConferenceCarolinas Conference
Ranking
APNo. 9 (AP small college)
Record8–1–1 (6–1 Carolinas)
Head coach
Home stadiumLenoir Rhyne College Field
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 Carolinas Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 15 Lenoir Rhyne $ 6 1 0 8 1 1
Appalachian State 5 1 0 7 3 0
Newberry 4 2 0 5 5 1
East Carolina 4 3 0 5 4 1
Elon 3 4 0 4 6 0
Catawba 3 4 0 3 7 0
Western Carolina 2 5 0 4 6 0
Guilford 0 7 0 0 9 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from NAIA poll

The 1961 Lenoir Rhyne Bears football team was an American football team that represented Lenoir Rhyne College (now known as Lenoir–Rhyne University) as a member of the Carolinas Conference during the 1961 college football season. In their 16th season under head coach Clarence Stasavich, the team compiled an 8–1–1 record (6–1 in conference games) and won the Carolinas Conference championship. The Bears were ranked No. 9 in the final Associated Press small college poll. The 1960 team won the NAIA national championship.

Junior fullback Richard Kemp led the conference with 1,050 yards of total offense and 78 points scored and was selected as the conferences's most valuable player.

The team played its home games at Lenoir Rhyne College Field in Hickory, North Carolina.