1953 Illinois Fighting Illini football team
| 1953 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
|---|---|
 | |
Big Ten co-champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 7 |
| AP | No. 7 |
| Record | 7–1–1 (5–1 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
|
| MVP | Don Ernst |
| Captain | Robert Lenzini |
| Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 3 Michigan State + | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 + | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1953 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1953 Big Ten season. In their 12th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–1–1 record (5–1 in conference games), tied for first place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 228 to 133. They were ranked No. 7 in the final AP poll. The sole defeat was a 34–7 loss to Wisconsin.[1]
Tackle Don Ernst was selected as the team's most valuable player.[2] Sophomore halfback J. C. Caroline led the team with 1,256 rushing yards on 194 attempts (6.5 yards per carry) and was selected as a consensus first-team player on the 1953 All-America team.[3] Guard John Bauer was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as a third-team All-American.[4] Guard Jan Smid and back J. C. Caroline received first-team honors on the 1953 All-Big Ten Conference football team.[5][6]
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26 | Nebraska* | T 21–21 | 40,011 | ||
| October 3 | Stanford* |
| W 33–21 | 32,737 | |
| October 10 | at No. 3 Ohio State | W 41–20 | 81,745 | ||
| October 17 | Minnesota | No. 9 |
| W 27–7 | 55,641 |
| October 24 | Syracuse* | No. 7 |
| W 20–13 | 30,076 |
| October 31 | Purdue | No. 4 |
| W 21–0 | 57,210 |
| November 7 | No. 17 Michigan | No. 4 |
| W 19–3 | 69,507 |
| November 14 | at Wisconsin | No. 3 | L 7–34 | 52,887 | |
| November 21 | at Northwestern | No. 7 | W 3–0 | 51,039 | |
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Roster
| Player | Position |
| Peter Palmer | |
| Robert Bishop | |
| John Ryan | End, Defensive Back |
| Robert Lenzini (captain) | Guard |
| Roger Wolf | |
| Jan Smid | Guard |
| Stephen Nosek | Quarterback |
| John Bauer | Guard, Tackle |
| Michael Gaus | |
| Jack Chamblin | |
| David Bauer | Defensive Back |
| Paul Furimsky | |
| Dean Wilmann | |
| Dale Foster | |
| Paul Luhrsen | |
| Baird Stewart | |
| James Pollitt | |
| Richard Kohlhagen | |
| Kenneth Swienton | |
| Floyd McAfee | |
| James Calder | |
| Ronald Yochem | |
| Robert Wiman | |
| Don Ernst | |
| Randall Rayborn | |
| Francis Hoffman | |
| Joseph Yusko | |
| Walter Vernasco | End |
| Donald Bostrom | |
| James Bronson | |
| Em Lindbeck | |
| Hugh Woodson | |
| Patrick Phillips | |
| Jerry Markbreit | |
| George Walsh | |
| Clarence DeMoss | Halfback |
| Herbert Badal | |
| James Minor | |
| Terry Matthews | |
| Kenneth Miller | Fullback |
| Stan Wallace | Defensive Back |
| Donald Tate | |
| James Dunne | |
| Jack Sopkin | |
| Robert Alexander | |
| Gus Mackris | |
| Roger Meuller | |
| Richard Piggott | |
| Charles Schiesser | |
| Richard Rosenberg | |
| Robert Desenfants | |
| Rudolf Siegert | |
| Donald Grothe | |
| Thomas Miller | Placekicker |
| J. C. Caroline | Halfback, Defensive Back |
| Robert Graeff | |
| Richard Ohls | |
| Melvin Bates | Fullback |
| Dean Renn | |
| Clifford Waldbeser | |
| Elry Falkenstein | Quarterback |
| Herbert Borman |
- Head coach: Ray Eliot (12th year at Illinois)
References
- ^ "1953 Illinois Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
- ^ "Fighting Illini Football Record Book" (PDF). University of Illinois. 2015. p. 155. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
- ^ "2014 NCAA Football Records: Consensus All-America Selections" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2014. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
- ^ Harry Grayson (November 29, 1953). "Harry Grayson Picks All-America for 1953". Independent Record. Helena, Montana.
- ^ "Coaches Pick Gopher's Giel". Ludington Daily News. November 24, 1953. p. 6.
- ^ "UP All-Big Ten". The Oshkosh Northwestern. November 23, 1953. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.