| 1953 college football season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preseason AP No. 1 | Notre Dame[1] | |
| Number of bowls | 7 | |
| Champion(s) | Maryland (AP, Coaches) | |
| Heisman | Johnny Lattner (halfback, Notre Dame) | |
| ||
The 1953 college football season was marked by the NCAA Rules Committee's revocation of the two-platoon system and unlimited substitution rules in favor of the historic one-platoon system with its highly restrictive substitution rules. This radical rules shift made the 1953 season "The Year of the Great Adjustment," in the words of sportswriter Tommy Devine of the Detroit Free Press, in which teams scrambled to tighten their rosters and alter their strategies in accord with the more traditional "iron man" game.[2]
The season finished with four teams selected as national champions:
- Maryland finished the regular season undefeated (10–0) and was ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press (AP), United Press (UP) coaches, and International News Service polls (all released before the bowl games were played). The Terrapins then lost to No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.
- Notre Dame compiled a 9–0–1 record (including victories over Oklahoma and Georgia Tech) and was ranked No. 2 in the final AP and UP polls. The Irish have been recognized as the national champion by 11 official selectors.[3] Notre Dame's Johnny Lattner won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award as the best player in college football. Notre Dame does not recognize this title due to its policy of only recognizing AP or Coaches Poll titles during the polling era (1936–present).[citation needed]
- Oklahoma compiled a 9–1–1, including a victory over No. 1 Maryland in the Orange Bowl. The Sooners were ranked No. 4 in the final AP poll but have but have been recognized as national champion by Berryman (QPRS) and College Football Researchers Association.
- Prairie View compiled a perfect 12–0 record, outscored opponents by a total of 387 to 88, and was recognized as the black college national champion.
The Cincinnati Bearcats, under head coach Sid Gilman, compiled a 9–1 record and led the country in both total offense (409.5 yards per game) and total defense (184.3 yards per game).
Small college teams compiling perfect records included Juniata (three consecutive undefeated seasons), Peru State (part of 26-game winning streak), and Shippensburg (consecutive perfect seasons).
Individual statistical leaders in major college football included Paul Larson of California with 1,572 yards of total offense; Bobby Garrett of Stanford with 1,637 passing yards; J. C. Caroline of Illinois with 1,256 rushing yards; Johnny Carson of Georgia with 663 receiving yards; and Earl Lindley of Utah State with 81 points scored.
- ^ "1953 Preseason AP Football Poll". CollegePollArchive.com. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ Tommy Devine, "Mid-West," Football Pictorial: Street and Smith's 1954 Yearbook. New York: Street and Smith Publishing, 1954; p. 5.
- ^ Billingsley Report, Boand System, DeVold System, Dunkel System, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, Litkenhous Ratings, National Championship Foundation, Poling System, Sagarin Ratings, and Williamson System.