1997 New Mexico Lobos football team

Last updated

1997 New Mexico Lobos football
WAC Mountain Division champion
Insight.com Bowl, L 14–20 vs. Arizona
Conference Western Athletic Conference
DivisionMountain Division
Record9–4 (6–2 WAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorDennis Darnell (4th season)
Offensive scheme Multiple
Defensive coordinator Gary Patterson (2nd season)
Base defense 4–2–5
Home stadium University Stadium
Seasons
  1996
1998  
1997 Western Athletic Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
Mountain Division
New Mexico x  6 2   9 4  
Rice  5 3   7 4  
SMU  5 3   6 5  
Utah  5 3   6 5  
BYU  4 4   6 5  
UTEP  3 5   4 7  
Tulsa  2 6   2 9  
TCU  1 7   1 10  
Pacific Division
No. 17 Colorado State x$  7 1   11 2  
Air Force  6 2   10 3  
Fresno State  5 3   6 6  
Wyoming  4 4   7 6  
San Diego State  4 4   5 7  
San Jose State  4 4   4 7  
UNLV  2 6   3 8  
Hawaii  1 7   3 9  
Championship: Colorado State 41, New Mexico 13
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Lobos were led by sixth-year head coach Dennis Franchione, in his final year with the team, and played their home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They finished the regular season atop the Mountain Division of the Western Athletic Conference with a 6–2 conference record, and lost to Colorado State in the 1997 WAC Championship Game. New Mexico was invited to the 1997 Insight.com Bowl, their first bowl game since 1961, where they lost to Arizona, 14–20.

Contents

The season is also notable for the Lobos because their brief appearance in the Coaches' Poll in Week 15 is the last time that the team has been featured in either the Coaches' Poll or the AP Poll, as of 2024.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
August 30 Northern Arizona *W 33–1025,643 [1] [2]
September 6 New Mexico State *
W 61–24
September 13at UTEP W 38–2019,857
September 20at Utah State *W 25–2215,112
October 4 SMU Dagger-14-plain.png
  • University Stadium
  • Albuquerque, NM
W 22–1533,128
October 11at San Diego State W 36–2128,732
October 18 Rice
  • University Stadium
  • Albuquerque, NM
L 23–35
October 25at Utah L 10–1528,129
November 1at TCU W 40–10
November 15 BYU
  • University Stadium
  • Albuquerque, NM
W 38–2830,363
November 22 Tulsa
  • University Stadium
  • Albuquerque, NM
W 51–1329,217
December 6vs. No. 20 Colorado State L 13–4112,706 [3]
December 27at Arizona *L 14–2049,385
  • *Non-conference game
  • Dagger-14-plain.pngHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Source: [4]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend:██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516Final
AP
Coaches 25

Roster

1997 New Mexico Lobos football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
WS 6 Scott McGarrahan Sr
SS, P 10 Danny Gonzales Jr
FS 16 Billy Austin Sr
LB 44 Brian Urlacher So
LB 51Bart BarnardSr
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injury icon 2.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Wildcats</span> University of Arizona athletic teams

The Arizona Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Big 12 Conference. Arizona's chief intercollegiate rival is the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the two universities' athletic departments compete against each other in multiple sports via the State Farm Territorial Cup Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mexico Lobos football</span> American college football team

The New Mexico Lobos football team is the intercollegiate football team at the University of New Mexico. The Lobos compete as a member of the Mountain West Conference. Their official colors are cherry and silver. The Lobos play their home games at University Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Wildcats football</span> University of Arizona football team

The Arizona Wildcats football program represents the University of Arizona (UA) in the sport of American college football. Arizona competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Big 12 Conference. They play their home games at Arizona Stadium, which opened in 1929 on the university's campus in Tucson, Arizona, and has a capacity of 50,782. The Wildcats head coach is Brent Brennan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Mexico Lobos</span> Collegiate athletic program based in Albuquerque, New Mexico

The New Mexico Lobos are the athletic teams that represent the University of New Mexico, located in Albuquerque. The university participates in the NCAA Division I in the Mountain West Conference (MW) since 1999, after leaving the Western Athletic Conference. The university's athletic program fields teams in 18 varsity sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1962 NCAA University Division football season</span> American college football season

The 1962 NCAA University Division football season was played by American football teams representing 140 colleges and universities recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as major programs. The remaining 370 colleges and universities that were NCAA members and fielded football teams competed as part of the 1962 NCAA College Division football season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision</span> Top level of college football in the U.S.

The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As of the 2024 season, there are 10 conferences and 134 schools in FBS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football</span> College football organization

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team represents Louisiana Tech University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. After 12 seasons in the Western Athletic Conference, Louisiana Tech began competing as a member of Conference USA in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New Mexico Bowl</span> College football game

The 2015 New Mexico Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 19, 2015 at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The tenth annual New Mexico Bowl, it pitted the University of New Mexico Lobos of the Mountain West Conference against the University of Arizona Wildcats of the Pac-12 Conference. It was one of the 2015–16 bowl games that concluded the 2015 FBS football season. The game started at 12:20 p.m. MST and aired on ESPN. Sponsored by clothing company Gildan Activewear, the game was officially known as the Gildan New Mexico Bowl.

The 1964 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1964 NCAA University Division football season. In their sixth season under head coach Jim LaRue, the Wildcats compiled a 6–3–1 record, finished in a three-way for the WAC championship, and outscored their opponents 147 to 76. Home games were played on campus at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, and the team captains were John Briscoe and Larry Fairholm.

The 1968 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their second and final season under head coach Darrell Mudra, the Wildcats compiled an 8–3 record, finished in a tie for second place in the WAC, lost to Auburn in the Sun Bowl, and outscored their opponents, 186 to 149. The team played its home games in Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.

The 1975 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. In their third season under head coach Jim Young, the Wildcats compiled a 9–2 record, finished in second place in the WAC, were ranked No. 18 in the final AP Poll, and outscored their opponents, 330 to 169. The team played its home games at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.

The 1976 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1976 NCAA Division I football season. In their fourth and final season under head coach Jim Young, the Wildcats compiled a 5–6 record, finished in a tie for fifth place in the WAC, and outscored their opponents, 283 to 273. The team played its home games in Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. Young left Arizona to become head coach at Purdue after the season concluded.

The 1977 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. In their first season under head coach Tony Mason, the Wildcats compiled a 5–7 record, finished in fifth place in the WAC, and outscored their opponents, 256 to 250. The team played its home games in Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona. This was Arizona’s final season as members of the WAC and joined the Pac-8 Conference, which became the Pac-10, in the following season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 Colorado State Rams football team</span> American college football season

The 1997 Colorado State Rams football team represented Colorado State University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Rams were led by fifth-year head coach Sonny Lubick and played their home games at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado. Colorado State competed as a member of the Western Athletic Conference in the Pacific Division. They won that division with a 7–1 conference record, earning them a spot in the 1997 WAC Championship Game, where they defeated New Mexico to earn their third WAC title in four years. They were invited to the 1997 Holiday Bowl, where they defeated Missouri, and were ranked 17th in the final AP Poll of the season, the second ranked finish in school history and first since 1994.

The 1964 New Mexico Lobos football team was an American football team that represented the University of New Mexico in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1964 NCAA University Division football season. In their fifth season under head coach Bill Weeks, the Lobos compiled a 9–2 record, tied for the WAC championship, were ranked No. 16 in the final UPI Coaches poll, and outscored opponents, 185 to 190.

The 1938 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico as a member of the Border Conference during the 1938 college football season. In their second season under head coach Ted Shipkey, the Lobos compiled an overall record of 8–3 record with a mark of 4–2 against conference opponents, shared the Border Conference championship with New Mexico A&M, lost to Utah in the 1939 Sun Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 199 to 72.

The 1966 New Mexico Lobos football team was an American football team that represented the University of New Mexico in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. In their seventh season under head coach Bill Weeks, the Lobos compiled a 2–8 record and were outscored, 320 to 101.

The 1968 New Mexico Lobos football team was an American football team that represented the University of New Mexico in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1968 NCAA University Division football season. In their first season under head coach Rudy Feldman, the Lobos compiled a 0–10 record and were outscored, 403 to 120.

The 1969 New Mexico Lobos football team was an American football team that represented the University of New Mexico in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) during the 1969 NCAA University Division football season. In their second season under head coach Rudy Feldman, the Lobos compiled a 4–6 record and were outscored, 281 to 171.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 154th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 26 and ended on December 9. The postseason began on December 15, and, aside from any all-star games that are scheduled, ended on January 8, 2024, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

References

  1. "Easier Said Than Done: Lobos Begin Season With Victory Over Lumberjacks". Albuquerue Journal. August 31, 1997. pp. E1, E12 via Newspapers.com.
  2. Jason Stone (August 31, 1997). "4th quarter barrage too much for Jacks". Arizona Daily Sun. p. 21 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Western Athletic Conf. Championship". Akron Beacon Journal . Akron, Ohio. December 7, 1997. p. C9. Retrieved March 8, 2019 via newspapers.com.
  4. "1997 New Mexico Lobos Schedule & Results". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved May 10, 2017.