| Week | Date | Rank | Rec | Points | FPV | CP | CFP | Last Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | Aug 11 | RV | 0-0 | 6 | 0 | NR | -- | DNP |
| 1 | Sep 2 | RV | 4 | 0 | RV | -- | W 45-17 vs Elon | |
| 5 | Sep 28 | NR | 0 | 0 | RV | -- | W 38-3 at Syracuse | |
| 6 | Oct 5 | NR | 0 | 0 | RV | -- | W 45-21 at California | |
| 7 | Oct 12 | NR | 0 | 0 | RV | -- | DNP | |
| 15 | Dec 7 | RV | 8-5 | 18 | 0 | RV | NR | W 27-20 (1OT) vs #16 Virginia (ACC CG) |
| Final | Jan 20 | RV | 58 | 0 | RV | -- | W 42-39 vs Arizona State (Sun Bowl) |
Note: Duke'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.