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
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 1
APNo. 1
Record10–1 (3–0 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeSplit-T
Home stadiumByrd Stadium
Seasons
← 1952
1954 →
1953 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
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

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 19at Missouri*No. 9W 20–621,000[4]
September 26Washington and Lee*No. 9W 52–035,000[5]
October 3at ClemsonNo. 3W 20–025,000[6]
October 10Georgia*No. 4
  • Byrd Stadium
  • College Park, MD
W 40–1327,000[7]
October 17at North CarolinaNo. 3W 26–035,000[8]
October 23at Miami (FL)*No. 3W 30–042,157[9]
October 31at South Carolina No. 1
  • Byrd Stadium
  • College Park, MD
W 24–622,000[10]
November 7at George Washington*No. 2W 27–68,000[11]
November 14No. 11 Ole Miss*No. 2
  • Byrd Stadium
  • College Park, MD
W 38–035,000[12]
November 21No. 11 Alabama*No. 2
  • Byrd Stadium
  • College Park, MD
W 21–036,000[13]
January 1, 1954No. 4 Oklahoma*No. 1
L 0–768,640–68,718[14]
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Personnel

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

The coaching staff consisted of:[16]

References

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  1. ^ "1953 Atlantic Coast Conference Year Summary". sports-reference.com. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
  2. ^ Year-by-Year Results Archived 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 Sunday 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 Archived 2018-10-26 at the Wayback Machine (PDF), 2007 Terrapin Football Record Book, p. 17–22, University of Maryland, 2007.
  16. ^ Assistant Coaches Archived 2018-10-26 at the Wayback Machine (PDF), 2007 Terrapin Football Record Book, p. 4, University of Maryland, 2007.