1954 Iowa State Cyclones football team

1954 Iowa State Cyclones football
Conference	Big Eight Conference
1954 record	3–6 (1–5 Big 7)
Head coach	Vince DiFrancesca (1st season)
Captain	Max Burkett, Weldon Thalacker
Home stadium	Clyde Williams Field
Seasons

1954 Big 7 football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
#3 Oklahoma	6	–	0	–	0			10	–	0	–	0
Nebraska	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	5	–	0
Colorado	3	–	2	–	1			7	–	2	–	1
Missouri	3	–	2	–	1			4	–	5	–	1
Kansas State	3	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
Iowa State	1	–	5	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Kansas	0	–	6	–	0			0	–	10	–	0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1954 Iowa State Cyclones football team represented Iowa State College of Agricultural and Mechanic Arts (later renamed Iowa State University) in the Big Seven Conference during the 1954 college football season. In their first year under head coach Vince DiFrancesca, the Cyclones compiled a 3–6 record (1–5 against conference opponents), finished in sixth place in the conference, and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 182 to 151. They played their home games at Clyde Williams Field in Ames, Iowa.

The team's regular starting lineup on offense consisted of left end Mel Wostoupal, left tackle Ralph Brown, left guard Herb McDermott, center Elmer May, right guard Weldon Thalacker, right tackle Jim McMaulley, right end Barney Alleman, quarterback Jerry Finley, left halfback Gary Lutz, right halfback Bruce Alexander, and fullback Max Burkett. Max Burkett and Weldon Thalacker were the team captains.

The team's statistical leaders included Max Burkett with 528 rushing yards and 30 points (five touchdowns), John Breckenridge with 236 passing yards, and Mel Wostoupal with 151 receiving yards. No Iowa State players were selected as first-team all-conference players.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
September 18	South Dakota State*	Clyde Williams Field Ames, IA	W 34–6
September 25	at Northwestern*	Dyche Stadium Evanston, IL	L 14–27
October 2	at Nebraska	Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE	L 14–39
October 9	Kansas	Clyde Williams Field Ames, IA	W 33–6
October 16	No. 17 Colorado	Clyde Williams Field Ames, IA	L 0–20
October 23	at Missouri	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO (rivalry)	L 14–32
October 30	Drake*	Clyde Williams Field Ames, IA	W 35–0
November 6	No. 3 Oklahoma	Clyde Williams Field Ames, IA	L 0–40
November 13	at Kansas State	Memorial Stadium Manhattan, KS (rivalry)	L 7–12
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game