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
1953 record	7–1–1 (5–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	Ray Eliot (12th season)
MVP	Don Ernst
Captain	Robert Lenzini
Home stadium	Memorial Stadium
Seasons

1953 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#3/3 Michigan State §	5	–	1	–	0			9	–	1	–	0
#7/7 Illinois §	5	–	1	–	0			7	–	1	–	1
#15/14 Wisconsin	4	–	1	–	1			6	–	2	–	1
#NR/20 Ohio State	4	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Minnesota	3	–	3	–	1			4	–	4	–	1
#20/19 Michigan	3	–	3	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
#9/10 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 / Coaches' Poll

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.

Tackle Don Ernst was selected as the team's most valuable player. 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. Guard John Bauer was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as a third-team All-American.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result
September 26	Nebraska*		Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	T 21–21
October 3	Stanford*		Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 33–21
October 10	at No. 3 Ohio State		Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH (Illibuck Trophy)	W 41–20
October 17	Minnesota	No. 9	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 27–7
October 24	Syracuse*	No. 7	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL	W 20–13
October 31	Purdue	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL (rivalry)	W 21–0
November 7	at No. 17 Michigan	No. 4	Memorial Stadium Champaign, IL (series)	W 19–3
November 14	Wisconsin	No. 3	Camp Randall Stadium Madison, WI	L 7–34
November 21	Northwestern	No. 7	Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL (rivalry)	W 3–0
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

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
Donald 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
Rober 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

Template:Big Ten Conference football champions