Stetson Hatters football, 1930–1939

The Stetson Hatters football program, 1930–1939 represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—during the 1930s in college football as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA). The team was led by two different head coaches: Herb McQuillan who held the position from 1924 to 1934 and Brady Cowell who held the position from 1935 to 1940. During the 1930s, the Hatters compiled a 36–32–6 record and recorded six winning seasons in ten years of competition. Highlights of the decade include:

• The 1935 Stetson Hatters football team compiled an 8–2 season, a still-standing record of wins in a season (as of the end of the 2024 season).

The team played its home games at Hulley Field in DeLand, Florida.

Year	Head coach	Overall record	Conf. record	Conf. rank	Points scored	Points allowed	Delta[1]
1930	Herb McQuillan	5–3	3–3	T–13th	187	55	+132
1931	Herb McQuillan	3–5	1–5	T–27th	85	106	-21
1932	Herb McQuillan	3–1–1	0–0	N/A	39	41	-2
1933	Herb McQuillan	4–2–1	0–0–1	T–29th	172	27	+145
1934	Herb McQuillan	1–4–1	0–2	29th	34	100	-66
1935	Brady Cowell	8–2	4–1	T–9th	103	134	-31
1936	Brady Cowell	2–5–1	0–3–1	T–27th	44	97	-53
1937	Brady Cowell	5–4	2–3	T–16th	117	103	+14
1938	Brady Cowell	6–2–1	4–2–1	T–13th	151	72	+79
1939	Brady Cowell	3–5–2	2–4–2	24th	96	141	-45
Total		39–33–7	16–23–5		1,028	876	+152

The 1931 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1931 college football season. In their eighth year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 3–5 record (1–5 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 106 to 85.

During the team's 19–7 loss to Millsaps on November 11, Millsaps junior tackle Commie Dandevenor "C. T." Smith, who was a Florida native, suffered a broken vertebrae in his neck during a play in the second quarter.^[2] He was taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to a nearby hospital in DeLand, Florida.^[3] He eventually lost consciousness right after midnight.^[4] On November 13, two days after the game, Smith died from his injuries.^[5] Stetson coach McQuillan issued a statement to the Stetson student body expressing his sorrow over the tragedy.^[5] According to a survey, Smith was one of at least 11 football players who had died of injuries sustained in a game since October 1 of that year.^[5]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 3	at Mercer	Centennial Stadium Macon, GA	L 7–28	2,000	[6]
October 10	vs. Birmingham–Southern	Wiregrass Stadium Dothan, AL	L 0–19		[7]
October 17	at Centenary	Fairgrounds Stadium Shreveport, LA	L 0–27	2,000	[8]
October 24	at The Citadel	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC	L 0–6		[9]
November 7	Erskine	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 24–7	2,000+	[10][11]
November 11	Millsaps	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	L 7–19		[3]
November 21	at Southern College*	Lakeland, FL	W 20–0		[12]
	South Georgia*		W 27–0
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[13]

The 1932 Stetson Hatters freshmen football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as an independent during the 1932 college football season. In their ninth year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 3–1–1 record and were outscored by opponents by a total of 41 to 39.

Prior to the season, coach McQuillan announced that due to budget constraints the team would not field a varsity team and only have a freshmen team.^[14]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 7	Middle Georgia	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	T 0–0	[15]
October 15	at Georgia State College For Men	Tifton, GA	L 6–34	[16][17][18]
October 29	Oglethorpe freshmen	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 13–0	[19][20]
November 3	vs. Florida All-Stars	Lakeland, FL	W 7–0	[21]
November 11	Parris Island Marines	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 7–0	[22]
Homecoming

^[13]

The 1933 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1933 college football season. In their 10th year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 4–2–1 record (0–0–1 in conference) and outscored opponents by a total of 172 to 27.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
	Middle Georgia*		W 7–6
Octobee 19	at Oglethorpe*	Ponce de Leon Park Atlanta, GA	W 66–13	[23]
	Bowden		W 26–0
	Southern College*		W 73–0
	Tampa*		L 0–8
December 3	at Miami (FL)	Moore Park Miami, FL	T 0–0
*Non-conference game

^[13]

The 1934 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1934 college football season. In their 11th year under head coach Herb McQuillan, the Hatters compiled a 1–4–1 record (0–2–1 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 100 to 34.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 29		at Georgia*	Sanford Stadium Athens, GA	L 0–48	5,000	[24]
October 5		at Murray State	Murray, KY	L 7–19		[25]
October 27		vs. Mercer	Fairfield Stadium Jacksonville, FL	L 0–6		[26]
November 3		at Miami (FL)	Moore Park Miami, FL	T 6–6
November 17	2:30 p.m.	Tampa*	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 21–7	5,000+
December 1		at Florida*	Florida Field Gainesville, FL	L 0–14		[27]
*Non-conference game Homecoming

^[13]

The 1935 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1935 college football season. In their first year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled an 8–2 record (4–1 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 134 to 103.

Prior to the season, 11th-year head coach Herb McQuillan resigned to accept an assistant position with Texas A&M.^[28] Initially, former professional star Red Grange was in the running to be the next head coach.^[29] The Stetson Alumni Association recommended that the school hire him as well.^[29] While the association's recommendation was not binding, it was believed to hold weight on the president's decision on who to hire.^[29] The president quickly refused, stating that he had six men in mind and that Grange was not one of them.^[30] Instead, the school opted to hire Florida assistant Brady Cowell.^[31]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 28		at Florida*	Florida Field Gainesville, FL	L 0–34	5,000	[32]
October 12		at Oglethorpe*	Hermance Stadium North Atlanta, GA	W 7–6		[33]
October 18		vs. Howard (AL)	Wiregrass Stadium Dothan, AL	L 0–32		[34]
November 1	8:00 p.m.	at Miami (FL)	Miami Stadium Miami, FL	W 13–12	4,000	[35][36]
November 8	8:00 p.m.	Erskine	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 19–13		[37][38]
November 15	8:00 p.m.	at Tampa*	Plant Field Tampa, FL	W 9–7	5,000	[39][40]
November 23		Murray State	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 6–0		[41][42]
November 28		at South Georgia Teachers*	Statesboro, GA	W 9–6		[43]
December 6		Rollins	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 21–14		[44][45]
		Southern College*		W 19–10
*Non-conference game Homecoming All times are in Eastern time

^[13]

The 1936 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1936 college football season. In their second year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 2–5–1 record (0–3–1 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 97 to 44.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Source
October 6	at South Georgia Teachers*	Statesboro, GA	W 12–0
October 17	at Florida*	Florida Field Gainesville, FL	L 0–32	[46]
	Tampa*		L 0–6
	Erskine		L 6–12
November 6	at Miami (FL)	Miami Stadium Miami, FL	L 6–20
	Union (?)		T 7–7
November 26	Oglethorpe*	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 13–7	[47]
	Rollins		L 0–13
*Non-conference game

^[13]

The 1937 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1937 college football season. In their third year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 5–4 record (2–3 in conference) and outscored opponents by a total of 117 to 103.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
October 2	at Florida*	Florida Field Gainesville, FL	L 0–18	4,000	[48]
October 7	South Georgia Teachers*	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 24–0
	Tampa*		W 18–12
	Erskine		L 13–14
November 5	at Miami (FL)	Burdine Stadium Miami, FL	L 13–25
	Lenoir Rhyne*		W 20–6
November 20	at Oglethorpe	Hermance Stadium North Atlanta, GA	L 0–10		[49]
November 25	Mississippi College	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 14–6		[50]
	Rollins		W 15–12
*Non-conference game

^[13]

The 1938 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1938 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 6–2–1 record (4–2–1 in conference) and outscored opponents by a total of 151 to 72.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 24	at Florida*	Florida Field Gainesville, FL	W 16–14	8,000	[51]
	Rollins		L 0–18
October 7	South Georgia Teachers*	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 28–0
October 22	at Wofford	Synder Field Spartanburg, SC	W 7–6		[52]
	Erskine		W 33–14
November 11	at Tampa	Phillips Field Tampa, FL	W 42–0	3,000	[53]
November 19	Oglethorpe	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 13–7		[54]
November 24	vs. Presbyterian	Daytona Beach, FL	L 6–7	2,000	[55]
	Rollins		T 6–6
*Non-conference game

^[13]

The 1939 Stetson Hatters football team represented John B. Stetson University—now known as Stetson University—as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) during the 1939 college football season. In their fourth year under head coach Brady Cowell, the Hatters compiled a 3–5–2 record (2–4–2 in conference) and were outscored by opponents by a total of 141 to 96.

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 23	at Florida*	Florida Field Gainesville, FL	L 0–21	5,000	[56]
September 29	Georgia Teachers*	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	W 19–0
October 6	Rollins	Hulley Field DeLand, FL	L 7–27	2,000	[57]
	Presbyterian		T 12–12
	Erskine		W 14–7
	Tampa		T 0–0
	Newberry		L 0–20
November 18	at Oglethorpe	Hermance Stadium North Atlanta, GA	L 13–20	2,000	[58]
	Wofford		W 14–7
December 1	at Rollins	Greater Orlando Stadium Orlando, FL	L 17–27		[59]
*Non-conference game

^[13]