The DePaul Blue Demons football program represented DePaul University in the sport of college football. The university fielded an intercollegiate squad from 1898 to 1938.
The team played home games at a variety of venues including DePaul Field, Loyola Stadium, Mills Stadium, Wrigley Field, and Soldier Field. DePaul Field (formally St. Vincent Field) was located just north of the St. Vincent de Paul Church from 1898 until 1955. The first season with a complete record is the 1907 St. Vincent's team, the final year before the institution became DePaul University and the athletic teams became the "D-Men". The name would then officially be changed to the Blue Demons in 1922. They played in the short-lived Western Interstate Conference from 1923-1927. They were conference champions in both 1925 and 1926. The team went undefeated in 1908 and 1933, outscoring opponents 177-34 and 119-12 respectively.
The statistics surrounding the program are largely incomplete due to so few records being kept in the early years. Made even more confusing by the fact that many of the St. Vincent's College (1898âÂÂ1907) games were being played against high school teams that kept little to no statistics. The DePaul University Academy, operating from 1898 to 1968, also fielded a football team from 1913 to 1965. Winning 12 Chicago Catholic League titles.
In December of 1938, then-president Michael OâÂÂConnell stated that the university would be leaving the grid due to a âÂÂlack of sufficient interest to justify the cost of the football program.â It is largely believed that the program was cut due to a lack of student enrollment and funding brought on by the Great Depression.
An article by Cam Rodriguez claims that from 1901 to 1938 that the university team went around 100âÂÂ93âÂÂ17 overall. This is uncertain pending new records being discovered. Despite the school no longer having a football team, they made a lasting mark on the sport. Producing players such as 1940 NFL Champion Chet Chesney and offensive lineman Dick Stahlman. Who would play in the NFL and AFL for 10 seasons, placing at the top of NFL in 1927, 1931, and winning the first NFL Championship Game in 1933.
DePaul Field was built over by Alumni Hall starting in 1955 before being demolished in 2000. Replaced by the current Lincoln Park Student Center in January, 2002 at 2250 N Sheffield Avenue.
Following the demise of the varsity squad, the university would host sporadic intramural teams. Peaking in popularity in the 1970s and 80s. The DePaul Club Football team would very briefly play from 2013-2015. However, the team would face multiple problems. Mostly surrounding funding and a place to play and practice as the team was independent from DePaul Athletics. Despite playing a handful of games, and even briefly having access to Main Stadium at Benedictine University in Lisle, the club was soon disbanded. The team was confirmed to have played two other clubs, Loyola University and SIU Edwardsville.
The DePaul Flag Football Club was formed in 2022 and has sinced played multiple neighboring universities. Most of the practices occcur at Maradona Field by Diversey Harbor.