1941 Santa Clara Broncos football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1941

| team = Santa Clara Broncos

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Independent

| record = 6–3

| head_coach = Buck Shaw

| hc_year = 6th

| captain =

| stadium = Kezar Stadium

}}

The 1941 Santa Clara Broncos football team represented Santa Clara University as an independent during the 1941 college football season. In its sixth season under head coach Buck Shaw, the team compiled a 6–3 record and outscored opponents by a total of 170 to 103.

After winning its first four games, including shutout victories over California and Michigan State, Santa Clara rose to No. 8 in the AP poll released on October 20. The team then fell from the rankings, losing three consecutive games against Oklahoma, Stanford, and Oregon. The team rebounded with victories over UCLA and rival Saint Mary's to conclude the season.{{cite news|title=1941 Santa Clara Broncos Schedule and Results|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=SR/College Football|accessdate=February 20, 2018|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/santa-clara/1941-schedule.html}}

Santa Clara was ranked at No. 36 (out of 681 teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1941.{{cite news|title=Gophers Grid Kings Over 6-Year Span: Tennessee 2d, Pitt 3d Over Period Litkenhous Ratins Are Published|newspaper=The Courier-Journal|author=Dr. E. E. Litkenhous|date=December 26, 1941|page=Sports 4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123088221/gophers-grid-kings-over-6-year-span/|via=Newspapers.com}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1941

| poll = AP

| rank = y

| attend = y

| source = y

|September 27||San Francisco| |Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|W 32-7|25,000|{{cite news|title=Broncos Score Easy 32-7 Victory Over Inept Dons|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|author=Bill Tobitt|date=September 29, 1941|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17681943/broncos_score_easy_327_victory_over/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 5||Loyola (CA)| |Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|W 20-6|7,500|{{cite news|title=Broncs Not Interested, Beat Loyola 20-6 Anyway|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|author=Bill Tobitt|date=October 6, 1941|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17681823/broncs_not_interested_beat_loyola_206/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 11|at|California| |California Memorial Stadium|Berkeley, CA|W 13-0|56,000|{{cite news|title=Broncos Whip Bears, 13-0|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|date=October 12, 1941|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17681690/broncos_whip_bears_130/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 18||Michigan State|9|Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|W 7-0|18,000|{{cite news|title='Lucky' Broncs Defeat Spartans, 7 to 0|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|author=Bill Tobitt|date=October 19, 1941|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682130/lucky_broncs_defeat_spartans_7_to_0/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|October 25|at|Oklahoma|8|Oklahoma Memorial Stadium|Norman, OK|L 6-16|22,000|{{cite news|title=Oklahoma Upsets Santa Clara, 16-6|newspaper=The Austin American|date=October 26, 1941|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682329/oklahoma_upsets_santa_clara_166/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 1|at|No. 12 Stanford||Stanford Stadium|Stanford, CA|L 7-27|65,000|{{cite news|title=Tribe Has Reached Peak -- Shaughnessy|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|author=Bill Tobitt|date=November 2, 1941|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682499/tribe_has_reached_peak_shaughnessy/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 11|at|Oregon| |Multnomah Stadium|Portland, OR|L 19-21|15,854|{{cite news|title=Oregon Hits Victory Trail; Santa Clara Defeated, 21 to 19|newspaper=The Register-Guard|date=November 12, 1941|pages=8–9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17680870/oregon_hits_victory_trail_santa_clara/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 16||Saint Mary's||Kezar Stadium|San Francisco, CA|W 35-13|40,000|{{cite news|title=Bitter Strader, Routed Gaels Head East: Broncos Whale the Tar Out of St. Mary's, 35-13|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|author=Bill Tobitt|date=November 17, 1941|pages=15, 17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682876/bitter_strader_routed_gaels_head_east/|via=Newspapers.com}}

|November 22|at|UCLA| |Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum|Los Angeles, CA|W 31-13|25,000|{{cite news|title=Bruins Lose: Broncos Win 31-13|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 23, 1941|pages=1, 13, 17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17682668/broncos_beat_bruins_3113/|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}