1953 Illinois Fighting Illini football | |
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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 |
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MVP | Don Ernst |
Captain | Robert Lenzini |
Home stadium | Memorial Stadium |
Seasons
← 1952
1954 →
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Conf | Overall | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No.3Michigan State + | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No.7Illinois + | 5 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No.15Wisconsin | 4 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 2 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio State | 4 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 3 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No.20Michigan | 3 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 6 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No.9Iowa | 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 during the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 12th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Illini compiled a 7–1–1 record, finished in a tie for first place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked #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 College Football All-America Team.[3] Guard John Bauer was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as a third-team All-American.[4]
Date | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
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September 26 | Nebraska* |
| T 21–21 | 40,011 | |
October 3 | Stanford* |
| W 33–21 | 32,737 | |
October 10 | at No. 3Ohio 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. 17Michigan![]() | No. 4 |
| W 19–3 | 69,507 |
November 14 | atWisconsin | No. 3 |
| L 7–34 | 52,887 |
November 21 | atNorthwestern | No. 7 |
| W 3–0 | 51,039 |
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Venues |
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Bowls & rivalries |
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Culture & lore |
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People |
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Seasons |
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National championship seasons in bold |
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