1953 Maryland Terrapins football team

The 1953 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in the 1953 college football season in its first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Maryland outscored its opponents 298–38 and recorded six defensive shutouts. Jim Tatum served as the head coach for the seventh year of his nine-year tenure. In the postseason, Maryland lost to Oklahoma in the 1954 Orange Bowl.^[2] The team was selected national champion by Associated Press, International News Service, and United Press International, leading to a consensus national champion designation.^[3]

1953 Maryland Terrapins football
Consensus national champion ACC co-champion
Orange Bowl, L 0–7 vs. Oklahoma
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 1
AP	No. 1
Record	10–1 (3–0 ACC)
Head coach	Jim Tatum (7th season)
Offensive scheme	Split-T
Home stadium	Byrd Stadium
Seasons ← 1952 1954 →

1953 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Maryland +	3	–	0	–	0			10	–	1	–	0
No. 18 Duke +	4	–	0	–	0			7	–	2	–	1
South Carolina	2	–	3	–	0			7	–	3	–	0
North Carolina	2	–	3	–	0			4	–	6	–	0
Wake Forest	2	–	3	–	0			3	–	6	–	1
Clemson	1	–	2	–	0			3	–	5	–	1
NC State	0	–	3	–	0			1	–	9	–	0
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll^[1]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 19	at Missouri*	No. 9	Memorial Stadium Columbia, MO	W 20–6	21,000	^[4]
September 26	Washington and Lee*	No. 9	Byrd Stadium College Park, MD	W 52–0	35,000	^[5]
October 3	at Clemson	No. 3	Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC	W 20–0	25,000	^[6]
October 10	Georgia*	No. 4	Byrd Stadium College Park, MD	W 40–13	27,000	^[7]
October 17	at North Carolina	No. 3	Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC	W 26–0	35,000	^[8]
October 23	at Miami (FL)*	No. 3	Burdine Stadium Miami, FL	W 30–0	42,157	^[9]
October 31	at South Carolina	No. 1	Byrd Stadium College Park, MD	W 24–6	22,000	^[10]
November 7	at George Washington*	No. 2	Griffith Stadium Washington, DC	W 27–6	8,000	^[11]
November 14	No. 11 Ole Miss*	No. 2	Byrd Stadium College Park, MD	W 38–0	35,000	^[12]
November 21	No. 11 Alabama*	No. 2	Byrd Stadium College Park, MD	W 21–0	36,000	^[13]
January 1, 1954	No. 4 Oklahoma*	No. 1	Burdine Stadium Miami, FL (Orange Bowl)	L 0–7	68,640–68,718	^[14]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

The 1953 team consisted of the following letterwinners:^[15]

• George Albrecht
• Ralph Baierl
• Lynn Beightol
• Dick Bielski
• Ray Blackburn
• Jack Bowersox
• Charles Boxold
• Don Brougher
• Dick Burgee
• Marty Crytzer
• Russell Dennis
• Bernie Faloney
• Ralph Felton
• Tim Flynn
• Chet Hanulak
• Fred Heffner
• Herb Hoffman
• Joe Horning
• John Irvine
• Stan Jones
• Jim Kilgallen
• Paul Kramer
• Tom McLuckie
• Bob Morgan
• Dick Nolan
• Dave Nusz
• George Palahunik
• Jim Parsons
• Bob Pellegrini
• Richard Shipley
• Ed Vereb
• Ron Waller
• Bill Walker
• John Weiciecowski

The coaching staff consisted of:^[16]

• Jim Tatum, head coach
• Emmett Cheek
• Warren Giese, ends
• Jack Hennemier, defensive line
• Tommy Mont, backfield
• Vernon Seibert
• Eddie Teague, defensive backfield
• Bob Ward

References

1. "1953 Atlantic Coast Conference Year Summary". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
2. Year-by-Year Results 2009-03-20 at the Wayback Machine(PDF), 2008 Maryland Football Media Guide, University of Maryland, 2008. Accessed 2009-06-15. 2009-06-17.
3. 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2017. pp. 113, 120. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
4. "Md. beats Missouri, 20–6, scores first TD in 1:50". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 20, 1953. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Maryland routs W. & L., 52–0". The Baltimore Sun. September 27, 1953. Retrieved August 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Maryland blanks Clemson in ACC contest, 20–0". Durham Morning Herald. October 4, 1953. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Terps rout Georgia, 40–13, for 4th victory in row". The Baltimore Sun. October 11, 1953. Retrieved October 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Maryland defeats North Carolina, 26–0, on four long drives". The Suday Star. October 18, 1953. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Gustafson says Maryland's tops". The Columbia Record. October 24, 1953. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Maryland makes Gamecocks 7th victim, 24–6". The News and Observer. November 1, 1953. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Maryland conquers G.W., 27 to 6". The Baltimore Sun. November 8, 1953. Retrieved February 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Maryland crushes Ole Miss 38–0". The Courier-Journal. November 15, 1953. Retrieved October 5, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Maryland's revenge wrecks 'Bama 21–0". The Commercial Appeal. November 22, 1953. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Maryland beaten by Oklahoma, 7–0, in Orange Bowl". The Baltimore Sun. January 2, 1954. Retrieved January 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
15. Year-By-Year Results 2018-10-26 at the Wayback Machine (PDF), 2007 Terrapin Football Record Book, p. 17–22, University of Maryland, 2007.
16. Assistant Coaches 2018-10-26 at the Wayback Machine (PDF), 2007 Terrapin Football Record Book, p. 4, University of Maryland, 2007.