1953 Akron Zips football team

1953 Akron Zips football
Conference	Ohio Athletic Conference
Record	6–3 (4–2 OAC)
Head coach	Kenneth Cochrane (2nd season)
Captain	Frank Gradyan
Home stadium	Rubber Bowl

1953 Ohio Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
Ohio Wesleyan $	7	–	0	–	0			8	–	0	–	1
Heidelberg	4	–	1	–	1			7	–	1	–	1
Otterbein	5	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Denison	4	–	2	–	0			7	–	2	–	0
Akron	4	–	2	–	0			6	–	3	–	0
Capital	3	–	2	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Wooster	3	–	3	–	0			5	–	3	–	0
Muskingum	3	–	3	–	1			3	–	4	–	1
Mount Union	2	–	3	–	0			5	–	4	–	0
Wittenberg	2	–	4	–	0			3	–	6	–	0
Kenyon	1	–	3	–	0			3	–	4	–	0
Oberlin	0	–	5	–	0			1	–	6	–	1
Hiram	0	–	4	–	0			1	–	6	–	0
Marietta	0	–	4	–	0			1	–	6	–	0
$ – Conference champion

The 1953 Akron Zips football team was an American football team that represented the University of Akron in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) during the 1953 college football season. In its second and final season under head coach Kenneth Cochrane, the team compiled a 6–3 record (4–2 against OAC opponents) and was outscored by a total of 210 to 198. Frank Gradyan was the team captain.[1] The team played its home games at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 19	Findlay*	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 26–12
September 26	at Wittenberg	Springfield, OH	W 39–12		[2]
October 3	Muskingum	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 26–13
October 10	at West Virginia Tech*	Montgomery, WV	W 38–32		[3]
October 17	Mount Union	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	W 16–15
October 24	at Wooster	Wooster, OH	W 20–18		[4]
November 7	at Kent State*	Memorial Stadium Kent, OH (Wagon Wheel)	L 19–54	8,500	[5]
November 14	at Heidelberg	Tiffin, OH	L 0–26		[6]
November 21	Ohio Wesleyan	Rubber Bowl Akron, OH	L 14–28
*Non-conference game

References

1. "Akron Zips 2017 Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Akron. p. 160. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
2. Don Plath (September 27, 1953). "Zips Blast Wittenberg, 39-12, For Two In Row". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. 1C, 2C – via Newspapers.com.
3. Don Plath (October 11, 1953). "Zips Outlast Tech, 38-32". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. 1B, 5B – via Newspapers.com.
4. Don Plath (October 25, 1953). "Rossi's Toe Saves Zips At Wooster, 20-18". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. 1C, 6C – via Newspapers.com.
5. Bob Kotzbauer (November 8, 1953). "54-19 Kent Nightmare Ends Zip Dreams". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. B1, B6 – via Newspapers.com.
6. Don Plath (November 15, 1953). "Heidelberg Keeps Zips On Skids: 26-0 Loss Ends O.C Title Bid". The Akron Beacon Journal. pp. 1B, 4B – via Newspapers.com.