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1953 Michigan State Spartans football team

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1953 Michigan State Spartans football
Big Ten co-champion
Rose Bowl champion
Rose Bowl, W 28–20 vs. UCLA
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 3
APNo. 3
Record9–1 (5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach
MVPLeroy Bolden
CaptainDon Dohoney
Home stadiumMacklin Stadium
Seasons
← 1952
1954 →
1953 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Michigan State + 5 – 1 – 0 9 – 1 – 0
No. 7 Illinois + 5 – 1 – 0 7 – 1 – 1
No. 15 Wisconsin 4 – 1 – 1 6 – 2 – 1
Ohio State 4 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
Minnesota 3 – 3 – 1 4 – 4 – 1
No. 20 Michigan 3 – 3 – 0 6 – 3 – 0
No. 9 Iowa 3 – 3 – 0 5 – 3 – 1
Purdue 2 – 4 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Indiana 1 – 5 – 0 2 – 7 – 0
Northwestern 0 – 6 – 0 3 – 6 – 0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1953 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State College (now known as Michigan State University) in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first season in the Big Ten Conference, and their seventh and final season under head coach Biggie Munn, the Spartans compiled a 9–1 record (5–1 in conference games), outscored opponents by a total of 240 to 110, and shared the Big Ten title with Illinois. They represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl, defeated UCLA, 28–20, and finished ranked third in both the AP and Coaches polls.[1][2]

The season was part of the Spartans' school-record, 28-game winning streak that began on October 14, 1950, and ended with a 6-0 loss at Purdue on October 24, 1953.[3]

The team's statistical leaders included Leroy Bolden (691 rushing yards), Tom Yewcic (489 passing yards), and Ellis Duckett (169 receiving yards). Bolden was selected as the team's most valuable player.[4] End Don Dohoney was a consensus All-American.[5] Bolden and Doheney also received first-team honors from both the writers and coaches on the 1953 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[6][7]

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 26at IowaNo. 2
W 21–747,125[8]
October 3at MinnesotaNo. 2
W 21–061,594[9]
October 10TCU*No. 2
W 26–1951,049[10]
October 17IndianadaggerNo. 2
  • Macklin Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 47–1851,698[11]
October 24at PurdueNo. 2
L 0–635,000[3]
October 31Oregon State*No. 6
  • Macklin Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 34–651,108[12]
November 7at Ohio StateNo. 5
W 28–1382,328[13]
November 14MichiganNo. 4
  • Macklin Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI (rivalry)
W 14–652,324[14]
November 21Marquette*No. 3
  • Macklin Stadium
  • East Lansing, MI
W 21–1542,170[15]
January 1, 1954vs. No. 5 UCLA*No. 3
W 28–20100,100[16]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[17]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "2016 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Michigan State University. pp. 146, 154. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 17, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  2. ^ "1953 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  3. ^ a b George S. Alderton (October 25, 1953). "Purdue Did It! Snaps MSC Win Streak; Four-Time Losers Pull Big Surprise by Holding Off Spartans 6-0". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 57 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ 1954 Wolverines (MSC yearbook), p. 253.
  5. ^ "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. p. 9. Retrieved October 21, 2017.
  6. ^ "Coaches Pick Gopher's Giel". Ludington Daily News. November 24, 1953. p. 6.
  7. ^ "UP All-Big Ten". The Oshkosh Northwestern. November 23, 1953. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ John O'Donnell (September 27, 1953). "Spartans Topple Stubborn Hawks, 21-7: Two First Period Tallies Pave Michigan State Win". Sunday Democrat and Times. p. 1, 2 (section IV) – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Charles Johnson (October 4, 1953). "Michigan State Drubs Gophers 21-0: Bolden Runs for Three Scores; Minnesota Attack Throttled". Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. pp. 1, 2 (sports) – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ George Alderton (October 11, 1953). "Spartans Derail TCU Upset Hopes". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 63 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ George Alderton (October 18, 1953). "'Old Grads' See Spartans Lengthen Victory String: First Big 10 Game Here Fills House". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 55 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ George S. Alderton (November 1, 1953). "Spartan Rebound Hits Oregon State: Early Surge Guarantees 34 to 6 Win". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ George S. Alderton (November 8, 1953). "Bolden Leads Way Over Ohio State: Spartans Put Across 28-13 Win". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 61 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ George S. Alderton (November 15, 1953). "Spartans Sure of Share of Title Honors". Lansing State Journal. pp. 57, 64 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ George S. Alderton (November 22, 1953). "Determined M.S.C. Stops Marquette: Slashing Ground Attack Earns 'S' 21-15 Victory; Leroy Bolden Again Punches Over Winning Touchdown". Lansing State Journal. pp. 61, 64 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ George S. Alderton (January 2, 1954). "Wells Sparks Rose Bowl Win: Punt Return Cinches Big Game, 28-20". Lansing State Journal. pp. 1, 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Football Statistics Summary for 1953". msuspartans.com. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
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