View source for 1954 college football season

{{Short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college football season
| year = 1954
| image = <!-- Please put in a good 1954 image if you know of one -->
| image_caption = 
| number_of_teams = 
| preseason_ap = [[1954 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=163 |title=1954 Preseason AP Football Poll |access-date=November 7, 2021 |website=CollegePollArchive.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402232912/http://collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=163 |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| regular_season = <!-- Please list date of first regular season game to date of last regular season game -->
| number_of_bowls = 7
| bowl_start = <!-- Please list date of first bowl -->
| bowl_end = <!-- Please list date of last bowl -->
| champion = [[1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]] (AP)<br />[[1954 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] (UPI, [[Football Writers Association of America|FWAA]])
| heisman = [[Alan Ameche]] ([[Fullback (gridiron football)|fullback]], [[1954 Wisconsin Badgers football team|Wisconsin]])
}}
The '''1954 college football season''' was the 86th season of [[college football|intercollegiate football]] in the United States. It saw three major college teams finish unbeaten and untied:
* [[1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]] compiled a 10–0 record in its fourth season under [[Woody Hayes]] and defeated [[1954 USC Trojans football team|USC]] in the [[1955 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]]. The Buckeyes were ranked No. 1 in the final [[AP Poll|Associated Press (AP) poll]] and No. 2 in the final [[Coaches Poll|United Press (UP) coaches poll]]. Halfback [[Howard Cassady]] was named the team's most valuable player.
* [[1954 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] compiled a 9–0 record in its sixth season under [[Red Sanders]]. The Bruins were ranked No. 1 in the UP poll and No. 2 in the AP poll. The Bruins were also ranked No. 1 by the [[Football Writers Association of America]] (FWAA). Despite winning the [[Pacific Coast Conference]] championship, UCLA did not play in the Rose Bowl due to a "no repeat" rule (UCLA having played in the game the prior year).<ref name="Missing Memories">{{cite web| url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-11-14-sp-62560-story.html| title = Missing Memories : '54 Bruins Might Have Been Best Ever, but They Didn't Reach the Rose Bowl - Los Angeles Times| website = [[Los Angeles Times]]| date = 14 November 1994}}</ref>
* [[1954 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]] compiled a 10–0 record in its 10th season under [[Bud Wilkinson]] and was ranked No. 3 in the final AP and UP polls. The Sooners ranked seventh nationally in total offense (382.7 yards per game) and fifth in total defense (186.3 yards per game). The 1954 season was part of a 47-game  winning streak that ran from October 10, 1953, to November 9, 1957.
[[1954 California Golden Bears football team|California]] played all three of the undefeated teams. They lost in week 1 to Oklahoma in Berkeley 27-13, they lost in week 3 to Ohio State in Columbus 21-13, and they lost in week 7 to UCLA in Berkeley 27-6.

[[1954 Wisconsin Badgers football team|Wisconsin]] fullback [[Alan Ameche]] won the [[Heisman Trophy]], and [[1954 Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy]] end [[Ron Beagle]] won the [[Maxwell Award]]. Individual statistical leaders in major college football included [[1954 Arizona Wildcats football team|Arizona]] tailback [[Art Luppino]] with 1,359 rushing yards and 166 points scored, [[1954 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon]] quarterback [[George Shaw (American football)|George Shaw]] with 1,536 yards of [[total offense]], [[1954 California Golden Bears football team|California]] quarterback [[Paul Larson (American football)|Paul Larson]] with 1,537 passing yards, and California end [[Jim Hanifan]] with 44 receptions.

Small college teams with [[perfect season]]s included [[1954 Omaha Indians football team|Omaha]] (10–0 Tangerine Bowl champion), [[1954 Juniata Indians football team|Juniata]] (three consecutive undefeated seasons), [[1954 Trinity Bantams football team|Trinity (CT)]] (consecutive perfect seasons), and [[1954 Whitworth Pirates football team|Whitworth]] (part of a 21-game winning streak).

==Conference and program changes==
*The ACC voted to add [[Virginia Cavaliers football|Virginia]] as its eighth football-playing member in December 1953.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! School !! 1953 Conference !! 1954 Conference
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[University of Virginia|Virginia]] [[Virginia Cavaliers football|Cavaliers]] || Independent || [[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]]
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[DePauw Tigers football|DePauw Tigers]] || Independent || [[Indiana Collegiate Conference|ICC]]
|}

==September==
In the preseason poll released on '''September 13''', 1954, [[Notre dame football|No. 1 Notre Dame]] had the most points, although [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 2 Oklahoma]] had more first place votes (74 vs. 52).  Rounding out the Top Five were defending champion [[Maryland Terrapins football|No. 3 Maryland]], [[Texas Longhorns football|No. 4 Texas]] and [[Illinois football|No. 5 Illinois]].  As the regular season progressed, a new poll would be issued on the Monday following the weekend's games.

'''September 18''', [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 2 Oklahoma]] won at No. 12 California 27–13, and [[Maryland Terrapins football|No. 3 Maryland]] won at Kentucky, 20–0.  Notre Dame and Texas, No. 1 and No. 4, were preparing to meet at South Bend to open their seasons.  Oklahoma replaced Notre Dame as No. 1 in the first regular poll.  No. 7 Georgia Tech, which beat Tulane 28–0 in Atlanta, replaced Illinois in the Top Five.  Defying high expectations, the Illini would lose their opener to Penn State, 14–12, and finish the season with a 1–8–0 record.  The next poll: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Maryland, No. 4 Texas, and No. 5 Georgia Tech.

'''September 25'''  [[Notre dame football|No. 2 Notre Dame]] hosted [[Texas Longhorns football|No. 4 Texas]] and won 21–0.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 1 Oklahoma]] beat No. 20 Texas Christian (TCU) 21–16.   [[Maryland Terrapins football|No. 3 Maryland]] was idle, and [[Georgia Tech football|No. 5 Georgia Tech]] lost to Florida, 13–12.  Notre Dame took back over the top spot from O.U., and Texas, Maryland and Georgia Tech were replaced by No. 8 UCLA (32–7 over Kansas), No. 10 Wisconsin (52–14 over Marquette) and No. 11 Iowa (14–10 over No. 7 Michigan State).  The poll: No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Iowa, No. 4 UCLA, and No. 5 Wisconsin.

==October==
In a Friday game, [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 4 UCLA]] beat defending national champion No. 6 Maryland 12–7.  The next day, '''October 2''', [[Notre dame football|No. 1 Notre Dame]] was upset by No. 19 Purdue, 27–14.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 2 Oklahoma]] which was idle, moved to the top as Notre Dame dropped to eighth.  [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|No. 3 Iowa]] defeated visiting Montana, 48–6, and [[Wisconsin Badgers football|No. 5 Wisconsin]] beat No. 13 Michigan State 6–0. The next poll: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Wisconsin, No. 4 Iowa, and No. 5 Purdue.

'''October 9'''   [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 1 Oklahoma]] won its annual game in Dallas against No. 15 Texas, 14–7.  [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 2 UCLA]] edged Washington 21–20.  [[Wisconsin Badgers football|No. 3 Wisconsin]] beat No. 11 Rice 13–7.  [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|No. 4 Iowa]] lost to unranked Michigan, 14–13, and [[Purdue Boilermakers football|No. 5 Purdue]] was tied by No. 6 Duke, 13–13.  No. 10 Ohio State, which had won at Illinois 40–7, entered the Top Five: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Ohio State, and No. 5 Purdue.

'''October 16'''  [[Wisconsin Badgers football|No. 2 Wisconsin]] hosted [[Purdue Boilermakers football|No. 5 Purdue]] and won 20–6.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 1 Oklahoma]] visited Kansas and annihilated it, 65–0, while [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 3 UCLA]] went one better in beating Stanford 72–0.  [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 4 Ohio State]] beat No. 13 Iowa 20–14. No. 7 Ole Miss, which had beaten Tulane 34–7, entered the Top Five: No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Ohio State, and No. 5 Mississippi.

'''October 23''' [[Wisconsin Badgers football|No. 2 Wisconsin]] faced its second high-ranked opponent in a week, visiting Big Ten rival and [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 4 Ohio State]].  OSU won, 31–14, to take the No. 1 spot.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 1 Oklahoma]] beat Kansas State 21–0, and [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 3 UCLA]] beat Oregon State 61–0.  [[Ole Miss Rebels football|No. 5 Mississippi]] lost to No. 7 Arkansas at Little Rock, 6–0.  No. 9 Army, which had won 67–12 at Columbia, moved up.  The next poll: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 UCLA, No. 4 Arkansas, and No. 5 Army.

'''October 30''' [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 1 Ohio State]] won at Northwestern, 14–7.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 2 Oklahoma]] won 13–6 at Colorado.
[[UCLA Bruins football|No. 3 UCLA]] won at California 27–6 and was given top billing in the next poll.  [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|No. 4 Arkansas]] won 14–7 at Texas A&M.   [[Army Black Knights football|No. 5 Army]], which got to stay home, edged Virginia 21–20.  No. 6 Notre Dame, which beat No. 15 Navy 6–0 in Baltimore, moved up.  The next poll: No. 1 UCLA, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Arkansas, and No. 5 Notre Dame.

==November==
'''November 6'''  [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 1 UCLA]] won at Oregon 41–0.  [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 2 Ohio State]] beat visiting No. 20 Pittsburgh, 26–0.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 3 Oklahoma]] won at Iowa State 40–0.  [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|No. 4 Arkansas]], playing at Little Rock, beat No. 15 Rice 28–15, and [[Notre dame football|No. 5 Notre Dame]] won at Penn, 42–7. The top five remained the same.

'''November 13''' [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 1 UCLA]] had the week off, while [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 2 Ohio State]] won at Purdue 28–6 and got back the top rung.   [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 3 Oklahoma]] beat Missouri 34–13.  [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|No. 4 Arkansas]] lost to No. 19 SMU, 21–14.  [[Notre dame football|No. 5 Notre Dame]] beat North Carolina, 42–13.  No. 6 Army, which at won at Penn 35–0, came back to the Top Five: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Notre Dame, and No. 5 Army.

'''November 20''' [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 1 Ohio State]] beat No. 12 Michigan 21–7.  In Los Angeles, [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 2 UCLA]] beat its crosstown rival, No. 7 USC, 34–0.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 3 Oklahoma]] beat Nebraska 55–7.  [[Notre dame football|No. 4 Notre Dame]] won at No. 19 Iowa 34–18.  [[Army Black Knights football|No. 5 Army]] had the day off, preparing for the Army-Navy game. The top five remained the same.

'''November 27''' [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|No. 1 Ohio State]] and [[UCLA Bruins football|No. 2 UCLA]] had finished their seasons, both of them undefeated and untied.  [[Oklahoma Sooners football|No. 3 Oklahoma]] also finished with a perfect record, winning its annual season-closer at Oklahoma A&M 14–0.  [[Notre dame football|No. 4 Notre Dame]] beat No. 17 USC 23–17.  In Philadelphia, [[Army Black Knights football|No. 5 Army]] was beaten by No. 6 Navy, 27–20. The AP's final top five were No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Notre Dame, and No. 5 Navy, although the Coaches Poll selected UCLA as its top team. Under normal circumstances the Buckeyes and Bruins would have met in the Rose Bowl for a national championship showdown, but the Pacific Coast Conference's short-lived "no-repeat" rule forced UCLA to stay home because they had played in the previous year's Rose Bowl.<ref name="Missing Memories" /> Instead, Ohio State matched up with No. 17 USC, whom they defeated 20–7.

==Conference standings==
===Major conference standings===
For this article, major conferences defined as those including at least one state [[Flagship#Colleges and universities in the United States|flagship]] public university and the [[Ivy League]].

{| cellpadding="5"
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Big Seven Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Big Ten Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Border Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Far Western Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Ivy League football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Mid-American Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Middle Three Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 North Central Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Pacific Coast Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Skyline Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Southeastern Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Southern Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Southwest Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Yankee Conference football standings}}
|}

===Independents===
{| cellpadding="5"
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Eastern college football independents records}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Midwestern college football independents records}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Southern college football independents records}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Western college football independents records}}
|}

===Minor conferences===
{| class="wikitable" width="60%"
!style="background:#0054B3; color:#FFFFFF;" |Conference
!style="background:#0054B3; color:#FFFFFF;" |Champion(s)
!style="background:#0054B3; color:#FFFFFF;" |Record
|- align="left"
|[[California Collegiate Athletic Association]]
| [[Fresno State Bulldogs football|Fresno State Normal]]
| 4–0
|- align="left"
| [[Central Church College Conference]]
| [[Concordia Bulldogs|Concordia (NE)]]
| 3–0
|- align="left""
| [[Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association]]
| [[North Carolina Central Eagles football|North Carolina College]]
| 6–0–1
|- align="left"
| [[Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Fort Hays State Tigers|Kansas State Teachers–Hays]]<br />[[Washburn Ichabods football|Washburn]]
| 4–1
|- align="left"
| [[College Conference of Illinois]]
| [[Millikin Big Blue|Millikin]]<br />[[Wheaton Thunder|Wheaton (IL)]]
| 5–1
|- align="left"
| [[Evergreen Conference]]
| [[Whitworth Pirates|Whitworth]]
| 6–0
|- align="left"
| [[Far Western Conference]]
| [[San Francisco State Gators football|San Francisco State]]
| 5–0
|- align="left"
| [[Frontier Conference]]
| [[Carroll Fighting Saints football|Carroll (MT)]]
| 4–0
|- align="left"
| [[Gulf Coast Conference]]
| [[Trinity Tigers football|Trinity (TX)]]
| 2–0
|- align="left"
| [[Indiana Collegiate Conference]]
| [[Valparaiso Crusaders football|Valparaiso]]
| 5–1
|- align="left"
| [[Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Luther Norse|Luther]]
| 6–0
|- align="left"
| [[Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[College of Emporia Fighting Presbies football|College of Emporia]]
| 7–0
|- align="left"
| [[Lone Star Conference]]
| [[Texas A&M–Commerce Lions football|East Texas State Teachers]]<br />[[Texas State Bobcats football|Southwest Texas State Teachers]]
| 5–0–1
|- align="left""
| [[Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association]]
| [[Hillsdale Chargers football|Hillsdale]]
| 6–0
|- align="left""
| [[Mid-American Conference]]
| [[Miami Redhawks football|Miami (OH)]]
| 4–0
|- align="left"
| [[Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Carleton Knights football|Carleton]]
| 8–0
|- align="left"
| [[Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Gustavus Adolphus Golden Gusties|Gustavus Adolphus]]
| 6–0
|- align="left"
| [[Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association]]
| [[Truman Bulldogs football|Northeast Missouri State]]
| 5–0
|- align="left"
| [[Nebraska College Conference]]
| [[Hastings Broncos|Hastings]]
| 7–0
|- align="left"
| [[New Mexico Intercollegiate Conference]]
| [[Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies|Panhandle A&M]]
| 5–0
|- align="left"
| [[North Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Morningside Mustangs|Morningside]]<br />[[South Dakota State Jackrabbits|South Dakota State College]]
| 5–1
|- align="left"
| [[North Dakota College Athletic Conference]]
| [[Minot State Beavers football|Minot State Teachers]]<br />[[Valley City State Vikings|Valley City State]]
| 6–0
|- align="left"
| [[Ohio Athletic Conference]]
| [[Heidelberg Student Princes|Heidelberg]]
| 5–0–1
|- align="left"
| [[Ohio Valley Conference]]
| [[Eastern Kentucky Colonels football|Eastern Kentucky State]]
| 5–0
|- align="left"
| [[Oklahoma Collegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Central Oklahoma Bronchos football|Central State College (OK)]]<br />[[Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs football|Southwestern State College (OK)]]
| 4–1
|- align="left"
| [[Oregon Collegiate Conference]]
| ''Unknown''
| —
|- align="left"
| [[Pacific Northwest Conference]]
| [[College of Idaho Coyotes|College of Idaho]]<br />[[Lewis & Clark Pioneers|Lewis & Clark]]<br />[[Willamette Bearcats|Willamette]]
| 4–1
|- align="left"
| [[Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference]]
| [[East Stroudsburg Warriors football|East Stroudsburg State Teachers]]<br />[[Shippensburg Raiders football|Shippensburg State Teachers]]
| 4–1<br />5–1
|- align="left"
| [[Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference]]
| [[Western State Mountaineers|Western State]]
| 7–1
|- align="left"
| [[South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference]]
| [[University of South Dakota–Springfield|Southern State Teachers]] (USD–Springfield)
| 6–1
|- align="left"
| [[Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens|Pomona-Pitzer]]
| 4–0
|- align="left"
| [[Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Florida A&M Rattlers football|Florida A&M]]
| 4–0
|- align="left"
| [[Southwestern Athletic Conference]]
| [[Prairie View A&M Panthers football|Prairie View A&M College]]
| 6–0
|- align="left"
| [[State Teacher's College Conference of Minnesota]]
| [[St. Cloud State Huskies football|St. Cloud State Teachers]]
| 4–0
|- align="left"
| [[Texas Collegiate Athletic Conference]]
| [[Howard Payne Yellow Jackets|Howard Payne]]
| 2–0
|- align="left"
| [[Wisconsin State College Conference]]
| [[Wisconsin–La Crosse Eagles|Wisconsin State–La Crosse]]
| 4–0–1
|}

===Minor conference standings===
{| cellpadding="5"
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 California Collegiate Athletic Association football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Central Church College Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Central Intercollegiate Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 College Conference of Illinois football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Evergreen Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Gulf Coast Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Gulf States Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Hoosier Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Indiana Collegiate Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Iowa Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Lone Star Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Mason–Dixon Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Mid-Ohio League football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Midwest Athletic Association football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Midwest Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Minnesota Teachers College Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Missouri College Athletic Union football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Missouri Valley Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Montana Collegiate Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Nebraska College Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 New Mexico Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 North Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 North State Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Northwest Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Ohio Valley Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Oklahoma Collegiate Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Oregon Collegiate Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Pennsylvania State Teachers College Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Rocky Mountain Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Texas Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Virginia Little Seven Conference football standings}}
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings}}
|-
|valign="top" width=25em|{{1954 Wisconsin State College Conference football standings}}
|}

==Rankings==
{{Main|1954 NCAA football rankings}}

===Final AP Poll===
AP ranked Ohio State as No. 1, while the UPI coaches' poll gave the top spot to UCLA.  Both wire services' rankings were made at the end of the regular season, and were unaffected by the postseason bowl games. Ohio State and UCLA had two common opponents in 1954; Cal and USC. Ohio State defeated Cal 21–13 and USC 20–7, while UCLA defeated Cal 27–6 and USC 34–0.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ranking
! Team
! Record
! Conference
|-
| 1
| Ohio State
| 9–0–0
| Big 10
|-
| 2
| UCLA
| 9–0–0
| PCC
|-
| 3
| Oklahoma 
| 10–0–0
| Big 7
|-
| 4
| Notre Dame
| 8–1–0
| Indep.
|-
| 5
| Navy
| 7–2–0
| Indep.
|-
| 6
| Mississippi
| 9–1–0
| SEC
|-
| 7
| Army
| 7–2–0 
| Indep.
|-
| 8
| Maryland
| 7–2–1
| ACC
|-
| 9
| Wisconsin 
| 7–2–0 
| Big 10
|-
| 10
| Arkansas
| 8–2–0
| SWC
|-
| 11
| Miami (Florida)
| 8–1–0
| Indep.
|-
| 12
| West Virginia
| 8–1–0
| Southern
|-
| 13
| Auburn
| 7–3–0
| SEC
|-
| 14
| Duke 
| 7–2–1
| ACC
|-
| 15
| Michigan
| 6–3–0
| Big 10
|-
| 16
| Virginia Tech
| 8–0–1
| Southern 
|-
| 17
| USC
| 8–3–0
| PCC
|-
| 18
| Baylor
| 7–3–0
| SWC
|-
| 19
| Rice
| 7–3–0
| SWC
|-
| 20
| Penn State
| 7–2–0
| Indep.
|}

===Final Coaches Poll===
The United Press International poll, taken from a panel of 35 coaches, had UCLA as the number one team beginning with the poll released on October 26.  A rival to the AP poll, the UPI prefaced its release with the statement, "The men who know the game the best, the coaches themselves, voted UCLA to the top spot by the slender margin of seven points over Ohio State, the perfect record champions of the Big 10 Conference," <ref>"UP Names UCLA Top In Nation", ''Aiken (S.C.) Standard and Review'', November 30, 1954, p5</ref>   The UPI poll was a Top Ten, with a first place vote by a coach being worth 10 points, second worth 9 points, etc.  With 350 being the maximum number of points, and 315 being the total for 35 second place votes, the panel was split on whether UCLA or Ohio State was the best team in the nation.  The UPI Top Ten <ref>"UCLA Edges Buckeyes In Last UP Grid Poll," ''The Vidette-Messenger'' (Valparaison, IN), December 1, 1954, p6</ref>  Ohio State and UCLA had two common opponents in 1954; Cal and USC. Ohio State defeated Cal 21–13 and USC 20–7, while UCLA defeated Cal 27–6 and USC 34–0.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Ranking
! Team
|-
|1 || UCLA
|-
|2 || Ohio State
|-
|3 || Oklahoma
|-
|4 || Notre Dame
|-
|5 || Navy
|-
|6 || Mississippi
|-
|7 || Army
|-
|8 || Arkansas
|-
|9 || Miami (Fla.)
|-
|10 || Wisconsin
|-
|11 (t) || USC
|-
|11 (t) || Maryland
|-
|11 (t) || Georgia Tech
|-
|14 || Duke
|-
|15 || Michigan
|-
|16 || Penn State
|-
|17 || SMU
|-
|18 || Denver
|-
|19 || Rice
|-
|20 || Minnesota
|}

==Undefeated seasons==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="35%" | Team 
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="15%" | Record
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width="50%" | Notes
|-
|[[1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team]]||10–0||AP national champion
|-
|[[1954 UCLA Bruins football team]]||9–0||UP national champion
|-
|[[1954 Oklahoma Sooners football team]]||10–0||Big 7 champion, AP No. 3
|-
|[[1954 VPI Gobblers football team]]||8–0–1||AP No. 16
|-
|[[1954 Omaha Indians football team]]||10–0||Tangerine Bowl champion
|-
|[[1954 Trinity Tigers football team]]||9–0||Gulf Coast champion
|-
|[[1954 Juniata Indians football team]]||8–0||Part of seven-year run from 1953 to 1959 during which Juniata compiled a record of 50–2–2, including five undefeated seasons
|-
|[[1954 Whitworth Pirates football team]]||8–0||Evergreen champion, 21-game winning streak
|-
|[[1954 Worcester Tech Engineers football team]]||6–0||
|}
Other undefeated teams: Ashland, Carleton, Carnegie Tech, Hastings (NE), Hobart, Luther, Pennsylvania Military, Pomona, Southeastern Louisiana, Trinity (CT), Western Colorado, Worcester Tech

==Bowl games==

===Major bowls===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Bowl game
! colspan="2" | Winning team
! colspan="2" | Losing team
|-
| [[1955 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]]
| No. 1 [[1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]]
| 20
| No. 17 [[1954 USC Trojans football team|USC]]
| 7
|-
| [[1955 Sugar Bowl|Sugar Bowl]]
| No. 5 [[1954 Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy]]
| 21
| No. 6 [[1954 Ole Miss Rebels football team|Ole Miss]]
| 0
|-
| [[1955 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton Bowl]]
| [[1954 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team|Georgia Tech]]
| 14
| No. 10 [[1954 Arkansas Razorbacks football team|Arkansas]]
|  6
|-
| [[1955 Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]]
| No. 14 [[1954 Duke Blue Devils football team|Duke]]
| 34
| [[1954 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]
| 7
|}
:No. 2 [[1954 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] (9–0) and No. 3 [[1954 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]] (10–0) were idle in bowl season due to conference "no-repeat" rules.

===Other bowls===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Bowl game
! colspan="2" | Winning team
! colspan="2" | Losing team
|-
| [[1954 Gator Bowl (December)|Gator Bowl]]
| No. 13 [[1954 Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn]]
| 33
| No. 18 [[1954 Baylor Bears football team|Baylor]]
| 13
|-
| [[Refrigerator Bowl]]
| [[1954 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team|Delaware]]
| 19
| [[1954 Kent State Golden Flashes football team|Kent State]]
| 7
|-
| [[1955 Tangerine Bowl|Tangerine Bowl]]
| [[1954 Omaha Indians football team|Omaha]]
| 7
| [[1954 Eastern Kentucky Maroons football team|Eastern Kentucky]]
| 6
|}

==Heisman Trophy voting==
''The [[Heisman Trophy]] is given to the year's most outstanding player''

{| class="wikitable"
! Player !! School !! Position !! 1st !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Total
|-
| '''[[Alan Ameche]]''' || '''[[1954 Wisconsin Badgers football team|Wisconsin]]''' || '''FB''' || '''214''' || '''157''' || '''112''' || '''1,068'''
|-
| [[Kurt Burris]] || [[1954 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]] || C || 180 || 111 || 76 || 838
|-
| [[Howard Cassady]] || [[1954 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State]] || HB || 137 || 139 || 121 || 810
|-
| [[Ralph Guglielmi]] || [[1954 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] || QB || 112 || 128 || 99 || 691
|-
| [[Paul Larson (American football)|Paul Larson]] || [[1954 California Golden Bears football team|California]] || QB || 50 || 42 || 37 || 271
|-
| [[Dicky Moegle]] || [[1954 Rice Owls football team|Rice]] || HB || 36 || 53 || 44 || 258
|-
| [[Jack Ellena]] || [[1954 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]] || OT || 23 || 40 || 44 || 193
|-
| [[George Shaw (American football)|George Shaw]] || [[1954 Oregon Webfoots football team|Oregon]] || QB || 32 || 33 || 20 || 182
|-
| Pete Vann || [[1954 Army Cadets football team|Army]] || QB || 20 || 22 || 30 || 134
|-
| [[Bob McNamara (Canadian football)|Bob McNamara]] || [[1954 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]] || HB || 16 || 15 || 26 || 104
|}
'''Source:''' <ref name=yvapga>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Inw_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=BlUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1070%2C170829 |work=Youngstown Vindicator |location=(Ohio) |agency=Associated Press |title=Ameche gets grid award |date=December 1, 1954 |page=29}}</ref><ref name=ppupht>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uoMbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zU0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4111%2C242760 |work=Pittsburgh Press |agency=United Press |title=Wisconsin's Ameche wins grid award |date=December 1, 1954 |page=46}}</ref>

==Statistical leaders==
===Individual===
====Total offense====
The following players were the individual leaders in [[total offense]] among major college football players during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[George Shaw (American football)|George Shaw]], Oregon, 1,536 yards<br>
2. [[Paul Larson (American football)|Paul Larson]], California, 1,485 yards<br>
3. [[Len Dawson]], Purdue, 1,384 yards<br>
4. [[Art Luppino]], Arizona, 1,359 yards<br>
5. [[Gary Glick]], Colorado A&M, 1,269 yards<br>
6. [[Ralph Guglielmi]], Notre Dame, 1,257 yards<br>
7. [[Bobby Freeman (American football)|Bobby Freeman]], Auburn, 1,132 yards<br>
8. Pete Vann, Army, 1,097 yards<br>
9. [[Lenny Moore]], Penn State, 1,082 yards<br>
10. [[Eagle Day]], Ole Miss, 1,051 yards<br>
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=63}}</ref>

====Passing====
The following players were the individual leaders in pass completions among major college football players during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[Paul Larson (American football)|Paul Larson]], California, '''125''' of 195 ('''64.1%'''), '''1,537''' yards, 8 interceptions, 10 touchdowns<br>
2. [[George Shaw (American football)|George Shaw]], Oregon, 91 of '''196''' (56.5%), 1,358 yards, 11 interceptions, 10 touchdowns<br>
3. [[Len Dawson]], Purdue, 87 of 167 (52.1%), 1,464 yards, 8 interceptions, '''15''' touchdowns<br>
4. [[John Brodie]], Stanford, 81 of 163 (49.7%), 937 yards, '''16''' interceptions, 2 touchdowns<br>
5. Ken Ford, Hardin-Simmons, 78 of 146 (53.4%), 948 yards, 9 interceptions, 7 touchdowns<br>
6. Bill Beagle, Dartmouth, 76 of 145 (52.4%), 867 yards, 10 interceptions, 5 touchdowns<br>
7. David Dungan, Utah, 74 of  128 (57.8%), 862 yards, 4 interceptions, 5 touchdowns<br>
8. Jack Stephans, Holy Cross, 73 of 149 (49.0%), 800 yards, 11 interceptions, 8 touchdowns<br>
9. Mackie  Prickett, South Carolina, 68 of 116 (58.6%), 682 yards, 9 interceptions, 1 touchdown<br>
9. [[Ralph Guglielmi]], Notre Dame, 68 of 127 (53.4%), 1,162 yards, 7 interceptions, 6 touchdowns<br>
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=65}}</ref>

====Rushing====
The following players were the individual leaders in rushing yards among major college football players during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[Art Luppino]], Arizona, '''1,359''' yards on '''179''' carries (7.59 average)<br>
2. [[Lenny Moore]], Penn State, 1,082 yards on 136 yards (7.96 average)<br>
3. [[Tommy Bell (American football player)|Tommy Bell]], Army, 1,020 yards on 96 carries ('''10.62''' average)<br>
4. Sam Pino, Boston University, 933 yards on 154 carries (6.06 average)
5. [[Dicky Moegle]], Rice, 905 yards on 144 carries (6.28 average)<br>
6. Dick Imer, Montana, 889 yards on 111 carries (8.01 average)<br>
7. [[Joe Childress]], Auburn, 836 yards on 148 carries (5.65 average)<br>
8. John Bayuk, Colorado, 824 yards on 145 carries (5.68 average)<br>
9. [[Fred Mahaffey]], Denver, 813 yards on 143 carries (5.69 average)<br>
10. [[Tom Tracy]], Tennessee, 794 yards on 116 carries (6.84 average)<br>
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=63}}</ref>

====Receiving====
The following players were the individual leaders in receptions among major college football players during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[Jim Hanifan]], California, '''44''' receptions, 569 yards, '''7''' touchdowns<br>
2. John Stewart, Stanford, 36 receptions, '''577''' yards, 2 touchdowns<br>
3. Jim Carmichael, California, 33 receptions, 420 yards, 2 touchdowns<br>
4. Carl Brazell, South Carolina, 29 receptions, 241 yards, 1 touchdown<br>
5. [[Jerry Mertens]], Drake, 28 receptions, 495 yards, 4 touchdowns<br>
5. [[Jim Pyburn]], Auburn, 28 reception, 460 yards, 4 touchdowns<br>
7. [[Andy Nacrelli]], Fordham, 25 receptions, 493 yards, 2 touchdowns<br>
7. Max Pierce, Utah, 25 receptions, 457 yards, 3 touchdowns<br>
7. Larry Ross, Denver, 25 receptions, 378 yards, 4 touchdowns<br>
7. Robert H. Dee, Holy Cross, 25 receptions, 236 yards, 2 touchdowns<br>
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=65}}</ref>

====Scoring====
The following players were the individual leaders in scoring among major college football players during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[Art Luppino]], Arizona, '''166''' points ('''24''' TD, 22 PAT)<br>
2. [[Buddy Leake]], Oklahoma, 79 points (9 TD, 25 PAT)<br>
3. [[Tommy Bell (American football player)|Tommy Bell]], Army, 78 points (13 TD)<br>
3. [[Lenny Moore]],Penn State, 78 points (13 TD)<br>
5. [[Fred Mahaffey]], Denver, 73 points (12 TD, 1 PAT)<br>
6. [[Dicky Moegle]], Rice, 72 points (12 TD)<br>
7. Harold "Rusty" Fairly, Denver, 70 points (9 TD, 16 PAT)<br>
8. Carroll Hardy, Colorado, 68 points (9 TD, 14 PAT)<br>
9. [[Bob Davenport (gridiron football)|Bob Davenport]], UCLA, 66 points (11 TD)<br>
9. John Bayuk, Colorado, 66 points (11 TD)<br>
9. Joe Miller, Cincinnati, 66 points (11 TD)<br>
9. [[Bob McNamara (Canadian football)|Bob McNamara]], Minnesota, 66 points (11 TD)<br>
9. Dick James, Oregon, 66 points (11 TD)<br>
9. Earl Smith Jr., Iowa, 66 points (11 TD)<br> 
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=64}}</ref>

===Team===
====Total offense====
The following teams were the leaders in total offense in major college football during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[1954 Army Cadets football team|Army]], 448.7 yards per game<br>
2. [[1954 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team|Texas Tech]], 422.3 yards per game<br>
3. [[1954 Arizona Wildcats baseball team|Arizona]], 402.0 yards per game<br>
4. [[1954 Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy]], 393.8 yards per game<br>
5. [[1954 Ole Miss Rebels football team|Ole Miss]], 386.8 yards per game<br>
6. [[1954 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]], 385.3 yards per game<br>
7. [[1954 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]], 382.7 yards per game<br>
8. [[1954 Denver Pioneers football team|Denver]], 371.8 yards per game<br>
9. [[1954 Boston University Terriers football team|Boston University]], 367.1 yards per game<br>
10. [[1954 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]], 366.6 yards per game<br>
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=67}}</ref>

====Total defense====
The following teams were the leaders in total defense in major college football during the 1954 season:<br>
1. [[1954 Ole Miss Rebels football team|Ole Miss]], 172.3 yards per game<br>
2. [[1954 Richmond Spiders football team|Richmond]], 174.4 yards per game<br>
3. [[1954 Clemson Tigers football team|Clemson]], 176.1 yards per game<br>
4. [[1954 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]], 184.6 yards per game<br>
5. [[1954 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]], 186.3 yards per game<br>
6. [[1954 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia]], 186.7 yards per game<br>
7. [[1954 Denver Pioneers football team|Denver]], 188.6 yards per game<br>
8. [[1954 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]], 189.8 yards per game<br>
9. [[1954 Navy Midshipmen football team|Navy]], 190.4 yards per game<br>
10. [[1954 Cincinnati Bearcats football team|Cincinnati]], 198.4 yards per game<br>
<ref>{{cite book|title=Official Collegiate Football Record Book|year=1955|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association|page=68}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[1954 College Football All-America Team]]
*[[1954 NCAA football rankings]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{NCAA football season navbox}}
{{1954–55 NCAA championships navbox}}

[[Category:1954 college football season| ]]