1997 McNeese State Cowboys football team

1997 McNeese State Cowboys football
Southland co-champion
NCAA Division I-AA Championship, L 9–10 vs. Youngstown State
Conference	Southland Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 7
Record	13–2 (6–1 Southland)
Head coach	Bobby Keasler (8th season)
Offensive coordinator	Mike Santiago (8th season)
Defensive coordinator	Kirby Bruchhaus (8th season)
Home stadium	Cowboy Stadium
Seasons ←  1996 1998  →

1997 Southland Football League standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 7 McNeese State +^		6	–	1					13	–	2
No. 21 Northwestern State +^		6	–	1					8	–	4
No. 13 Stephen F. Austin		5	–	2					8	–	3
Sam Houston State		3	–	4					5	–	6
Nicholls State		3	–	4					5	–	6
Southwest Texas State		2	–	5					5	–	6
Troy State		2	–	5					5	–	6
Jacksonville State		1	–	6					1	–	10
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1997 McNeese State Cowboys football team was an American football team that represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Conference (Southland) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their eighth year under head coach Bobby Keasler, the team compiled an overall record of 13–2, with a mark of 6–1 in conference play, and finished as Southland co-champions. The Cowboys advanced to the Division I-AA playoffs and lost to Youngstown State in the championship game.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
September 6	Southeastern Oklahoma State *		Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 31–0	13,000	[1]
September 13	at Southwest Missouri State *	No. 20	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 28–16	13,385	[2]
September 20	No. 12 Northern Iowa *	No. 16	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 22–5	11,627	[3]
September 27	at Jacksonville State	No. 11	Paul Snow Stadium Jacksonville, AL	W 27–6	3,787	[4]
October 4	Arkansas Tech *	No. 10	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 55–7		[5]
October 11	Northwestern State	No. 4	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA (rivalry)	W 50–7	15,276	[6]
October 25	at No. 10 Stephen F. Austin	No. 2	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	L 7–13	17,387	[7]
November 1	Sam Houston State	No. 9	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 38–21	10,238	[8]
November 8	at Southwest Texas State	No. 10	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	W 31–21		[9]
November 15	Troy State	No. 7	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	W 10–7		[10]
November 22	at Nicholls State	No. 7	John L. Guidry Stadium Thibodaux, LA	W 31–13		[11]
November 29	No. 11 Montana *	No. 7	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	W 19–14	13,681	[12]
December 6	at No. 2 Western Illinois *	No. 7	Hanson Field Macomb, IL (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)	W 14–12	5,000	[13]
December 13	at No. 3 Delaware *	No. 7	Delaware Stadium Newark, DE (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)	W 23–21	14,461	[14]
December 20	vs. No. 4 Youngstown State *	No. 7	Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN (NCAA Division I-AA Championship)	L 9–10	14,771	[15]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "McNeese 31, Southeastern 0". Tulsa World. September 7, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
2. "Bears' offense sputters in loss". The Springfield News-Leader. September 14, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
3. "No. 13 UNI upset on road". The Des Moines Register. September 21, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Cowboys slip, slide on by". The Anniston Star. September 28, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
5. "McNeese State 55, Arkansas Tech 7". The Shreveport Times. October 5, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
6. "McNeese wallops Northwestern State". The Shreveport Times. October 12, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
7. "SFA edges No. 2 McNeese". Longview News-Journal. October 26, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
8. "McNeese 38, Sam Houston St. 21". The Daily Advertiser. November 2, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
9. "McNeese St. 31, SW Texas 21". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 9, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
10. "McNeese slips past Troy St". The Daily Advertiser. November 16, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
11. "McNeese captures share of SLC title". The Crowley Post-Signal. November 23, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
12. "Cowboys dash Griz playoff hopes". The Billings Gazette. November 30, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
13. "Western Illinois falls to McNeese State in quarters". The Pantagraph. December 7, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
14. "Kick halts Delaware's hopes". The Philadelphia Inquirer. December 14, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
15. "Penguins win 4th national title: Tidwell's TD pass lifts Youngstown State". The Times Recorder. Associated Press. December 21, 1997. Retrieved March 5, 2023– via Newspapers.com.