What Is 1935 DePaul Blue Demons football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1935 DePaul Blue Demons football team represented DePaul University during the 1935 college football season, finishing with a 3–4 record under head coach Ray Neal. The team played as an independent and did not participate in a conference or postseason game.

Key Facts

The 1935 DePaul Blue Demons football team had a final record of 3 wins and 4 losses.
Head coach Ray Neal led the team during its seventh season under his leadership.
DePaul played as an independent with no conference affiliation.
The team scored a total of 61 points while allowing 72 points over seven games.
The 1935 season marked the beginning of a decline in DePaul's football program, which was eventually discontinued in 1939.

Overview

The 1935 DePaul Blue Demons football team represented DePaul University in the 1935 NCAA football season. Competing as an independent, the team did not belong to any athletic conference, which was common for smaller programs at the time. Head coach Ray Neal was in his seventh year at the helm, guiding a squad that struggled to maintain consistency on both offense and defense.

Despite some competitive performances, the Blue Demons finished the season with a 3–4 overall record. The team played its home games in Chicago, Illinois, drawing modest crowds typical of mid-tier college programs in the Midwest during the Great Depression. While not a national powerhouse, DePaul’s football program was part of the broader landscape of collegiate athletics evolving in the 1930s.

Season Record: The team finished with a 3–4 win-loss record, indicating a slightly below-average performance for the era.
Head Coach:Ray Neal served as head coach, leading the program from 1929 until its discontinuation in 1939.
Scoring: The Blue Demons scored 61 total points across seven games, averaging just under 9 points per game.
Defensive Performance: They allowed 72 points, averaging about 10.3 points per game against, showing defensive vulnerabilities.
Program Status: DePaul discontinued its football program after the 1939 season, making 1935 part of its final decade of competition.

Team Performance and Season Details

The 1935 season included a mix of wins against smaller colleges and losses to more established programs. Games were played on Saturdays, typical of the college football schedule, with travel limited mostly to the Midwest due to financial and logistical constraints of the time.

Opponent Strength: The Blue Demons faced a mix of college and university teams, including regional rivals and smaller institutions.
Home Field: Games were held at DePaul Field in Chicago, a modest venue without permanent grandstands.
Offensive Strategy: The team relied on a run-heavy single-wing formation, common in 1930s football tactics.
Player Roster: Rosters listed approximately 30 players, with limited substitutions due to NCAA rules at the time.
Season High: One game saw the team score 19 points, their highest output of the year.
Low Point: They were shut out once, losing 0–13 to a stronger opponent.

Comparison at a Glance

Comparing the 1935 Blue Demons to other teams of the era highlights their mid-tier status in college football. The table below illustrates key performance metrics relative to contemporaries.

Team	Year	Record	Points For	Points Against
DePaul Blue Demons	1935	3–4	61	72
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	1935	6–2	101	34
Michigan Wolverines	1935	4–4	116	71
Northwestern Wildcats	1935	5–3	115	63
Illinois Fighting Illini	1935	6–2	156	44

The data shows that DePaul’s scoring output and defensive performance lagged behind more prominent programs. While teams like Notre Dame and Illinois dominated their schedules, DePaul’s independent status limited scheduling opportunities and national exposure. The comparison underscores the challenges faced by smaller Catholic universities in sustaining competitive football programs during this period.

Why It Matters

The 1935 season is a snapshot of DePaul’s brief but notable foray into college football, reflecting broader trends in collegiate sports during the 1930s. Understanding this team’s performance helps contextualize the evolution of athletic programs at non-powerhouse schools.

Historical Context: The 1935 season occurred during the Great Depression, affecting funding and attendance for college sports.
Institutional Shift: DePaul eventually discontinued football in 1939 due to financial strain and lack of success.
Midwest Football: The team was part of a growing Midwestern college football scene outside the Ivy League.
Recruitment: Limited scholarships and regional recruiting kept rosters small and locally sourced.
Legacy: Though defunct, the Blue Demons’ football history is preserved in DePaul’s athletic archives.
Modern Relevance: The program’s end highlights how financial and competitive pressures shape college athletics.

While the 1935 DePaul Blue Demons did not achieve national acclaim, their season remains a piece of collegiate football history, illustrating the challenges and realities of smaller programs in the early 20th century.