What Is 1933 DePaul Blue Demons football team

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1933 DePaul Blue Demons football team represented DePaul University during the 1933 college football season, finishing with a 3–4 record under head coach Ray Neal, who was in his third year leading the program.

Key Facts

The 1933 DePaul Blue Demons football team had a final record of 3 wins and 4 losses (3–4).
Ray Neal served as head coach for the third consecutive year in 1933.
The team played as an independent with no conference affiliation.
Home games were held at DePaul Field in Chicago, Illinois.
The 1933 season was part of DePaul's early football history before the program was discontinued in 1939.

Overview

The 1933 DePaul Blue Demons football team represented DePaul University during the 1933 college football season. Competing as an independent, the team did not belong to any athletic conference and scheduled games against regional opponents across the Midwest.

Under the leadership of head coach Ray Neal, who was in his third season at the helm, the Blue Demons finished the year with a 3–4 overall record. While not a dominant force nationally, the team contributed to the early development of collegiate football at DePaul, which fielded a program from 1923 to 1939.

Season record: The Blue Demons posted a 3–4 win-loss tally, with three victories and four defeats over a seven-game schedule.
Head coach: Ray Neal led the team for the third straight year, having taken over in 1931 and remaining through the 1933 season.
Home venue: Games were played at DePaul Field, located on the university’s campus in Chicago, Illinois.
Independent status: The team had no conference affiliation, a common arrangement for smaller programs during that era.
Historical context: This season occurred during the Great Depression, which impacted college athletics funding and attendance nationwide.

How It Works

The 1933 DePaul Blue Demons football team operated under the standard collegiate football structure of the time, with a short season, limited travel, and a focus on regional competition. Understanding the team’s role requires examining key elements of its organization and operation.

Head Coach: Ray Neal was responsible for player development, game strategy, and scheduling. He coached DePaul from 1931 to 1933, compiling a career record of 8–12–1.
Season Length: The team played seven games in 1933, typical for smaller independent programs that lacked the resources for longer schedules.
Opponent Level: The Blue Demons faced a mix of college teams and athletic clubs, some of which were not part of major conferences.
Player Roster: Rosters were small by modern standards, with limited substitutions and no athletic scholarships due to NCAA rules at the time.
Game Rules: The 1933 season followed standard NCAA football rules, including 11-player teams and 60-minute games divided into four quarters.
Scoring System: Teams earned 6 points per touchdown and 3 points per field goal, with point-after attempts worth 1 point.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the 1933 DePaul Blue Demons with other notable independent teams from the same season.

Team	Record (W-L)	Head Coach	Home Field	Notable Fact
DePaul Blue Demons	3–4	Ray Neal	DePaul Field	Played during final decade of DePaul’s football program
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	3–5	Heartley Anderson	Cartier Field	One of few losing seasons for Notre Dame in the 1930s
Duquesne Dukes	6–2	John Bain Sutherland	Forbes Field	Defeated West Virginia and Penn State
DePauw Tigers	4–3–1	Ray Neal (former DePaul coach)	Blackstock Stadium	Competed in the Indiana Intercollegiate Conference
Chicago Maroons	5–3	Amos Alonzo Stagg	Stagg Field	Legendary coach in final years of his tenure

The table highlights that DePaul’s 3–4 record was modest compared to stronger independents like Duquesne and Chicago. However, it was on par with powerhouse programs experiencing down years, such as Notre Dame. The lack of conference play allowed scheduling flexibility but limited postseason opportunities.

Why It Matters

The 1933 DePaul Blue Demons season reflects a transitional era in college football, where smaller institutions like DePaul contributed to the sport’s growth despite limited resources. Though the program was eventually discontinued, it remains a part of the university’s athletic heritage.

Historical significance: The 1933 season is documented in college football archives as part of DePaul’s brief but notable football history.
Program longevity: DePaul fielded teams from 1923 to 1939, with the 1933 season occurring near the midpoint of its existence.
Coaching legacy: Ray Neal’s tenure, though short, helped establish foundational structure for future athletic programs.
Regional impact: Games brought local fans together and fostered school spirit during a difficult economic period.
Evolution of sports: The season illustrates how college football evolved from regional contests to a more organized national structure.
Archival value: Records from 1933 provide researchers with insights into early 20th-century collegiate athletics.

While the 1933 DePaul Blue Demons did not achieve national prominence, their season contributes to the broader narrative of college football’s development in the United States, particularly among urban Catholic universities.