1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game

Last updated

1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
I-AA National Championship Game
Youngstown State Penguins McNeese State Cowboys
(12–2)(13–1)
Gateway Southland
109
Head coach: 
Jim Tressel 		Head coach: 
Bobby Keasler
TSN Seed
48
TSN Seed
76
1234Total
Youngstown State030710
McNeese State30609
DateDecember 20, 1997
Season 1997
Stadium Finley Stadium
Location Chattanooga, Tennessee
Referee Ron Buckner (SoCon) [1] [2]
Attendance14,771 [1]
United States TV coverage
Network ESPN
NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship
 < 1996 1998 > 

The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 1997, and was the first I-AA title game contested at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 10–9. [3]

Contents

Teams

The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1997 I-AA Playoffs, which began with a 16-team bracket. [4]

Youngstown State Penguins

Youngstown State finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (4–2 in conference). [5] Seeded eighth in the playoffs, the Penguins defeated ninth-seed Hampton, first-seed Villanova, and third-seed Eastern Washington to reach the final. This was the fifth appearance for Youngstown State in a Division I-AA championship game, having won three titles (1991, 1993, and 1994) against one loss (1992).

McNeese State Cowboys

McNeese State finished their regular season with a 10–1 record (6–1 in conference). [6] The Cowboys, seeded sixth, defeated 11-seed Montana, second-seed Western Illinois, and fourth-seed Delaware to reach the final. This was the first appearance for McNeese State in a Division I-AA championship game.

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP YSUMSU
15:3010544:01MSU22-yard field goal by Shonz LaFrenz03
22:1914526:22YSU21-yard field goal by Mark Griffith33
38:085282:51MSU37-yard field goal by LaFrenz36
30:519384:45MSU46-yard field goal by LaFrenz39
48:089663:54YSURenauld Ray 9-yard touchdown reception from Demond Tidwell, Griffith kick good109
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.109

[1] [7]

Game statistics

1234Total
No. 8 Penguins030710
No. 6 Cowboys30609
Youngstown State head coach Jim Tressel Jim tressel.jpg
Youngstown State head coach Jim Tressel
StatisticsYSUMSU
First downs1211
Plays–yards60–20057–201
Rushes–yards39–7329–58
Passing yards127143
Passing: comp–att–int12–21–014–28–1
Time of possession31:3728:23
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Youngstown StatePassingDemond Tidwell11–20, 110 yds, 1 TD
RushingJake Andreadis16 car, 47 yds
ReceivingTim Tyrrell4 rec, 54 yds
McNeese StatePassingBlake Prejean14–28, 143 yds, 1 INT
RushingWilliam Davis19 car, 59 yds
ReceivingDonnie Ashley4 rec, 45 yds

[1] [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1997, and concluded with the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 20, 1997, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Youngstown State Penguins won their fourth I-AA championship, defeating the McNeese State Cowboys by a score of 10−9.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season</span> American college football season

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I-AA level, began in August 2002, and concluded with the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers won their first I-AA championship, defeating the McNeese State Cowboys by a final score of 34−14.

The 2002 McNeese State Cowboys football team represented McNeese State University as a member of the Southland Football League during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Tommy Tate, the Cowboys compiled an overall record of 13–2 with a mark of 6–0 in conference play, winning the Southland title. McNeese State advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, beating Montana State in the first round, Montana in the quarterfinals, and Villanova in the semifinals, before losing to Western Kentucky in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The team played home games at Cowboy Stadium in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The 2002 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and the McNeese State Cowboys. The game was played on December 20, 2002, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Western Kentucky, 34–14.

The 2000 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 2000, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 27–25.

The 1999 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Youngstown State Penguins. The game was played on December 18, 1999, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 59–24.

The 1998 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the UMass Minutemen. The game was played on December 19, 1998, at Finley Stadium, home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The culminating game of the 1998 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by UMass, 55–43.

The 1996 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 21, 1996, and was the last I-AA title game contested at Marshall University Stadium, now known as Joan C. Edwards Stadium, in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was a rematch of the prior season's final, and was won by Marshall, 49–29. It was also Marshall's final game in Division I-AA, now known as Division I FCS; the Herd would move to Division I-A the following July, joining the Mid-American Conference.

The 1995 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Marshall Thundering Herd and the Montana Grizzlies. The game was played on December 16, 1995, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana, 22–20.

The 1994 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Boise State Broncos. The game was played on December 17, 1994, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 28–14.

The 1993 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 18, 1993, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1993 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 17–5. This was the third consecutive season that these two teams met in the championship game.

The 1992 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1992, at Marshall University Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia. The culminating game of the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Marshall, 31–28. The game was a rematch of the prior season's championship game.

The 1991 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 21, 1991, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1991 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Youngstown State, 25–17.

The 1989 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. The game was played on December 16, 1989, at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The culminating game of the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 37–34.

The 1987 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Northeast Louisiana Indians and the Marshall Thundering Herd. The game was played on December 19, 1987, at the Minidome in Pocatello, Idaho. The culminating game of the 1987 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Northeast Louisiana, 43–42.

The 1986 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Arkansas State Indians and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 19, 1986, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The culminating game of the 1986 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 48–21. Georgia Southern, the defending champion from 1985, became the first program to win consecutive Division I-AA titles.

The 1985 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Furman Paladins and the Georgia Southern Eagles. The game was played on December 21, 1985, at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington. The culminating game of the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Georgia Southern, 44–42.

The 1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Montana State Bobcats and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The game was played on December 15, 1984, at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. The culminating game of the 1984 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Montana State, 19–6.

The 1981 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Eastern Kentucky Colonels and the Idaho State Bengals. The game was played on December 19, 1981, at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas. The culminating game of the 1981 NCAA Division I-AA football season, it was won by Idaho State, 34–23.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Youngstown State vs McNeese State". ysusports.com. December 20, 1997. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Recipients Named For Seventh Annual Golden Whistle Merit Awards" (PDF). NCHSAA Bulletin. Vol. 65, no. 4. Summer 2013. p. 4. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Youngstown Wins 4th Championship Penguins Use Improvised Play To Squeeze By Mcneese State". The Spokesman-Review . Spokane, Washington. AP. December 21, 1997. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  4. ↑ "I-AA football playoffs". Missoulian . Missoula, Montana. November 24, 1997. p. D4. Retrieved February 8, 2019– via newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Youngstown State Penguins 1997 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  6. ↑ "McNeese State Cowboys 1997 Schedule". cfbinfo.com. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  7. ↑ "NCAA I-AA Championship". The Advocate . Newark, Ohio. December 21, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved February 21, 2019– via newspapers.com.

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