1955 college football season

1955 college football season
Heisman Trophy winner Howard Cassady
Preseason AP No. 1	UCLA[1]
Number of bowls	7
Champion(s)	Oklahoma (AP, Coaches, FWAA)
Heisman	Howard Cassady (halfback, Ohio State)
← 1954 · football seasons · 1956 →

The 1955 college football season was the 87th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. It concluded with two teams recognized as a national champion:

• Oklahoma compiled an 11–0 record in its 11th season under Bud Wilkinson. The Sooners were ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press (AP) and United Press (UP) coaches polls. Securing their claim as national champion, Oklahoma defeated No.2 Maryland, 20–6, in the Orange Bowl. The 1955 season was part of a 47-game winning streak that ran from October 10, 1953, to November 9, 1957.
• Grambling compiled a 10–0 record in their 13th season under Eddie Robinson, defeated Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic, and was selected as the black college national champion.

Other teams compiling perfect seasons in 1955 included Miami (OH) (9–0, AP No. 15 under Ara Parseghian); Hillsdale (declined Tangerine Bowl bid after being told national scoring champion and African-American Nate Clark must stay home); Trinity (CT) (consecutive perfect seasons); and Whitworth (part of 21-game winning streak).

Ohio State halfback Howard Cassady won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award. Individual statistical leaders in major college football in 1955 included Navy quarterback George Welsh with 1,348 yards of total offense and 1,319 passing yards; Arizona tailback Art Luppino with 1,313 rushing yards; Missouri end Hank Burnine with 594 receiving yards; and TCU halfback Jim Swink with 125 points scored.