1953 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 1953
| team = Minnesota Golden Gophers
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Big Ten Conference
| short_conf = Big Ten
| record = 4–4–1
| conf_record = 3–3–1
| head_coach = Wes Fesler
| hc_year = 3rd
| mvp = Paul Giel
| captain = Paul Giel
| stadium = Memorial Stadium
}}
{{1953 Big Ten Conference football standings}}
The 1953 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team represented the University of Minnesota in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In their third year under head coach Wes Fesler, the Golden Gophers compiled a 4–4–1 record and were outscored by their opponents by a combined total of 160 to 150.{{cite web|title=1953 Minnesota Golden Gophers Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|access-date=November 1, 2017|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/minnesota/1953-schedule.html}}
Halfback Paul Giel was named an All-American by the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Look, Walter Camp Football Foundation and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He received Chicago Tribune Silver Football, awarded to the most valuable player of the Big Ten, and was named All-Big Ten first team.{{Citation |last=Keiser |first=Jeff |title=2007 Media Guide |pages=179–182 |year=2007 |url=http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Giel finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy, receiving the most points for a player not to win the award.{{cite web |title=The Winning Margin:Year By Year |url=http://www.heisman.com/handbook/winning-margin.html |access-date=2007-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925074833/http://www.heisman.com/handbook/winning-margin.html |archive-date=25 September 2009}} He was also awarded the Team MVP Award.{{Citation |last=Keiser |first=Jeff |title=2007 Media Guide |pages=181 |year=2007 |url=http://www.gophersports.com//pdf6/80499.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Total attendance for the season was 293,313, which averaged to 58,662. The season high for attendance was against Michigan.{{Citation | last = Keiser | first = Jeff | title = 2007 Media Guide | pages = 160 | year = 2007 | url = http://www.gophersports.com//pdf3/80498.pdf?SPSID=39281&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 1953
| poll = AP
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 26
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| opponent = USC
| opprank = 8
| site_stadium = Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
| site_cityst = Los Angeles, CA
| score = 7–17
| attend = 66,698
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 3
| w/l = l
| opponent = Michigan State
| opprank = 2
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 0–21
| attend = 60,995
| source = {{cite news|title=Michigan State Drubs Gophers 21-0: Bolden Runs for Three Scores; Minnesota Attack Throttled|newspaper=Minneapolis Sunday Tribune|author=Charles Johnson|date=October 4, 1953|pages=1, 2 (sports)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-tribune-michigan-state-drubs-gopher/167386383/|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 10
| w/l = w
| away = y
| opponent = Northwestern
| opprank = 18
| site_stadium = Dyche Stadium
| site_cityst = Evanston, IL
| score = 30–13
| attend = 40,000
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 17
| w/l = l
| away = y
| opponent = Illinois
| opprank = 9
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Champaign, IL
| score = 7–27
| attend = 55,641
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 24
| w/l = w
| opponent = Michigan
| opprank = 5
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| gamename = Little Brown Jug
| score = 22–0
| attend = 62,795
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 31
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 14
| opponent = Pittsburgh
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 35–14
| attend = 49,092
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 7
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| rank = 13
| opponent = Indiana
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| score = 28–20
| attend = 58,527–59,486
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 14
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 15
| opponent = Iowa
| site_stadium = Iowa Stadium
| site_cityst = Iowa City, IA
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 0–27
| attend = 55,355
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 21
| w/l = t
| rank =
| opponent = Wisconsin
| opprank = 8
| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium
| site_cityst = Minneapolis, MN
| gamename = rivalry
| score = 21–21
| attend = 61,904
}}
}}
Roster
- Gino Cappelletti #15
- HB Paul Giel
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Minnesota Golden Gophers football navbox}}