The Broncos were led by eighth-year head coach Terry Malley and played home games on campus at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Santa Clara competed in the last year of the Western Football Conference (WFC).
The WFC folded in part because of a new NCAA rule that prohibited member institutions who competed at the Division I (D-I) level in other sports to compete at the Division II (D-II) level in football.
Rival Saint Mary's continued its football program as an NCAA Division I-AA independent for 11 more seasons.
In eight seasons as head coach of the Broncos, Malley compiled a 47–39–1 (.546) record.