The 1961 UC Riverside Highlanders football team represented the University of California, Riverside as an independent during the 1961 college football season.
Led by third-year head coach Jim Whitley, UC Riverside compiled a record of 1–7.
The team was outscored by its opponents 159 to 101 for the season.
The Highlanders played home games at UCR Athletic Field in Riverside, California.
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