CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1953 Oklahoma

9–⁠1–⁠1 (6–⁠0 Big Seven), coached by Bud Wilkinson, finished No. 4 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Oklahoma in 1953, game by game: lost vs. No. 1 Notre Dame 21–28; tied at Pittsburgh 7–7; won vs. No. 15 Texas 19–14; won vs. Kansas 45–0; won vs. Colorado 27–20; won at Kansas State 34–0; won at Missouri 14–7; won vs. Iowa State 47–0; won at Nebraska 30–7; won vs. Oklahoma State 42–7; won vs. No. 1 Maryland 7–0+47−7Lost 21–28 vs. No. 1 Notre Dame-7No. 1 Notre DameTied 7–7 at Pittsburgh0PittsburghWon 19–14 vs. No. 15 Texas+5No. 15 TexasWon 45–0 vs. Kansas+45KansasWon 27–20 vs. Colorado+7ColoradoWon 34–0 at Kansas State+34Kansas StateWon 14–7 at Missouri+7MissouriWon 47–0 vs. Iowa State+47Iowa StateWon 30–7 at Nebraska+23NebraskaWon 42–7 vs. Oklahoma State+35Oklahoma StateWon 7–0 vs. No. 1 Maryland+7No. 1 Maryland
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 26vs1Notre DameL 21–⁠2862%
Oct 3atPittsburghT 7–⁠764%
Oct 10vs15TexasW 19–⁠1447%
Oct 17vsKansasW 45–⁠067%
Oct 24vsColoradoW 27–⁠2080%
Oct 31atKansas StateW 34–⁠071%
Nov 7atMissouriW 14–⁠769%
Nov 14vsIowa StateW 47–⁠092%
Nov 21atNebraskaW 30–⁠781%
Nov 28vsOklahoma StateW 42–⁠778%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs1MarylandOrange BowlW 7–⁠043%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Maryland 7–⁠0 in the Orange Bowl; No. 4 in the final AP poll; Big Seven champions.

In program history: The 27th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 125 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 6
  2. Wk 2: 8
  3. Wk 3: 16
  4. Wk 4: 12
  5. Wk 5: 9
  6. Wk 6: 9
  7. Wk 7: 8
  8. Wk 8: 6
  9. Wk 9: 4
  10. Wk 10: 4
  11. Final: 4

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1953.

Big Seven champions6–⁠0 in the conference

Outland TrophyJ.D. Roberts, OG

Consensus All-AmericanJ.D. Roberts, OG

Record
9–⁠1–⁠1
Conference
6–⁠0 first in Big Seven
AP final
No. 4 peak No. 4
Points
293–⁠90
Coach
Bud Wilkinson
Elo
1778 +106 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
20.4 No. 5 of 110 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Captains
Larry Grigg and Roger Nelson

Drafted in 1954

The 1954 draft
Rd 2Larry Grigg BBaltimore Colts

All-Big Seven

5 first team, 2 second team

First team

Second team

  • Gene CalameBAP-2
  • Carl AllisonEAP-2

From Wikipedia’s 1953 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1953 Big Seven standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Oklahoma6–⁠09–⁠1–⁠14
Kansas State4–⁠26–⁠3–⁠1
Missouri4–⁠26–⁠4
Colorado2–⁠46–⁠4
Nebraska2–⁠43–⁠6–⁠1
Kansas2–⁠42–⁠8
Iowa State1–⁠52–⁠7

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.