1961 CFL season

The 1961 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the eighth season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the fourth Canadian Football League season.

CFL News in 1961

The Western Canada Intercollegiate Rugby Union merged with the Canadian Intercollegiate Athletic Union.

The WIFU changed its name to become the Western Football Conference.

The CFL season schedule was partially interlocked to allow teams of the Eastern Football Conference to play the teams of the Western Football Conference.

A third consecutive year of interleague exhibition matches were scheduled with teams in the National Football League. As in 1959 and 1960, in both of the two games played, both CFL teams lost (the Toronto Argonauts lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 36–7, on August 2, while the Montreal Alouettes fell to the Chicago Bears, 34–16, on August 5). The Hamilton Tiger-Cats had a better idea for success: challenge the nascent American Football League to a duel. The Tiger-Cats faced off against their cross-border "rivals," the Buffalo Bills, on August 8. The Tiger-Cats defeated the Bills, 38–21, giving the Canadian league its first win over an American team since 1941. The AFL, embarrassed over the loss, declined to play another international game, and with the CFL consistently losing to NFL teams, the CFL ended international competition.

The 49th edition of the Grey Cup was played in overtime for the first time at Toronto's CNE Stadium. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers won that game by defeating the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 21–14, to win the championship.

The CFL made rule changes for the 1962 season, permitting four defensive backs per team to have unlimited blocking during rushing plays, as long as they are lined up outside the ends. Additionally the tackle-eligible play became illegal.

Regular season standings

Final regular season standings

Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points

**Western Football Conference**
Team	GP	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pts
Winnipeg Blue Bombers	16	13	3	0	360	251	26
Edmonton Eskimos	16	10	5	1	334	257	21
Calgary Stampeders	16	7	9	0	300	311	14
Saskatchewan Roughriders	16	5	10	1	211	314	11
BC Lions	16	1	13	2	215	393	4

**Eastern Football Conference**
Team	GP	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats	14	10	4	0	340	293	20
Ottawa Rough Riders	14	8	6	0	359	285	16
Toronto Argonauts	14	7	6	1	255	258	15
Montreal Alouettes	14	4	9	1	213	225	9

Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
Winnipeg and Hamilton have first round byes.

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1961

Conference Semi-Finals

**Western Semi-Finals** – Game 1
Edmonton Eskimos @ Calgary Stampeders
Date	Away	Home
November 11	Edmonton Eskimos 8	Calgary Stampeders 10

**Western Semi-Finals** – Game 2
Calgary Stampeders @ Edmonton Eskimos
Date	Away	Home
November 13	Calgary Stampeders 17	Edmonton Eskimos 18

Calgary won the total-point series by 27–26. The Stampeders will play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Western Finals.

**Eastern Semi-Finals**
Toronto Argonauts @ Ottawa Rough Riders
Date	Away	Home
November 11	Toronto Argonauts 43	Ottawa Rough Riders 19

The Argonauts will play the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern Finals.

Conference Finals

**Western Finals** – Game 1
Winnipeg Blue Bombers @ Calgary Stampeders
Date	Away	Home
November 18	Winnipeg Blue Bombers 14	Calgary Stampeders 1

**Western Finals** – Game 2
Calgary Stampeders @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Date	Away	Home
November 22	Calgary Stampeders 14	Winnipeg Blue Bombers 43

Winnipeg wins the best of three series 2–0. The Blue Bombers will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.

**Eastern Finals** – Game 1
Hamilton Tiger-Cats @ Toronto Argonauts
Date	Away	Home
November 18	Hamilton Tiger-Cats 7	Toronto Argonauts 25

**Eastern Finals** – Game 2
Toronto Argonauts @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Date	Away	Home
November 25	Toronto Argonauts 2	Hamilton Tiger-Cats 48	OT

Hamilton won 2 game total-point series by 55–27. The Tiger-Cats will advance to the Grey Cup Championship game.

Playoff bracket

Division Semifinals

Division Finals

49th Grey Cup

East

Toronto Argonauts

25-2

Toronto Argonauts

Hamilton Tiger Cats

7-48

Ottawa Rough Riders

Hamilton Tiger Cats

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

West

Calgary Stampeders

1-14

Calgary Stampeders

10-17

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

14-43

Edmonton Eskimos

8-18

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Grey Cup Championship

December 2 49th Annual Grey Cup Game: Exhibition Stadium – Toronto, Ontario
Western Champion	Eastern Champion
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21	Hamilton Tiger-Cats 14	OT
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the 1961 Grey Cup Champions
Ken Ploen (QB), Winnipeg Blue Bombers – Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player.