 The 1961 season was particularly remarkable as it was the Scarlet Knights' first undefeated season (9–0) with Alabama, one of only two undefeated teams in the nation—and the team was captained by future college football hall-of-famer Alex Kroll.In 1961, Rutgers was considered a contender for the Rose Bowl, but was not selected because university president Mason Welch Gross did not express interest with the Rose Bowl's organizers.The following year, Rutgers again went independent, and remained so until it joined the Big East Conference in 1991.