In their second year under head coach Gene Corum, the Mountaineers compiled a 4–6 record (2–1 in conference games), tied for third place in the SoCon, and were outscored by a total of 145 to 134.

[2] Tackle Bill Winter and guard Keith Melenyzer were selected as first-team players on the 1961 All-Southern Conference football team.

[3] The team played its home games at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia.

[2] Two West Virginia players received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) on the 1961 All-Southern Conference football team: tackle Bill Winter and guard Keith Melenyzer.

End Ken Herock, guard Bob De Lorenzo, center Pete Goimarac, and backs Fred Colvard, Jim Moss, and Roger Holdinsky received honorable mention.