1953 Hawaii Rainbows football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1953
| team = Hawaii Rainbows
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Independent
| record = 5–6
| head_coach = Hank Vasconcellos
| hc_year = 2nd
| captain =
| stadium = Honolulu Stadium
}}
{{1953 Western college football independents records}}
The 1953 Hawaii Rainbows football team represented the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa as an independent during the 1953 college football season. In their second season under head coach Hank Vasconcellos, the Rainbows compiled a 5–6 record.{{cite web|title=2020 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Football Media Guide|publisher=University of Hawaii|year=2020|page=171|accessdate=December 23, 2020|url=https://hawaiiathletics.com/documents/2020/10/16/2020_Football_Media_Guide.pdf}}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 4
| w/l = w
| opponent = Islanders
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 13–6
| attend = 22,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 17
| w/l = w
| opponent = MCAS Kaneohe Bay
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 22–13
| attend = 7,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 26
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = San Diego State
| site_stadium = Aztec Bowl
| site_cityst = San Diego, CA
| score = 7–40
| attend = 8,500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 3
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Utah
| site_stadium = Ute Stadium
| site_cityst = Salt Lake City, UT
| score = 24–47
| attend = 13,225
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-curtice-machine-di/171516186/|work=The Salt Lake Tribune|title=Curtice machine dims Rainbow crew, 47–24|date=October 4, 1953|accessdate=May 1, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 10
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Pacific (CA)
| site_stadium = Pacific Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Stockton, CA
| score = 8–26
| attend = 10,659–11,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| w/l = l
| opponent = Naval Station Pearl Harbor
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 7–12
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 1
| w/l = l
| opponent = Hawaii 49ers
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 13–27
| attend = 6,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 8
| w/l = w
| opponent = Pacific Army
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 28–6
| attend =
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 15
| w/l = w
| opponent = Barbers Point NAS
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 26–0
| attend = 500
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 22
| w/l = l
| opponent = Naval Station Pearl Harbor
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 7–27
| attend = 3,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 4
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1953|team=Lewis & Clark Pioneers|title=Lewis & Clark}}
| site_stadium = Honolulu Stadium
| site_cityst = Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii
| score = 34–12
| attend = 7,500
}}
}}