The 1953 Illinois Fighting Illini football team was an American football team that represented the University of Illinois as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1953 Big Ten season. In their 12th year under head coach Ray Eliot, the Fighting Illini compiled a 7–1–1 record (5–1 in conference games), tied for first place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 228 to 133. They were ranked No. 7 in the final AP poll. The sole defeat was a 34–7 loss to Wisconsin.
Tackle Don Ernst was selected as the team's most valuable player. Sophomore halfback J. C. Caroline led the team with 1,256 rushing yards on 194 attempts (6.5 yards per carry) and was selected as a consensus first-team player on the 1953 All-America team. Guard John Bauer was selected by the Newspaper Enterprise Association as a third-team All-American. Guard Jan Smid and back J. C. Caroline received first-team honors on the 1953 All-Big Ten Conference football team.
The team played its home games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.
Schedule
Roster PlayerPositionPeter PalmerRobert BishopJohn RyanEnd, Defensive BackRobert Lenzini (captain)GuardRoger WolfJan SmidGuardStephen NosekQuarterbackJohn BauerGuard, TackleMichael GausJack ChamblinDavid BauerDefensive BackPaul FurimskyDean WilmannDale FosterPaul LuhrsenBaird StewartJames PollittRichard KohlhagenKenneth SwientonFloyd McAfeeJames CalderRonald YochemRobert WimanDon ErnstRandall RaybornFrancis HoffmanJoseph YuskoWalter VernascoEndDonald BostromJames BronsonEm LindbeckHugh WoodsonPatrick PhillipsJerry MarkbreitGeorge WalshClarence DeMossHalfbackHerbert BadalJames MinorTerry MatthewsKenneth MillerFullbackStan WallaceDefensive BackDonald TateJames DunneJack SopkinRobert AlexanderGus MackrisRoger MeullerRichard PiggottCharles SchiesserRichard RosenbergRobert DesenfantsRudolf SiegertDonald GrotheThomas MillerPlacekickerJ. C. CarolineHalfback, Defensive BackRobert GraeffRichard OhlsMelvin BatesFullbackDean RennClifford WaldbeserElry FalkensteinQuarterbackHerbert Borman
Head coach: Ray Eliot (12th year at Illinois)
References