| Santa Clara Broncos football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First season | 1896 |
| Last season | 1992 32 years ago |
| Stadium | Kezar Stadium (in San Francisco, 1925–1952) Buck Shaw Stadium (1962–1992) (capacity: 6,800) |
| Field surface | Natural grass |
| 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) |
| Rivalries | St. Mary's Gaels (Little Big Game) California Golden Bears Stanford Cardinal San Francisco Dons |
| Consensus All-Americans | 2 (1938, 1939) |
| Colors | Maroon and white[1] |
The Santa Clara Broncos football program was the intercollegiate American football team for Santa Clara University located in Santa Clara, California. Santa Clara played its first football game against St. 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 the 1992 season, the Santa Clara football program was discontinued due to new NCAA 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 the Division I-AA level.[4]
Santa Clara played in three major bowl games and won all three: 1937 Sugar Bowl, 1938 Sugar Bowl, and 1950 Orange Bowl.
- ^ "SCU Color Palette - University Marketing and Communications - Santa Clara University". Retrieved February 11, 2018.
- ^ "Santa Clara Historical Data". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
- ^ "Santa Clara to drop football: Money troubles the cause of program's demise". San Luis Obispo Telegram-Tribune. Associated Press. February 3, 1993. pp. B2.
- ^ "History". Letthemplay. [dead link]