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American college football season
The 1954 West Virginia Mountaineers football team was an American football team that represented West Virginia University in the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 1954 college football season . Led by fifth-year head coach Art Lewis , the Mountaineers compiled an overall record of 8–1 with a mark of 3–0 in conference play, winning the SoCon title for the second consecutive season.
Date Opponent Rank Site Result Attendance Source October 2 at No. 15 South Carolina * W 26–631,000 [ 1]
October 9 George Washington No. 16 W 13–720,000 [ 2]
October 16 at No. 9 Penn State * No. 14 W 19–1432,221 [ 3]
October 23 vs. VMI No. 10 W 40–611,000 [ 4]
October 30 Pittsburgh * No. 7 Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV (rivalry ) L 10–1334,000 [ 5]
November 6 Fordham * No. 17 Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV W 39–910,000 [ 6]
November 13 at William & Mary No. 16 W 20–610,000 [ 7]
November 20 NC State * No. 14 Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV W 28–320,000 [ 8]
November 27 at Virginia * No. 12 W 14–1010,000 [ 9]
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
1954 West Virginia Mountaineers football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
QB
11
Fred Wyant
Jr
End
89
Billy Hillen
Sr
End
84
Joe Kopnisky
So
Guard
64
Gene Lathey
So
Guard
88
Bill Underdonk
Jr
Center
36
Charles Donaldson
Sr
OL-LT
77
Bruce Bosley
Jr
OL-RG
75
Sam Huff
So
OL-LG
72
Gene Lamone
Jr
Guard
65
Jerry Urda
So
End
55
John Kernic
Sr
End
81
Max Ludwig
Sr
RB
22
Victor "Jack" Rabbits
So
RB
42
Dick Nicholson
Sr
RB
15
Harry Sweeney
Sr
FB
24
Carl Norman
Sr
FB
35
Danny Williams
Sr
[[American football positions|]]
QB
10
Alex Szuch
So
E
12
Walter Beene
So
HB
21
Paul Shepherd
So
FB
23
Ray Borst
So
HB
25
Bob Moss
Jr
C
31
Don Wilson
Sr
Defense
Pos.
#
Name
Class
[[American football positions|]]
[[ ]]
Special teams
Head coach
Art "Pappy" Lewis
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
^ "West Virginia scores upset victory over Gamecocks, 26–6" . The News and Observer . October 3, 1954. Retrieved January 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Mounties barely squeeze past stubborn G-W 13–7" . The Beckley Post-Herald . October 10, 1954. Retrieved February 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "West Virginia tops unbeaten Lions by 19–14" . Sunday News . October 17, 1954. Retrieved January 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "West Virginia's devastating ground game rocks VMI 40–6" . The State . October 24, 1954. Retrieved January 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Salvaterra heads late Panther surge which topples West Virginia by 13–10" . Richmond Times-Dispatch . October 31, 1954. Retrieved January 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ McKowen, Bob (November 7, 1954). "WVU trims Fordham; Six men get touchdowns" . The Charleston Daily Mail . p. 13 – via Newspapers.com . Attendance figure in "Mountaineers whip Rams, 39-9". The Pittsburgh Press . November 7, 1954. sect. 4, p. 2.
^ "West Virginia beats W&M, 20–6, to take Conference crown" . The Sunday Star . November 14, 1954. Retrieved January 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "N.C. State bows to West Virginia" . The Baltimore Sun . November 21, 1954. Retrieved January 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bowl fever almost beats Mountaineers" . The State . November 28, 1954. Retrieved January 5, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons
Pre-SEC Pre-ACC Post-ACC I-AA/FCS National championships in bold