The 1961 Jackson State Tigers football team represented Jackson College for Negro Teachers (now known as Jackson State University) as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1961 college football season. Led by tenth-year head coach John Merritt, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 9âÂÂ2, with a conference record of 6âÂÂ1, and finished as SWAC champion.
Back Roy Curry received third-team honors on the 1961 Little All-America college football team.