1953 Rice Owls football team

The 1953 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1953 college football season. Led by 14th-year head coach Jess Neely, the Owls compiled an overall record of 9–2 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, sharing the SWC title with Texas. Rice was ranked No. 6 in the final polls, which were conducted before bowl season. The Owls were invited to the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic, played on New Years' Day, where they defeated Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion, Alabama.[1][2] The team played home games at Rice Stadium in Houston.

1953 Rice Owls football
SWC co-champion
Cotton Bowl Classic champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 6
APNo. 6
Record9–2 (5–1 SWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumRice Stadium
1953 Southwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 6 Rice + 5 –1 –09 –2 –0
No. 11 Texas + 5 –1 –07 –3 –0
Baylor 4 –2 –07 –3 –0
SMU 3 –3 –05 –5 –0
Arkansas 2 –4 –03 –7 –0
Texas A&M 1 –5 –04 –5 –1
TCU 1 –5 –03 –7 –0
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule
DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 19No. 15 Florida*No. 12
W 20–1655,000[3]
October 3at Cornell*No. 14
W 28–722,000[4]
October 10Hardin–Simmons*No. 11
  • Rice Stadium
  • Houston, TX
W 40–025,000[5]
October 17at SMUNo. 11
L 7–1250,000[6]
October 24at Texas
W 18–1348,000[7]
October 31No. 19 Kentucky*No. 12
  • Rice Stadium
  • Houston, TX
L 13–1933,000[8]
November 7Arkansas
  • Rice Stadium
  • Houston, TX
W 47–032,000[9]
November 14Texas A&MNo. 16
  • Rice Stadium
  • Houston, TX
W 34–757,500[10]
November 21at TCUNo. 10
W 19–620,000[11]
November 28No. 17 BaylorNo. 8
  • Rice Stadium
  • Houston, TX
W 41–1968,000[12]
January 1vs. No. 13 Alabama*No. 6
W 28–675,500[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

References
  1. Watkins, Ed (January 2, 1954). "Rice beats Alabama 28–6, Moegle is Star". The Tuscaloosa News. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Google News Archive.
  2. "1953 Rice Owls Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  3. "Gator rally fails as Rice wins, 20–16". Fort Lauderdale News. September 20, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Strauss, Michael (October 4, 1953). "Rice running game tops Cornell, 28–7". The New York Times. p. S1.
  5. "Owls smother Cowboys 40–0 in Rice Stadium". Valley Morning Star. October 11, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Ponies nudge Owls, 12 to 7". The Marshall News Messenger. October 18, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Rice sinks Texas, 18–13, with late counter". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. October 25, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Kentucky upsets Rice 19–13 in game of Halloween chills". The Courier-Journal. November 1, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Rice Owls outclass Razorbacks, 47–0". Wichita Falls Daily Times. November 8, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Impressive Rice clobbers Aggies". The Victoria Advocate. November 15, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Rice grinds out 19–6 win over TCU Frogs". The Abilene Reporter-News. November 22, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Rice Owls smash Baylor, 41–19". Brownwood Bulletin. November 29, 1953. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Amazed 75,500 see Rice rip Tide, 28–6". Birmingham Post-Herald. January 2, 1954. Retrieved October 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.


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