| Santa Clara Broncos football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First season | 1896 |
| Last season | 1992 33 years ago |
| Stadium | Kezar Stadium (inSan Francisco, 1925–1952) Buck Shaw Stadium (1962–1992) (capacity: 6,800) |
| Location | Santa Clara, California |
| NCAA division | Division II |
| Conference | Division II independent |
| All-time record | 352–244–28 (.587) |
| Bowl record | 3–0 (1.000) |
| Conference titles | |
| 2 (1983, 1985) | |
| Consensus All-Americans | 2 (1938, 1939) |
| Rivalries | St. Mary's Gaels (Little Big Game) California Golden Bears Stanford Cardinal San Francisco Dons |
| Colors | Maroon and white[1] |
TheSanta Clara Broncos football program was the intercollegiateAmerican football team forSanta Clara University located inSanta Clara, California. Santa Clara played its first football game againstSt. Mary's College in San Francisco in 1896. Santa Clara compiled an all-time record of 352–244–28 (.587).[2]
The team was known as ‘The S.C.U. Elevens’ from 1896 to 1907, The football program went on hiatus from 1908 to 1918. The football program returned as the Santa Clara "Missionites" in 1919, and were newly named the ‘Broncos’ in 1923.
After the1992 season, the Santa Clara football program was discontinued due to newNCAA regulations which mandated all sports be played at the same level at each university, as well as due to the high cost of funding football.[3] Santa Clara had fielded all Division I teams with the exception of the Division II football team, and elected not to field a team at theDivision I-AA level.[4]
Santa Clara played in three majorbowl games and won all three:1937 Sugar Bowl,1938 Sugar Bowl, and1950 Orange Bowl.
| Title no. | Year | Conference | Coach | Overall record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1983 | Western Football Conference[n 1] | Pat Malley | 6–4–0 | 2–1 |
2 | 1985 | Western Football Conference[n 1] | Terry Malley | 8–2–1 | 4–0–1 |
The Broncos made one appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. They had a combined record of 1–1.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Quarterfinals | Northern Michigan | 27–26 |
| Semifinals | Cal Poly | 14–38 |
| Season | Date | Bowl | City | W/L | Opponent | PF | PA | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | January 1, 1937 | Sugar | New Orleans | W | LSU | 21 | 14 | Buck Shaw |
| 1937 | January 1, 1938 | Sugar | W | LSU | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1949 | January 2, 1950 | Orange | Miami | W | Kentucky | 21 | 13 | Len Casanova |
| Total | 3 bowl games | 3–0 | 48 | 27 | ||||
'The Little Big Game' was played annually between the 2 rival Catholic institutions located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The name was reference to 'The Big Game' rivalry between larger Bay Area universities, Stanford and Berkeley.
Rivalry with a 3rd San Francisco Bay Area Jesuit Institution.
| College Football Hall of Fame | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Year | Inducted | Ref |
| Nello Falaschi | QB | 1934–1936 | 1971 | [5] |
| Buck Shaw | Head Coach | 1929–1942 | 1972 | [6] |
| Tom Fears | WR/DE | 1941–1942 | 1976 | [7] |
| Len Casanova | P /Head Coach | 1923–1949 | 1977 | [8] |
| Brent Jones | WR /TE | 1982–1985 | 2002 | [9] |
Quarterback, Nello "Flash" Falaschi led the Broncos to a 21–14 upset overLSU in the1937 Sugar Bowl. Little Santa Clara was a decided underdog going against Louisiana State.
Buck Shaw's teams compiled a record of 47–10–4, including a span of 16 consecutive wins. The 1937 Santa Clara team allowed only nine points over a nine-game campaign. Highlighting Shaw's tenure at the Bronco helm were a pair ofSugar Bowl victories over heavily-favoredLouisiana State, 21–14, in1937, and 6–0, in1938.
Tom Fears was a two-way end who played for Santa Clara in 1941–1942. While with the 7–21942 Santa Clara Broncos football team, Fears helped Santa Clara defeatUtah and threePacific Coast Conference schools in a row inStanford,Cal andOregon State. During that 1942 season Fears won All-Pacific Coast honors before joining theAir Force inWorld War II.
Leonard Casanova was a skilled Punter for Santa Clara in 1923. Standing on his own one-yard line, he punted a ball that went out of bounds on rival St. Mary's one yard line. Total distance, 98 yards. His career as head coach began in 1946 and covered four years at Santa Clara, one at Pittsburgh, 16 at Oregon. His1949 Santa Clara Broncos football team beatBear Bryant'sKentucky in the1950 Orange Bowl.
Brent Jones helped the Broncos to twoWestern Football Conference championships and was named to the all-conference team three times.
| Pro Football Hall of Fame | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Year | Inducted | |
| Tom Fears | WR/DE | 1941–1942 | 1970 | |
Born inGuadalajara, Mexico, Fears was the son of a Mexican mother, Carmen Valdés, and an American father, mining engineer Charles William Fears. Selected as adefensive back by theLos Angeles Rams in the eleventh round (103rd overall) of the1945 NFL draft, he is distinguished as being the firstMexican-born player to bedrafted into theNational Football League. Fears quickly made his mark as awide receiver, while also displaying his versatility by playing on defense. During his first three seasons at the professional level, he led all NFL receivers in catches, and broke the league's single-season record with 77 catches in 1949.