1953 college football rankings
| 1953 college football rankings | |
|---|---|
| Season | 1953 |
| Bowl season | 1953–54 bowl games |
| Preseason No. 1 | |
| End of season champions | Maryland |
Two human polls comprised the 1953 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Legend
[edit]| Increase in ranking | ||
| Decrease in ranking | ||
| Not ranked previous week | ||
| National champion | ||
(#–#)
|
Win–loss record | |
(Italics)
|
Number of first place votes | |
т
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Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
AP Poll
[edit]The final AP Poll was released on November 30, at the end of the 1953 regular season, weeks before the major bowls. The AP would not release a post-bowl season final poll regularly until 1968.
| Preseason Aug[1] | Week 1 Sep 28[2] | Week 2 Oct 5[3] | Week 3 Oct 12[4] | Week 4 Oct 19[5] | Week 5 Oct 26[6] | Week 6 Nov 2[7] | Week 7 Nov 9[8] | Week 8 Nov 16[9] | Week 9 Nov 23[10] | Week 10 (Final) Nov 30[11] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Notre Dame (84) | Notre Dame (1–0) (71) | Notre Dame (2–0) (84) | Notre Dame (2–0) (74) | Notre Dame (3–0) (51) | Notre Dame (4–0) (82) | Notre Dame (5–0) (90) | Notre Dame (6–0) (79) | Notre Dame (7–0) (93) | Maryland (10–0) (154) | Maryland (10–0) (187) | 1. |
| 2. | Michigan State (24) | Michigan State (1–0) (6) | Michigan State (2–0) (15) | Michigan State (3–0) (14) | Michigan State (4–0) (31) | Maryland (6–0) (18) | Maryland (7–0) (21) | Maryland (8–0) (24) | Maryland (9–0) (42) | Notre Dame (7–0–1) (47) | Notre Dame (8–0–1) (141) | 2. |
| 3. | Georgia Tech (24) | Maryland (2–0) (5) | Ohio State (2–0) (11) | Maryland (4–0) (21) | Maryland (5–0) (27) | Baylor (5–0) (2) | Baylor (6–0) (7) | Illinois (6–0–1) (4) | Michigan State (7–1) (3) | Michigan State (8–1) (8) | Michigan State (8–1) (8) | 3. |
| 4. | UCLA (12) | Michigan (1–0) (3) | Maryland (3–0) (8) | UCLA (4–0) (8) | Georgia Tech (4–0–1) (3) | Illinois (4–0–1) | Illinois (5–0–1) | Michigan State (6–1) (1) | Oklahoma (6–1–1) (3) | Oklahoma (7–1–1) (9) | Oklahoma (8–1–1) (10) | 4. |
| 5. | Alabama (18) | UCLA (2–0) (3) | Michigan (2–0) (4) | Michigan (3–0) | Michigan (4–0) | West Virginia (5–0) (15) | Michigan State (5–1) | Georgia Tech (6–1–1) | UCLA (7–1) | UCLA (8–1) (4) | UCLA (8–1) (1) | 5. |
| 6. | Oklahoma (3) | Ohio State (1–0) (2) | UCLA (3–0) (2) | Georgia Tech (3–0–1) | Baylor (4–0) (1) | Michigan State (4–1) | Georgia Tech (5–1–1) | Oklahoma (5–1–1) (1) | Texas (6–3) | Illinois (7–1–1) | Rice (8–2) (2) | 6. |
| 7. | Ohio State (3) | USC (2–0) (1) | USC (3–0) (2) | Duke (4–0) (3) | Illinois (3–0–1) (1) | USC (5–0–1) | West Virginia (6–0) (10) | UCLA (6–1) | Illinois (6–1–1) | Texas (6–3) | Illinois (7–1–1) | 7. |
| 8. | USC | Oklahoma (0–1) | Duke (3–0) (4) | Baylor (3–0) | West Virginia (4–0) (12) | Georgia Tech (4–1–1) | Oklahoma (4–1–1) (1) | West Virginia (7–0) (11) | Wisconsin (6–2) (2) | Rice (7–2) | Georgia Tech (7–2–1) | 8. |
| 9. | Maryland (1) | Georgia Tech (1–0–1) | Baylor (2–0) | Illinois (2–0–1) | Oklahoma (2–1–1) | Oklahoma (3–1–1) (1) | UCLA (6–1) (1) | Baylor (6–1) | USC (6–1–1) | Iowa (5–3–1) (6) | Iowa (5–3–1) (10) | 9. |
| 10. | Duke (2) | Baylor (1–0) | Georgia Tech (2–0–1) | West Virginia (3–0) (9) | Navy (3–0–1) | UCLA (5–1) (1) | Duke (6–1) | Texas (5–3) | Rice (6–2) | Georgia Tech (7–2–1) | West Virginia (8–1) (14) | 10. |
| 11. | Texas | Mississippi State (2–0) (1) | Rice (2–0) | Rice (3–0) | USC (4–0–1) | SMU (3–1) | Stanford (5–2) (1) | Ole Miss (7–1) (2) | Alabama (5–1–3) (1) | West Virginia (8–1) (17) | Texas (7–3) | 11. |
| 12. | Rice | Duke (2–0) (1) | West Virginia (2–0) (5) | Oklahoma (1–1–1) (1) | UCLA (4–1) | Rice (4–1) | Ole Miss (6–1) (1) | USC (6–1–1) | Georgia Tech (6–2–1) | Wisconsin (6–2–1) | Texas Tech (10–1) | 12. |
| 13. | Navy | West Virginia (1–0) (4) | Mississippi State (3–0) (3) | USC (3–0–1) | SMU (2–1) | Duke (5–1) | Minnesota (3–3) | Kentucky (5–2–1) (1) | Kentucky (6–2–1) (3) | Kentucky (7–2–1) (5) | Alabama (6–2–3) (1) | 13. |
| 14. | California | Rice (1–0) | LSU (2–0–1) | Navy (2–0–1) | LSU (3–0–2) | Minnesota (2–3) | Kentucky (4–2–1) | Duke (6–1–1) | Auburn (6–1–1) (1) | Texas Tech (9–1) | Army (7–1–1) | 14. |
| 15. | Florida | Ole Miss (2–0) | Texas (2–1) | Pittsburgh (1–1–1) | Texas A&M (4–0–1) (1) | Army (4–1) | Auburn (4–1–1) | Minnesota (4–3) | Duke (6–1–1) | South Carolina (7–2) | Wisconsin (6–2–1) | 15. |
| 16. | West Virginia | Wisconsin (1–0) | Oklahoma (0–1–1) | California (3–1) | Duke (4–1) т | Michigan (4–1) (1) | Ohio State (5–1) | Rice (5–2) т | Stanford (6–3) | Auburn (7–1–1) (1) | Kentucky (7–2–1) (3) | 16. |
| 17. | Pittsburgh т | Texas (1–1) | Pittsburgh (0–1–1) | Ohio State (2–1) т | Kentucky (2–2–1) т | Stanford (4–2) | Michigan (5–1) т | Stanford (5–3) т | Texas Tech (8–1) | Baylor (7–2) | Auburn (7–2–1) | 17. |
| 18. | Tennessee т | Georgia (2–0) | Northwestern (2–0) | Mississippi Southern (4–0) (1) т | Pittsburgh (1–2–1) | Ole Miss (5–1) | USC (5–1–1) т | Tennessee (4–2–1) | South Carolina (6–2) | Army (6–1–1) | Duke (7–2–1) | 18. |
| 19. | Princeton | LSU (1–0–1) | Holy Cross (2–0) | Auburn (2–0–1) | Mississippi Southern (5–0) | Kentucky (3–2–1) | Texas (4–3) | Texas Tech (7–1) | West Virginia (7–1) (1) | Stanford (6–3–1) | Stanford (6–3–1) | 19. |
| 20. | Baylor | Holy Cross (1–0) |
| Mississippi State (3–0–1) | Stanford (3–2) | Navy (3–1–1) | Alabama (3–1–3) | Auburn (5–1–1) | Iowa (5–3) (1) | USC (6–2–1) | Michigan (6–3) (1) | 20. |
| Preseason Aug[1] | Week 1 Sep 28[2] | Week 2 Oct 5[3] | Week 3 Oct 12[4] | Week 4 Oct 19[5] | Week 5 Oct 26[6] | Week 6 Nov 2[7] | Week 7 Nov 9[8] | Week 8 Nov 16[9] | Week 9 Nov 23[10] | Week 10 (Final) Nov 30[11] | ||
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Final Coaches Poll
[edit]The final UP Coaches Poll was released prior to the bowl games, on November 30.[12]
Maryland received 20 of the 35 first-place votes; Notre Dame received thirteen, and one each went to Michigan State and UCLA.[12]
| Ranking | Team | Conference | Bowl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | ACC | Lost Orange, 0–7 |
| 2 | Notre Dame | Independent | none |
| 3 | Michigan State | Big Ten | Won Rose, 28–20 |
| 4 | UCLA | Pacific Coast | Lost Rose, 20–28 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | Big Seven | Won Orange, 7–0 |
| 6 | Rice | Southwest | Won Cotton, 28–6 |
| 7 | Illinois | Big Ten | none |
| 8 | Texas | Southwest | |
| 9 | Georgia Tech | SEC | Won Sugar, 42–19 |
| 10 | Iowa | Big Ten | none |
| 11 | Alabama | SEC | Lost Cotton, 6–26 |
| 12 | Texas Tech | Border | Won Gator, 35–13 |
| 13 | West Virginia | Southern | Lost Sugar, 19–42 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | none |
| 15 | Kentucky | SEC | |
| 16 | Army | Independent | |
| 17 | Stanford | Pacific Coast | |
| 18 | Duke | ACC | |
| 19 | Michigan | Big Ten | |
| 20 | Ohio State | Big Ten |
- Prior to the 1975 season, the Big Ten and Pacific Coast (later AAWU / Pac-8) conferences allowed only one postseason participant each, for the Rose Bowl.
Litkenhous Ratings
[edit]The Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December 1953 provided numerical rankings to over 683 college football programs. The top 50 ranked teams were:[13]
1. Notre Dame
2. Maryland
3. Oklahoma
4. Rice
5. Michigan State
6. Wisconsin
7. Iowa
8. UCLA
9. Illinois
10. Texas Tech
11. Ole Miss
12. Michigan
13. Texas
14. Georgia Tech
15. Kentucky
16. Auburn
17. Mississippi State
18. Baylor
19. Ohio State
20. West Virginia
21. SMU
22. Minnesota
23. LSU
24. Marquette
25. Florida
26. Stanford
27. Penn State
28. Duke
29. California
30. Cincinnati
31. Alabama
32. Miami (FL)
33. Army
34. USC
35. Syracuse
36. Tennessee
37. Missouri
38. Navy
39. Purdue
40. TCU
41. Arkansas
42. Texas A&M
43. Oklahoma A&M
44. Houston
45. Northwestern
46. Kansas State
47. Miami (OH)
48. Pittsburgh
49. Detroit
50. Penn
HBCU rankings
[edit]The Pittsburgh Courier, a leading African American newspaper, ranked the top 1953 teams from historically black colleges and universities in an era when college football was largely segregated. The rankings were published on December 19:[14]
- 1. Prairie View A&M (12–0)
- 2. Florida A&M (10–1)
- 3. Tennessee A&I (8–0–1)
- 4. Lincoln (MO) (8–0–1)
- 5. Maryland State (7–1)
- 6. Southern (9–2)
- 7. North Carolina College (5–3)
- 8. Virginia State (5–3–1)
- 9. Morgan State (6–2)
- 10. Texas Southern (7–3)
- 11. West Virginia State (6–3)
- 12. Grambling (8–2)
The Associated Negro Press also published rankings on December 25:[15]
- 1. Prairie View A&M (12–0)
- 2. Tennessee A&I (8–0–1)
- 3. Lincoln (MO) (8–0–1)
- 4. Florida A&M (10–1)
- 5. Southern (9–2)
- 6. Maryland State (7–1)
- 7. North Carolina College (5–3)
- 8. Virginia State (5–3–1)
- 9. Texas Southern (7–3)
- 10. South Carolina State (6–3)
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "1953 Preseason AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "September 28, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "October 5, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "October 12, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "October 19, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "October 26, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "November 2, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "November 9, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "November 16, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "November 23, 1953 AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ "1953 Final AP Football Poll". College Poll Archive. Retrieved March 25, 2017.
- ^ a b "Maryland keeps top spot in nation's college ratings". Pittsburgh Press. United Press. December 1, 1953. p. 24.
- ^ "Notre Dame Tagged national Champ In Litkenhous' Final Grid Ratings". The Chattanooga Times. December 15, 1953. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Prairie View's 26.57 rating Secures Nat'l Title". The Pittsburgh Courier. December 19, 1953. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Final Conference Football Standings". The Kansas City Call (p. 11). December 25, 1953.