1953 Chico State Wildcats football team

The 1953 Chico State Wildcats football team represented Chico State College[note 1] during the 1953 college football season. Chico State competed in the Far Western Conference in 1953. They played home games at Chico High School in Chico, California.

1953 Chico State Wildcats football
FWC champion
Conference	Far Western Conference
1953 record	6–3–1 (4–0–1 FWC)
Head coach	Ernie Busch (2nd season)
Home stadium	Chico High School Stadium

1953 Far Western Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Chico State $	4	–	0	–	1			6	–	3	–	1
Humboldt State	2	–	1	–	0			6	–	2	–	0
Cal Aggies	1	–	2	–	1			1	–	6	–	1
San Francisco State	0	–	1	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Southern Oregon	0	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
$ – Conference champion Conference record includes both Chico State vs. Northern Branch games

The 1953 Wildcats were led by second-year head coach Ernie Busch. 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]

Chico State finished the season as champion of the FWC, with a record of six wins, three losses and one tie (6–3–1, 4–0–1 FWC). The Wildcats outscored their opponents 150–133 for the season. This was the last season coach Busch was at the helm. In his two years, the Wildcats compiled a record of 7–9–1, a .441 winning percentage.

On November 13, Chico State played the Northern Branch 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]

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result
September 19	Presidio of San Francisco[note 2]*	Chico High School Stadium Chico, CA	W 14–7[5][6]
September 26	Cal Aggies[note 3]	Chico High School Stadium Chico, CA	W 14–7[7][8]
October 3	Naval Station Treasure Island[note 4]*	Chico High School Stadium Chico, CA	W 21–0[9]
October 10	at Nevada*	Mackay Stadium[note 5] Reno, NV	L 7–27[10][11]
October 17	at Southern Oregon[note 6]	Fuller Field Ashland, OR	W 26–7[12]
October 24	San Francisco State[note 7]	Chico High School Stadium Chico, CA	W 13–0[13][14]
October 31	Humboldt State[note 8]	Chico High School Stadium Chico, CA	W 14–13[15]
November 7	at Linfield*	Maxwell Field McMinnville, OR	L 13–20[16][17]
November 13	at Cal Aggies[note 9]	Aggie Field Davis, CA	T 0–0[3]
November 21	at University of Mexico*	Estadio Olímpico Universitario Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico City, Mexico	L 28–52[18]
*Non-conference game

[19]

Team players in the NFL

No Chico State players were selected in the 1954 NFL Draft.[20][21][22]

Notes

1. California State University, Chico was known as Chico State College from 1935 to 1971.
2. 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.
3. University of California, Davis was known as Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture from 1922 to 1959. In common usage, the sports teams were called the "Cal Aggies" from 1924 until the mid 1970s.
4. The Naval Station Treasure Island was a Navy facility from 1942 to 1997.
5. This stadium is the predecessor to the current Mackay Stadium, which was opened for the 1966 season."University of Nevada, Reno; Mackay Stadium". Retrieved January 4, 2017.
6. Southern Oregon University was known as Southern Oregon College of Education from 1939 to 1955.
7. San Francisco State University was known as San Francisco State College from 1935 to 1971.
8. Humboldt State University was known as Humboldt State College from 1935 to 1972.
9. University of California, Davis was known as Northern Branch of the College of Agriculture from 1922 to 1959. In common usage, the sports teams were called the "Cal Aggies" from 1924 until the mid 1970s.

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. "Nevada Opens With 27-7 Victory Over Chico State". The Fresno Bee. Fresno, California. p. 6B – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Chico State Wildcats Hold Workout After Nevada Game". Reno Gazette-Journal. Reno, Nevada. October 14, 1953. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Chico State Drubs South Oregon 26-7". Nevada State Journal. Reno, Nevada. October 18, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Chico State Triumphs". Oakland Tribune. Oakland, California. October 25, 1953. p. 56A – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Chico Gridders Get Day Off After San Francisco Victory". Reno Evening Gazette. Reno, Nevada. October 28, 1953. p. 27 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Humboldt Loses To Chico; 1953 Season Ended". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. November 2, 1953. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Linfield Defeats Chico Staters". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. November 8, 1953. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "Chico State Prexy Asks For 'Proof'". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. November 13, 1953. p. 11.
18. "Chico Defeated At Mexico City". Humboldt Standard. Eureka, California. November 23, 1953. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "1953 - Cal St.-Chico". Retrieved March 4, 2017.
20. "1954 NFL Draft". Retrieved October 28, 2017.
21. "Cal State-Chico Players/Alumni". Retrieved October 28, 2017.
22. "Draft History: Chico State". Retrieved October 28, 2017.