They made a steady start to the league season, and were in twelfth place by the end of August, but slowly rose to compete with Burnley for the title.

The match ended goalless and Eric Todd wrote in The Guardian that although Ipswich looked like Second Division champions "only on occasions", they were denied a late chance to win of which "Bolton could not have complained.

"[4] Three days later, Ipswich made their first visit to Turf Moor where they lost 4–3 to Burnley after equalising three times, including two goals from Ted Phillips.

[5] In their first game of the season at Portman Road, two late goals by Peter Dobing secured a 4–2 victory for Manchester City on 26 August 1961.

Journalist Clement Freud, writing in The Observer, noted that for half an hour of the match "Ipswich found their First Division feet.

"[6] Ipswich then faced Burnley at home, winning 6–2 including a brace from Crawford, to record their first victory of the season, and ended the month in twelfth place in the league table.

[11] After a mid-week League Cup victory over Manchester City, Ipswich faced Everton at Goodison Park: goalkeeper Wilf Hall stood in for injured Roy Bailey to make his debut in a First Division match.

In blustery conditions, Derek Temple scored a hat-trick as Ipswich were beaten convincingly 5–2 with consolation goals from Phillips and Moran.

[16] A 2–1 defeat at Sheffield United the week later was followed by a 3–2 victory at home over Tottenham Hotspur, a result described by John Arlott in The Observer as "the highest of the peaks of Ipswich Town's achievement".

[17] Cliff Jones scored twice for the League and FA Cup champions, but a second-half brace from Crawford ensured a win for Ipswich in front of yet another record Portman Road crowd.

[17][18] A week later, a trip to Bloomfield Road saw Ipswich end the month in fourth place in the league after a 1–1 draw, with a performance deemed "half-hearted" by the East Anglian Daily Times.

[18][19] Nottingham Forest were the next visitors to Portman Road on 4 November, and despite them having considerably more chances to score, a solitary effort from Phillips midway through the first half was sufficient for Ipswich to take both points.

With a performance described in the East Anglian Daily Times as "deadly", "efficient" and "polished and planned", Ipswich won 3–0 with goals from Moran and Phillips (2).

Pawson in The Observer noted that Ipswich "held off Chelsea's determined challenge, and then casually crushed them" 5–2 with a hat-trick from Crawford supplemented by goals from Moran and Stephenson.

[25] A week later, Dennis Shaw of the Daily Herald described Ipswich as "the biggest disappointment of the season" as they lost 3–0 at Aston Villa, offering just two scoring attempts in the game.

Bolton took the lead through Doug Holden but two goals from Crawford in the last seven minutes secured a 2–1 victory for Ipswich who The Observer's Arlott described as making a "mockery of footballing justice — if it exists.

The first took place on 13 January and saw West Bromwich Albion, whose team included England international and future Ipswich Town manager Bobby Robson, visit Portman Road.

Although Roy Vernon had scored for Everton, Ipswich's third goal came after Green fouled Stephenson, whose resulting free kick was converted by Elsworthy.

Alan Mullery put the home side ahead after 13 minutes as they dominated the early stages, but injuries to Graham Leggat and Johnny Haynes weakened the team allowing Ipswich to take advantage.

Described by Pawson in The Observer as a "curiously relaxed and gentle game", John Dick put the home side ahead before Leadbetter equalised with a rebound from a Crawford header which struck the West Ham crossbar.

Bailey spilled Joe Kirkup's strike into his own net to give West Ham the lead once again before a penalty from Phillips secured a 2–2 draw.

Two goals in each half for Ipswich, including a brace for Crawford ensured a 4–0 win with the East Anglian Daily Times suggesting that United had lost their undefeated run "without a fight".

Crawford equalised and with two minutes remaining passed to Stephenson who scored to secure Ipswich's eleventh consecutive home league victory.

First-half goals from Peter Brabrook and Barry Bridges were cancelled out in the second half by Crawford and a Phillips penalty, for Ipswich's second 2–2 draw in two days which consigned Chelsea to relegation.

[57] The match took place three weeks later, and despite having travelled 5,000 miles (8,000 km) over the preceding ten days, Swansea took a 2–0 lead midway through the first half.

Cyril Chapman, writing in the Birmingham Daily Post, noted that Villa dominated "a most one-sided game" but in which Ipswich scored three times from their four shots, to win 3–2.

[60] Ipswich entered the season's FA Cup in the third round where they were drawn at home on 6 January 1962 against Luton Town, a Second Division club who were eleventh in the league.

According to Freud, Ipswich "deserved to lose" but the match ended 1–1 to send the tie to a replay, which took place the following Wednesday at Kenilworth Road.

[64] Twelve days later, on 27 January, Ipswich faced Second Division team Norwich City, their East Anglian rivals at Carrow Road.

After a goalless first half, Norwich took the lead through Terry Allcock but Leadbetter equalised five minutes later and the tie ended in a 1–1 draw, resulting in a replay at Portman Road on 30 January.