1953 Michigan State Spartans football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1953 Michigan State Spartans football 1953 Michigan State Spartans football team.png 285 Big Ten Conference Big Ten 3 3 9–1 5–1 Biggie Munn 7th Leroy Bolden Don Dohoney Macklin Stadium Big Ten co-championRose Bowl champion Rose Bowl W 28–20 vs. UCLA The 1953 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State College (now known as Michigan State University) in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first season in the Big Ten Conference, and their seventh and final season under head coach Biggie Munn, the Spartans compiled a 9–1 record (5–1 in conference games), outscored opponents by a total of 240 to 110, and shared the Big Ten title with Illinois. They represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl, defeated UCLA, 28–20, and finished ranked third in both the AP and Coaches polls.2016 Football Media Guide Michigan State University 146, 154 June 16, 2017 http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf January 17, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20170117203046/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2016-17/misc_non_event/msu-media-guide-history-145-19.pdf dead1953 Michigan State Spartans Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football June 16, 2017 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/michigan-state/1953-schedule.html The season was part of the Spartans' school-record, 28-game winning streak that began on October 14, 1950, and ended with a 6-0 loss at Purdue on October 24, 1953. The move to the Big Ten in 1953 also set up Michigan State's first ever matchups with Illinoishttps://www.winsipedia.com/games/illinois/vs/michigan-state Illinois vs. Michigan State Full Games List Winsipedia 21 October 2025 and Iowa.https://www.winsipedia.com/games/iowa/vs/michigan-state Iowa vs. Michigan State Full Games List Winsipedia 21 October 2025 Every other Big Ten school at the time had played the Spartans at least once prior to them joining the conference. The team's statistical leaders included Leroy Bolden (691 rushing yards), Tom Yewcic (489 passing yards), and Ellis Duckett (169 receiving yards). Bolden was selected as the team's most valuable player.1954 Wolverines (MSC yearbook), p. 253. End Don Dohoney was a consensus All-American.Football Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 October 21, 2017 9 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/awards.pdf Bolden and Doheney also received first-team honors from both the writers and coaches on the 1953 All-Big Ten Conference football team.Coaches Pick Gopher's Giel Ludington Daily News November 24, 1953 6 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19531124&id=JFNOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eDwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3916,1826150UP All-Big Ten The Oshkosh Northwestern November 23, 1953 16 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104922910/up-all-big-ten/ Newspapers.com Schedule 1953 AP September 26 w y 2 Iowa Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA 21–7 47,125 Spartans Topple Stubborn Hawks, 21-7: Two First Period Tallies Pave Michigan State Win Sunday Democrat and Times John O'Donnell September 27, 1953 1, 2 (section IV) https://www.newspapers.com/article/quad-city-times-spartans-topple-stubborn/167387336/ Newspapers.com October 3 w y 2 Minnesota Memorial Stadium Minneapolis, MN 21–0 61,594 Michigan State Drubs Gophers 21-0: Bolden Runs for Three Scores; Minnesota Attack Throttled Minneapolis Sunday Tribune Charles Johnson October 4, 1953 1, 2 (sports) https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-michigan-state-drubs-gopher/167386383/ Newspapers.com October 10 w y 2 TCU Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 26–19 51,049 Spartans Derail TCU Upset Hopes Lansing State Journal George Alderton October 11, 1953 1, 63 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-spartans-derail-tc/167372169/ Newspapers.com October 17 w y 2 Indiana Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry 47–18 51,698 'Old Grads' See Spartans Lengthen Victory String: First Big 10 Game Here Fills House Lansing State Journal George Alderton October 18, 1953 1, 55 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-old-grads-see-sp/167372470/ Newspapers.com October 24 l y 2 Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 0–6 35,000 Purdue Did It! Snaps MSC Win Streak; Four-Time Losers Pull Big Surprise by Holding Off Spartans 6-0 Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton October 25, 1953 1, 57 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-purdue-did-it-sna/167385672/ Newspapers.com October 31 w y 6 Oregon State Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 34–6 51,108 Spartan Rebound Hits Oregon State: Early Surge Guarantees 34 to 6 Win Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 1, 1953 1, 61 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-spartan-rebound-hi/167372798/ Newspapers.com November 7 w y 5 Ohio State Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH 28–13 82,328 Bolden Leads Way Over Ohio State: Spartans Put Across 28-13 Win Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 8, 1953 1, 61 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-bolden-leads-way-o/167385276/ Newspapers.com November 14 w 4 Michigan Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI rivalry 14–6 52,324 Spartans Sure of Share of Title Honors Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 15, 1953 57, 64 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-spartans-sure-of-s/167373331/ Newspapers.com November 21 w y 3 Marquette Macklin Stadium East Lansing, MI 21–15 42,170 Determined M.S.C. Stops Marquette: Slashing Ground Attack Earns 'S' 21-15 Victory; Leroy Bolden Again Punches Over Winning Touchdown Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton November 22, 1953 61, 64 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-determined-msc/167373847/ Newspapers.com January 1, 1954 w y y 3 5 UCLA Rose Bowl Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl 28–20 100,100 Wells Sparks Rose Bowl Win: Punt Return Cinches Big Game, 28-20 Lansing State Journal George S. Alderton January 2, 1954 1, 12 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lansing-state-journal-wells-sparks-rose/167374525/ Newspapers.com http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2009-2010/1953.html Football Statistics Summary for 1953 msuspartans.com July 30, 2013 References External links Big Ten Film Vault: 1953 Yearbook - Michigan State Season Recap," Big Ten Network, via YouTube.com, March 22, 2016. (Video.) Michigan State Category:Michigan State Spartans football seasons Category:Big Ten Conference football champion seasons Category:Rose Bowl champion seasons Michigan State Spartans football