The 1961 Orange Bowl was the 27th edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Monday, January 2. Part of the 1960–61 bowl game season, the fifth-ranked Missouri Tigers of the Big Eight Conference defeated the #4 Navy Midshipmen, 21–14. New Year's Day was on a Sunday in 1961; the college bowl games were played the following day.