| Week | Date | Rank | Rec | Points | FPV | CP | CFP | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | Aug 19 | 22 | 0-0 | 209 | 0 | 22 | -- | DNP |
| 1 | Sep 3 | 21 | 1-0 | 246 | 0 | 22 | -- | W 24-0 at Liberty |
| 2 | Sep 8 | RV | 1-1 | 2 | 0 | NR | -- | L 63-20 at Maryland |
Note: Syracuse's ranking in the final 1961 poll has been changed to unranked after the original AP wire story and poll was revisited and confirmed across several newspapers.