The 1954 Sugar Bowl, played between the Georgia Tech and West Virginia, was a fiasco for the game's organizers.

West Virginia, in an attempt to stop Georgia Tech's rushing attack, utilized an unusual 8-3 defensive structure and set themselves up for a 42-19 rout.

Journalist Marty Mulé wrote that the group "felt obligated to reestablish itself as the premier bowl".

[2] The 1953 season was a disappointment for Navy, who entered the year ranked 13th in the AP Poll, but finished with a mediocre record at 4-3-2.

After the 42-7 victory, the Midshipmen were ranked on the AP Poll, tying for the nineteenth spot along with Virginia Tech.

[12] The game was plagued with sloppy play from both teams, mainly due to muddy field conditions, but Notre Dame won 6-0 with a 46-yard touchdown pass late in the first half.

[5] Navy's next game was against eleventh-ranked Duke in the eighth annual Oyster Bowl, a special contest organized by several Shrine groups, where proceeds help disabled children.

Neither team had an edge going into the contest; both had similar records, offensive and defensive rankings, and scores against common opponents.

The match was closely fought throughout, but Navy managed to hold a lead for the majority of the second half, and won 27-20.

[5][20] The Rebels' 1953 season, despite being worse than the 1952 year, was a moderate success with a 7-2-1 record and a second-place finish in conference play.

Johnny Vaught was in his seventh year at the school, during which time he had won them a conference championship and two bowl bids.

However, the year ended on a sour note, losing to national champion Maryland in a shutout and tying arch-rival Mississippi State.

[5] Ole Miss controlled the contest for its entirety; after allowing North Texas to score on its first drive, Mississippi's defense stopped them quickly the rest of the game, while their offense repeatedly put up big plays that led to a 35-12 victory.

[23][24] Ole Miss moved up one place in the polls after the win and received a single first-place vote.