The 1961 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team represented the Middle Tennessee State CollegeâÂÂnow known as Middle Tennessee State UniversityâÂÂas a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) during the 1961 college football season. Led by 15th-year head coach Charles M. Murphy, the Blue Raiders compiled a record an overall record of 7âÂÂ4 with a mark of 5âÂÂ1 in conference play, placing second in the OVC. Middle Tennessee was invited to the Tangerine Bowl, where they lost to Lamar Tech. The team's captains were Don Faulk and Jerry Pearson.