The 1961 Tennessee Volunteers football team (variously "Tennessee", "UT" or the "Vols") represented the University of Tennessee in the 1961 college football season. Playing as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the team was led by head coach Bowden Wyatt, in his seventh year, and played their home games at Shields-Watkins Field in Knoxville, Tennessee. They finished the season with a record of six wins and four losses (6–4 overall, 4–3 in the SEC).