1953 Chico State Wildcats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1953
| team = Chico State Wildcats
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Far Western Conference
| short_conf = FWC
| record = 6–3–1
| conf_record = 4–0–1
| head_coach = Ernie Busch
| hc_year = 2nd
| captain =
| stadium = Chico High School Stadium
| champion = FWC champion
}}
{{1953 Far Western Conference football standings}}
The 1953 Chico State Wildcats football team represented Chico State College—now known as California State University, Chico—as a member of the Far Western Conference (FWC) during the 1953 college football season. Led by Ernie Busch in his second and final season as head coach, Chico State compiled an overall record of 6–3–1 with a mark of 4–0–1 in conference play, winning the FWC title. The team outscored its opponents 150 to 133 for the season. The Wildcats played home games at Chico High School Stadium in Chico, California.
The team included 14 returning lettermen and 16 junior college transfers.{{cite news|title=Chico Has Fifty For Practice|newspaper=Reno Gazette-Journal|date=September 5, 1953|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15253409/chico_state_has_fifty_for_practice/|via=Newspapers.com}} Before the season began, improved expectations for the team's performance caused ticket sales to "soar to a new high."{{cite news|title=Chico State 11 Have Heavy Sked For 1953 Year|newspaper=The Times Standard|date=August 21, 1953|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15379686/chico_state_11_have_heavy_sked_for_1953/|via=Newspapers.com}}
On November 13, Chico State played the Cal Aggies to a scoreless tie in six inches of rain and 40 mile per hour winds, as a fierce storm also caused the press box to collapse during the game.
At the end of the season, four Chico State players were selected for the All-Far Western Conference football team: guard Gene Van der Leun, end George Maderos, and backs Hal Higgins and Carroll Campbell.{{cite news|title=Humboldt, Chico Dominate All-Conference Grid Pick|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|date=December 13, 1953|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15253361/humboldt_chico_dominate_allconference/|via=Newspapers.com}} Busch finished his tenure as Chico State with an overall record of 7–9–1, for a .441 winning percentage.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 19
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Presidio of San FranciscoThe Presidio of San Francisco was an Army fort from 1848 to 1996. For many years they fielded a team that played against colleges and other military teams.
| site_stadium = Chico High School Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 14–7
| source = {{cite news|title=Maderos Tops Chico 14-7 Football Win|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|location=Reno, Nevada|date=September 20, 1953|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15039920/maderos_tops_chico_147_football_win/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Chico State Wins Opener From SF Presidio 11|newspaper=Humboldt Standard|location=Eureka, California|date=September 23, 1953|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15253581/chico_state_wins_opener_from_sf/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 26
| w/l = w
| opponent = Cal Aggies
| site_stadium = Chico High School Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 14–7
| source = {{cite news|title=Chico Nips Aggies On 57-Yard Jaunt|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|location=Reno, Nevada|date=September 27, 1953|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15040026/chico_nips_aggies_on_57yard_jaunt/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Chico Works For Next Grid Game|newspaper=Humboldt Standard|location=Eureka, California|date=September 30, 1953|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15253597/chico_works_for_next_grid_game/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 3
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| opponent = Naval Station Treasure Island
| site_stadium = Chico High School Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 21–0
| source = {{cite news|title=Third Straight For Chico State|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|location=Reno, Nevada|date=October 4, 1953|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15040106/third_straight_for_chico_state/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 10
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = Nevada
| site_stadium = Mackay Stadium{{#tag:ref|This stadium is the predecessor to the current Mackay Stadium, which was opened for the 1966 season.{{cite web |author=|title=Mackay Stadium |url=http://www.unr.edu/around-campus/mackay-stadium |publisher=University of Nevada, Reno |access-date=January 4, 2017 }}|group=note}}
| site_cityst = Reno, NV
| score = 7–27
| source = {{cite news|title=Nevada Opens With 27-7 Victory Over Chico State|newspaper=The Fresno Bee|location=Fresno, California|page=6B|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15039836/nevada_opens_with_277_victory_over/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Chico State Wildcats Hold Workout After Nevada Game|newspaper=Reno Gazette-Journal|location=Reno, Nevada|date=October 14, 1953|page=22|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15253375/chico_state_wildcats_hold_workout_after/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 17
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1953|team=Southern Oregon Red Raiders|title=Southern Oregon}}
| site_stadium = Fuller Field
| site_cityst = Ashland, OR
| score = 26–7
| source = {{cite news|title=Chico State Drubs South Oregon 26-7|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|location=Reno, Nevada|date=October 18, 1953|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15040175/chico_state_drubs_south_oregon_267/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 24
| w/l = w
| opponent = San Francisco State
| site_stadium = Chico High School Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 13–0
| source = {{cite news|title=Chico State Triumphs|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|location=Oakland, California|date=October 25, 1953|page=56A|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15038248/chico_state_triumphs/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Chico Gridders Get Day Off After San Francisco Victory|newspaper=Reno Evening Gazette|location=Reno, Nevada|date=October 28, 1953|page=27|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15253401/chico_gridders_get_day_off/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 31
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = Humboldt State
| site_stadium = Chico High School Stadium
| site_cityst = Chico, CA
| score = 14–13
| attend = 4,100
| source = {{cite news|title=Humboldt Loses To Chico; 1953 Season Ended|newspaper=Humboldt Standard|location=Eureka, California|date=November 2, 1953|page=23|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15038129/humboldt_loses_to_chico/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 7
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1953|team=Linfield Wildcats|title=Linfield}}
| site_stadium = Maxwell Field
| site_cityst = McMinnville, OR
| score = 13–20
| source = {{cite news|title=Linfield Defeats Chico Staters|newspaper=Statesman Journal|location=Salem, Oregon|date=November 8, 1953|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15037839/linfield_beats_chico_staters/|via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news|title=Chico State Prexy Asks For 'Proof'|newspaper=The Capital Journal|location=Salem, Oregon|date=November 13, 1953|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15038057/chico_state_prexy_asks_for_proof/}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 13
| w/l = t
| away = y
| opponent = Cal Aggies
| site_stadium = Aggie Field
| site_cityst = Davis, CA
| score = 0–0
| source = {{cite news|title=State, Aggies Tie in Storm|newspaper=Reno Evening Gazette|location=Reno, Nevada|date=November 14, 1953|page=8|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15037617/state_aggies_tie_in_storm/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 21
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = University of Mexico
| site_stadium = Estadio Olímpico Universitario
| site_cityst = Mexico City, Mexico
| score = 28–52
| source = {{cite news|title=Chico Defeated At Mexico City|newspaper=Humboldt Standard|location=Eureka, California|date=November 23, 1953|page=26|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/15037539/chico_defeated_at_mexico_city/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
}}
Notes
{{Reflist|group=note}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chico State Wildcats football navbox}}
{{Northern California Athletic Conference football champion navbox}}
Category:Chico State Wildcats football seasons
Category:Northern California Athletic Conference football champion seasons