The 1953 Maryland Terrapins football team represented the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college football in its first season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Maryland outscored its opponents 298–38 and recorded six defensive shutouts. Jim Tatum served as the head coach for the seventh year of his nine-year tenure. The season culminated with the team being bestowed the title of national champions. In the postseason, Maryland lost to Oklahoma in the 1954 Orange Bowl.