1953 Rice Owls football team
The 1953 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University during the 1953 college football season. The Owls were led by 14th-year head coach Jess Neely and played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. They competed as members of the Southwest Conference, winning a share of the conference title with Texas with a 5-1 conference record. Rice finished the regular season with an 8–2 record overall and were ranked 6th in the final polls, which were conducted before bowl season. Rice was invited to the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic, played on New Years' Day, where they defeated SEC champion Alabama.Schedule
