1953 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 1953 Michigan State Spartans football team was an American football team that represented Michigan State College in the 1953 Big Ten Conference football season. In their first season in the Big Ten Conference, and their seventh and final season under head coach Biggie Munn, the Spartans compiled a 9–1 record, outscored opponents by a total of 240 to 110, and shared the Big Ten title with [1953 1953 Illinois Fighting Illini football team|Illinois Fighting Illini football team|Illinois]. They represented the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl, defeated UCLA, 28–20, and finished ranked third in both the AP and Coaches polls.
The season was part of the Spartans' school-record, 28-game winning streak that began on October 14, 1950, and ended with a 6-0 loss at Purdue on October 24, 1953. The move to the Big Ten in 1953 also set up Michigan State's first ever matchups with Illinois and Iowa. Every other Big Ten school at the time had played the Spartans at least once prior to them joining the conference.
The team's statistical leaders included Leroy Bolden, Tom Yewcic, and Ellis Duckett. Bolden was selected as the team's most valuable player. End Don Dohoney was a consensus All-American. Bolden and Doheney also received first-team honors from both the writers and coaches on the 1953 All-Big Ten Conference football team.