1953 College Football Season

NATIONAL CHAMPION

AP TITLE
CHAMPIONMaryland10–1 overall
HEISMANJohnny LattnerNotre Dame · HB
#1 PICKBobby GarrettStanford · Cleveland Browns, 1954 draft

MAJOR BOWL RESULTS

4 BOWL GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1954Rose BowlMichigan State 28, UCLA 20
Jan 1, 1954Cotton BowlRice 28, Alabama 6
Jan 1, 1954Sugar BowlGeorgia Tech 42, West Virginia 19
Jan 1, 1954Orange BowlOklahoma 7, Maryland 0

1953 STANDINGS

11 CONFERENCES + INDEPENDENTS

ACC

Duke finished atop the 1953 ACC standings at 4–0 in conference play (7–2–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Duke4–07–2–1–
Maryland3–09–1OU 7–0 MD
South Carolina2–37–3–
North Carolina2–34–6–
Wake Forest2–33–6–1–
Clemson1–23–5–1–
NC State0–31–8–

BIG 7

Oklahoma finished atop the 1953 Big 7 standings at 6–0 in conference play (9–1–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Oklahoma6–09–1–1OU 7–0 MD
Missouri4–26–4–
Kansas State4–25–3–1–
Colorado2–46–4–
Nebraska2–43–6–1–
Kansas2–42–8–
Iowa State1–52–7–

BIG TEN

Michigan State finished atop the 1953 Big Ten standings at 5–1 in conference play (8–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Michigan State5–18–1MSU 28–20 UCLA
Illinois5–17–1–1–
Ohio State4–36–3–
Wisconsin4–1–15–2–1–
Michigan3–36–3–
Iowa3–35–3–1–
Minnesota3–3–14–4–1–
Purdue2–42–7–
Indiana1–51–7–
Northwestern0–63–6–

BORDER INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Texas Tech finished atop the 1953 Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association standings at 5–0 in conference play (10–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Texas Tech5–010–1TTU 35–13 AUB
UTEP4–27–2UTEP 37–14 USM
Arizona3–24–4–1–
Arizona State1–34–4–
New Mexico State1–41–7–

MAC

Ohio finished atop the 1953 MAC standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Ohio0–00–1

OVC

Middle Tennessee finished atop the 1953 OVC standings at 0–1.

TEAMCONFOVERALL
Middle Tennessee0–00–1

PACIFIC COAST

UCLA finished atop the 1953 Pacific Coast standings at 6–1 in conference play (8–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
UCLA6–18–2MSU 28–20 UCLA
Stanford5–1–16–2–1–
USC4–2–16–3–1–
Washington State3–43–6–
Oregon State3–53–6–
California2–2–24–4–2–
Oregon2–5–14–5–1–
Washington2–4–13–6–1–

SEC

Georgia Tech finished atop the 1953 SEC standings at 4–1–1 in conference play (9–2–1 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Georgia Tech4–1–19–2–1GT 42–19 WVU
Ole Miss4–1–17–2–1–
Kentucky4–1–17–2–1–
Auburn4–2–17–3–1TTU 35–13 AUB
Alabama4–0–36–3–3RICE 28–6 ALA
Tennessee3–2–16–4–1–
Mississippi State3–1–35–2–3–
LSU2–3–35–3–3–
Vanderbilt1–53–7–
Florida1–3–23–5–2–
Georgia1–53–8–
Tulane0–71–8–1–

SKYLINE

Utah finished atop the 1953 Skyline standings at 5–0 in conference play (7–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Utah5–07–2–
Utah State5–26–2–
Wyoming4–2–15–4–
New Mexico3–2–14–3–1–
Colorado State3–43–5–
BYU1–5–12–6–1–

SOUTHERN

West Virginia finished atop the 1953 Southern standings at 4–0 in conference play (7–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
West Virginia4–07–2GT 42–19 WVU
Virginia Tech3–35–5–

SOUTHWEST

Rice finished atop the 1953 Southwest standings at 5–1 in conference play (9–2 overall).

TEAMCONFOVERALLBOWL
Rice5–19–2RICE 28–6 ALA
Texas5–17–3–
Baylor4–27–3–
SMU3–35–5–
Arkansas2–43–7–
Texas A&M1–54–5–1–
TCU1–53–7–

INDEPENDENTS

Notre Dame finished atop the 1953 independents at 9–0–1.

TEAMOVERALLBOWL
Notre Dame9–0–1–
Army7–1–1–
Oklahoma State6–2–
Penn State5–3–
Syracuse5–3–
Southern Miss4–2UTEP 37–14 USM
Navy4–3–2–
Miami4–5–
Cincinnati3–0–
Houston3–4–1–
San José State3–4–1–
Pittsburgh3–5–1–
Arkansas State3–0–1–
Boston College3–3–1–
Florida State2–2–
Tulsa2–5–
Rutgers2–6–
Memphis1–3–
North Texas1–5–1–
Louisville0–1–
Hawai'i0–1–
San Diego State0–1–
Fresno State0–2–
UConn0–2–
Marshall0–1–
Temple0–3–
Virginia0–8–
Louisiana0–1–

OTHER POSTSEASON RESULTS

2 GAMES
DATEBOWLRESULT
Jan 1, 1954Postseason gameTexas Tech 35, Auburn 13
Jan 1, 1954Postseason gameUTEP 37, Southern Miss 14