| Year: | 1953 |
| Team: | North Carolina Tar Heels |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Atlantic Coast Conference |
| Short Conf: | ACC |
| Record: | 4–6 |
| Conf Record: | 2–3 |
| Head Coach: | George T. Barclay |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Captain: | Ken Yarborough |
| Stadium: | Kenan Memorial Stadium |
The 1953 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1953 college football season. The Tar Heels were led by first-year head coach George T. Barclay, and played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The team competed as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, in the conference's inaugural year, finishing tied for third.