Governors' Trophy Game

Governors' Trophy Game
Sport	College football
Teams	Saint Mary's Gaels ; Oregon Webfoots ;
First meeting	November 28, 1929; Saint Mary's, 31–6
Latest meeting	October 21, 1950; Saint Mary's, 18–13
Stadiums	Kezar Stadium ; Hayward Field
Trophy	The Governors' Perpetual Trophy
Statistics
Meetings total	10
All-time series	Saint Mary's leads,; 7–3–0 (.700)
Largest victory	Saint Mary's, 31–6 (1929)
Longest win streak	Saint Mary's, 4 (1929–1932)

Last updated August 03, 2024

The Governors' Trophy Game^[1] was a college football rivalry game ^[2] played between the University of Oregon and Saint Mary's College. The Webfoots and Gaels played an annual Thanksgiving Day classic from 1929 to 1935 in San Francisco's Kezar Stadium. Beginning in 1932 the teams played for The Governors' Perpetual Trophy, awarded to the victors jointly by the governors of the states of California and Oregon.

History

Thanksgiving Day classic

The Webfoots and Gaels met seven times on the gridiron between 1929–1935.^[2] The games were scheduled as an annual Thanksgiving Day classic, always held at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.^[3]^[2]

Their first meeting in 1929 was a crucial contest.^[4] Saint Mary's entered the game 7–0–1, having never been scored upon. Oregon was 7–1, with an invitation to the Rose Bowl on the line if they won the game.^[4] The Gaels prevailed but gave up their first and only points of the season.

In 1935 the game was played on Sunday, December 8, due to conflicting schedules. This was the first time the schools met on a day other than Thanksgiving.^[3]

The Governors' Perpetual Trophy

The rivalry gained a trophy in 1932 when The Governors' Perpetual Trophy was presented to Saint Mary's on the field following their 7–0 win.^[5]^[2] The trophy was awarded jointly by governors James Rolph of California and Julius Meier of Oregon.^[5] The trophy's inscription reads:

The Governors' Perpetual Trophy
Annual Football Game
University of Oregon and St. Mary's College

The trophy was again awarded upon the resumption of the series in 1948, this time by governors Earl Warren of California and Douglas McKay of Oregon.^[1]

Later years

After a 12-year hiatus, the schools resumed annual football competition in 1948. These games were not scheduled for Thanksgiving, and for the first time games were held at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene. The states' governors continued to award the Perpetual Trophy to the winner of the Governors' Trophy Game.^[1]

The 1950 contest would prove to be the last time the rivalry was contested. Saint Mary's College discontinued the Gaels football and baseball teams in 1951 due to the national emergency sparked by the Korean War.^[6]

In their statement discontinuing the varsity football team, the Saint Mary's board of trustees thanked their athletic rivals for their longstanding competition: "The board is also gratefully mindful of the valued association maintained by St. Mary's college with other colleges and universities of long standing rivalry on the field of sport."^[6]

Game results

Oregon victories	Saint Mary's victories

No.	Date	Location	Winner	Score
1	November 28, 1929	Kezar Stadium	Saint Mary's	31–6
2	November 27, 1930	Kezar Stadium	Saint Mary's	7–6
3	November 26, 1931	Kezar Stadium	Saint Mary's	16–0
4	November 24, 1932	Kezar Stadium	Saint Mary's	7–0
5	November 30, 1933	Kezar Stadium	Oregon	13–7
6	November 29, 1934	Kezar Stadium	Saint Mary's	13–7
7	December 7, 1935	Kezar Stadium	Saint Mary's	18–0
8	October 30, 1948	Hayward Field	Oregon	14–13
9	September 16, 1949	Kezar Stadium	Oregon	24–7
10	October 21, 1950	Hayward Field	Saint Mary's	18–13
Series: Saint Mary's leads 7–3

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The 1929 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon in the 1929 college football season. It was the Webfoots' 36th overall and 14th season as a member of the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC). The team was led by head coach John McEwan, in his fourth year, and played their home games at Hayward Field in Eugene and at Multnomah Field in Portland, Oregon. They finished the season with a record of seven wins, three losses.

The 1929 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1929 college football season. In their ninth season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled an 8–0–1 record, shut out eight of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 198 to 6. The Gaels' victories included a 24–0 besting of UCLA, a 54–0 besting of Nevada, and a 31–6 victory over Oregon. The lone setback was a scoreless tie with California.

The 1930 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1930 college football season. In their tenth season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled an 8–1 record, shut out five of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 168 to 31. The Gaels' victories included a 21–6 besting of UCLA, a 20–12 besting of Fordham, and a 7–6 victory over Oregon. The lone setback was a 7–6 loss to California.

The 1931 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1931 college football season. In their 11th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled an 8–2 record and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 119 to 65. The Gaels' victories included a 13–7 besting of USC, a 14–0 besting of California, a 16–0 victory over Oregon, and a 7–2 victory over Southwest Conference champion SMU. The lone setbacks were losses to the Olympic Club (0–10) and UCLA (0–12).

The 1938 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1938 college football season. In their 18th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 6–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 106 to 41. The season ended in January with a 20–13 victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl, led by sophomore back Mike Klotovich.

The 1935 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1935 college football season. In their fourth season under head coach Prink Callison, the Webfoots compiled a 6–3 record, finished in a tie for fourth place in the PCC, and outscored their opponents, 70 to 63. The team played its home games at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The 1934 Oregon Webfoots football team represented the University of Oregon in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1934 college football season. In their third season under head coach Prink Callison, the Webfoots compiled a 6–4 record, finished in fourth place in the PCC, and outscored their opponents, 108 to 98. The team played its home games at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

The 1932 Oregon Webfoots football team was an American football team that represented the University of Oregon in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC) during the 1932 college football season. In their first season under head coach Prink Callison, the Webfoots compiled a 6–3–1 record, finished in a tie for fifth place in the PCC, and outscored their opponents, 109 to 64. The team played its home games at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. Tackle Bill Morgan was the team captain.

The 1935 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1935 college football season. In their 15th season under head coach Slip Madigan, the Gaels compiled a 5–2–2 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 115 to 37.

The 1942 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1942 college football season. In their first season under head coach James Phelan, the Gaels compiled a 6–3–1 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 135 to 46.

The 1948 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1948 college football season. In their first season under head coach Joe Verducci, the Gaels compiled a 4–6 record and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 161 to 150.

The 1950 Saint Mary's Gaels football team was an American football team that represented Saint Mary's College of California during the 1950 college football season. In their first season under head coach Joe Ruetz, the Gaels compiled a 2–7–1 record and were outscored by opponents by a combined total of 235 to 95.

References

1 2 3 "Oregon vs. Saint Mary's — Governor's[sic] Trophy Game". The Gael Kickoff. Vol. 2, no. 1. Office of Public Relations, Saint Mary's College. September 16, 1949. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
1 2 3 4 Newland, Russell J. (November 30, 1933). Written at San Francisco. "Webfeet Rated as Underdogs in Annual St. Mary's Battle On San Francisco Grid Today". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. Retrieved November 28, 2022. gridiron rivalry was established in 1929.
1 2 "Gaels Hold Edge Over Webfoots in Games Played". The Eugene Guard. Eugene, Oregon. November 24, 1935. Retrieved November 28, 2022. The series, which was inaugurated in 1929 as an annual Thanksgiving day classic, is played in San Francisco. The governors of the states of Oregon and California donated a "Governor's[ sic ] Trophy,", which is awarded each year to the winning team.
1 2 "Oregon Has Chance to Represent West in Pasadena Football Classic — St. Mary's Game Becomes Crucial". Eugene Register. Eugene, Oregon. November 26, 1929. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
1 2 "St. Mary's Wins New Governors' Trophy". Corvallis Gazette–Times. Corvallis, Oregon. November 28, 1932. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
1 2 "St. Mary's Quits Football". Oakland Tribune. January 5, 1951. pp. 32–33.

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[Program1949-1] 1 2 3 "Oregon vs. Saint Mary's — Governor's[sic] Trophy Game". The Gael Kickoff. Vol. 2, no. 1. Office of Public Relations, Saint Mary's College. September 16, 1949. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[WebfeetRatedAsUnderdogs-2] 1 2 3 4 Newland, Russell J. (November 30, 1933). Written at San Francisco. "Webfeet Rated as Underdogs in Annual St. Mary's Battle On San Francisco Grid Today". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. Associated Press. Retrieved November 28, 2022. gridiron rivalry was established in 1929.

[GaelsHoldEdgeOverWebfoots-3] 1 2 "Gaels Hold Edge Over Webfoots in Games Played". The Eugene Guard. Eugene, Oregon. November 24, 1935. Retrieved November 28, 2022. The series, which was inaugurated in 1929 as an annual Thanksgiving day classic, is played in San Francisco. The governors of the states of Oregon and California donated a "Governor's[ sic ] Trophy,", which is awarded each year to the winning team.

[GameCrucial1929-4] 1 2 "Oregon Has Chance to Represent West in Pasadena Football Classic — St. Mary's Game Becomes Crucial". Eugene Register. Eugene, Oregon. November 26, 1929. Retrieved November 28, 2022.

[NewGovernorsTrophy1932-5] 1 2 "St. Mary's Wins New Governors' Trophy". Corvallis Gazette–Times. Corvallis, Oregon. November 28, 1932. Retrieved November 28, 2022.

[QuitsFootball1951-6] 1 2 "St. Mary's Quits Football". Oakland Tribune. January 5, 1951. pp. 32–33.

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v t e Oregon Ducks football
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v t e Saint Mary's Gaels football
Venues	Kezar Stadium Saint Mary's Stadium
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Santa Clara: Little Big Game Oregon: Governors' Trophy Game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
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v t e Big Ten Conference football rivalries
Protected conference rivalries	Illinois–Northwestern Illinois–Purdue Indiana–Purdue Iowa–Minnesota Iowa–Nebraska Iowa–Wisconsin Maryland–Rutgers Michigan–Michigan State Michigan–Ohio State Minnesota–Wisconsin Oregon–Washington UCLA–USC
Other conference rivalries	Illinois–Indiana Illinois–Michigan Illinois–Ohio State Indiana–Michigan State Maryland–Penn State Michigan–Minnesota Michigan–Northwestern Michigan–Penn State Michigan State–Penn State Minnesota–Nebraska Nebraska–Wisconsin Ohio State–Penn State
Non-conference	Alabama–Penn State Chicago–Michigan Chicago–Purdue California–UCLA Colorado–Nebraska Illinois–Missouri Indiana–Kentucky Iowa–Iowa State Kansas–Nebraska Kansas State–Nebraska Maryland–Navy Maryland–Virginia Maryland–West Virginia Miami–Nebraska Michigan–Notre Dame Michigan State–Notre Dame Missouri–Nebraska Nebraska–Oklahoma Northwestern–Notre Dame Notre Dame–Purdue Notre Dame–USC Oregon–Oregon State Northwest Championship (Oregon–Oregon State–Washington–Washington State) Oregon–Saint Mary's Penn State–Pittsburgh Penn State–Syracuse Penn State–West Virginia Old Ironsides (Penn State–Pittsburgh–West Virginia) Princeton–Rutgers Stanford–USC Washington–Washington State