1961 State College of Iowa Panthers football team

1961 State College of Iowa Panthers football
NCC co-champion
ConferenceNorth Central Conference
Record7–2 (5–1 NCC)
Head coach
Captains
  • Dan Boals
  • Carl Bowman
  • Bruce Wiegmann
  • Wendell Williams
Home stadiumO. R. Latham Stadium
Seasons
← 1960
1962 →
1961 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
South Dakota State + 5 1 0 8 2 0
State College of Iowa + 5 1 0 7 2 0
North Dakota 4 2 0 6 3 0
Augustana (SD) 4 2 0 5 3 1
Morningside 2 4 0 3 6 0
North Dakota State 1 5 0 3 6 0
South Dakota 0 6 0 1 8 0
  • + – Conference co-champions

The 1961 State College of Iowa Panthers football team, commonly known as "S.C.I.", was an American football team that represented Iowa State Teachers College (later renamed University of Northern Iowa) in the North Central Conference during the 1961 college football season. In their second season under head coach Stan Sheriff, the Panthers compiled a 7–2 record (5–1 in conference). They led the NCC until the final game of the season when they lost to South Dakota State, resulting in the two teams sharing the conference championship.

Guard and co-captain Wendell Williams was selected as a first-team player on the 1961 Little All-America college football team. Fullback and co-captain Dan Boals set a new school record with 1,003 rushing yards and was selected as one of the two outstanding backs in the NCC.

The team played its home games at O. R. Latham Stadium in Cedar Falls, Iowa.