| Year: | 1961 |
| Team: | SMU Mustangs |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southwest Conference |
| Short Conf: | SWC |
| Record: | 2–7–1 |
| Conf Record: | 1–5–1 |
| Head Coach: | Bill Meek |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Captain: | Bobby Hunt, Max Christian, Mike Rice |
The 1961 SMU Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1961 college football season. In their fifth and final year under head coach Bill Meek, the Mustangs compiled a 2–7–1 record (1–5–1 in conference games), finished last out of eight teams in the SWC, and were outscored by a total of 191 to 92.[1]
The team's statistical leaders were Jerry Rhome (693 passing yards), Billy Gannon (187 rushing yards), and Buddy Nichols (161 receiving yards).[2]
A few hours after the final game of the season, SMU announced that Meek had been fired as the team's head coach. In five seasons under Meek, SMU won only 10 SWC games and compiled an overall record of 17–29–4.
The team played its home games at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.