1953 Chico State Wildcats football team

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.

1953 Chico State Wildcats football
FWC champion
ConferenceFar Western Conference
Record6–3–1 (4–0–1 FWC)
Head coach
  • Ernie Busch (2nd season)
Home stadiumChico High School Stadium
1953 Far Western Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
Chico State $ 4 –0 –16 –3 –1
Humboldt State 2 –1 –06 –2 –0
Cal Aggies 1 –2 –11 –6 –1
San Francisco State 0 –1 –05 –3 –0
Southern Oregon 0 –3 –03 –4 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • Conference records includes both Chico State vs. Cal Aggies games

The team included 14 returning lettermen and 16 junior college transfers.[1] Before the season began, improved expectations for the team's performance caused ticket sales to "soar to a new high."[2]

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.[3]

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.[4] Busch finished his tenure as Chico State with an overall record of 7–9–1, for a .441 winning percentage.

Schedule
DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 19Presidio of San Francisco[note 1]*
W 14–7[5][6]
September 26Cal Aggies
  • Chico High School Stadium
  • Chico, CA
W 14–7[7][8]
October 3Naval Station Treasure Island*
  • Chico High School Stadium
  • Chico, CA
W 21–0[9]
October 10at Nevada*
L 7–27[11][12]
October 17at Southern Oregon
W 26–7[13]
October 24San Francisco State
  • Chico High School Stadium
  • Chico, CA
W 13–0[14][15]
October 31Humboldt Statedagger
  • Chico High School Stadium
  • Chico, CA
W 14–134,100[16]
November 7at Linfield*
L 13–20[17][18]
November 13at Cal Aggies
T 0–0[3]
November 21at University of Mexico*
L 28–52[19]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming

[20]

Notes
  1. The 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.
  2. This stadium is the predecessor to the current Mackay Stadium, which was opened for the 1966 season.[10]

References
  1. "Chico Has Fifty For Practice". Reno Gazette-Journal. September 5, 1953. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "Chico State 11 Have Heavy Sked For 1953 Year". The Times Standard. August 21, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "State, Aggies Tie in Storm". Reno Evening Gazette. Reno, Nevada. November 14, 1953. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Humboldt, Chico Dominate All-Conference Grid Pick". Nevada State Journal. December 13, 1953. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Maderos Tops Chico 14-7 Football Win". Nevada State Journal. Reno, Nevada. September 20, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Chico State Wins Opener From SF Presidio 11". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. September 23, 1953. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Chico Nips Aggies On 57-Yard Jaunt". Nevada State Journal. Reno, Nevada. September 27, 1953. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Chico Works For Next Grid Game". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. September 30, 1953. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Third Straight For Chico State". Nevada State Journal. Reno, Nevada. October 4, 1953. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Mackay Stadium". University of Nevada, Reno. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  11. "Nevada Opens With 27-7 Victory Over Chico State". The Fresno Bee. Fresno, California. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Chico State Wildcats Hold Workout After Nevada Game". Reno Gazette-Journal. Reno, Nevada. October 14, 1953. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Chico State Drubs South Oregon 26-7". Nevada State Journal. Reno, Nevada. October 18, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Chico State Triumphs". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. October 25, 1953. p. 56A – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Chico Gridders Get Day Off After San Francisco Victory". Reno Evening Gazette. Reno, Nevada. October 28, 1953. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Humboldt Loses To Chico; 1953 Season Ended". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. November 2, 1953. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Linfield Defeats Chico Staters". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. November 8, 1953. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Chico State Prexy Asks For 'Proof'". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. November 13, 1953. p. 11.
  19. "Chico Defeated At Mexico City". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. November 23, 1953. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "1953 - Cal St.-Chico". Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2017.
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