1997 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

1997 Southwest Missouri State Bears football
Conference	Gateway Football Conference
Record	5–6 (3–3 GFC)
Head coach	Del Miller (3rd season)
Home stadium	Plaster Sports Complex
Seasons ←  1996 1998  →

1997 Gateway Football Conference standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 2 Western Illinois $^		6	–	0					11	–	2
Northern Iowa		5	–	1					7	–	4
No. 4 Youngstown State ^		4	–	2					13	–	2
Southwest Missouri State		3	–	3					5	–	6
Indiana State		2	–	4					3	–	8
Southern Illinois		1	–	5					3	–	8
Illinois State		0	–	6					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1997 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team represented Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) as a member of the Gateway Football Conference (GFC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Del Miller, the Bears compiled an overall record of 5–6, with a mark of 3–3 in conference play, and finished fourth in the GFC.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 28	Pittsburg State *	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 8–9	16,672	[1]
September 6	at Jacksonville State *	Paul Snow Stadium Jacksonville, AL	W 47–42	14,023	[2]
September 13	No. 20 McNeese State *	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 16–28	13,385	[3]
September 20	Tennessee–Martin *	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 27–14		[4]
October 4	at Southern Illinois	McAndrew Stadium Carbondale, IL	W 36–35	12,200	[5]
October 11	Indiana State	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 22–7		[6]
October 18	Illinois State	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	W 41–7	9,003	[7]
October 25	at No. 3 Western Illinois	Hanson Field Macomb, IL	L 7–37	10,874	[8]
November 1	No. 25 Northern Iowa	Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO	L 22–23		[9]
November 8	at Arkansas State *	Indian Stadium Jonesboro, AR	L 27–35		[10]
November 15	at No. 4 Youngstown State	Stambaugh Stadium Youngstown, OH	L 13–45	11,167	[11]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

^[12]

References

1. "Pitt State wins opener". The Wichita Eagle. August 29, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
2. "You want excitement, you got it; Williams put stamp on JSU despite loss". The Anniston Star. September 7, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Bears' offense sputters in loss". The Springfield News-Leader. September 14, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
4. "UTM's Ruffin sets record in loss". The Jackson Sun. September 21, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Salukis smarting". Southern Illinoisan. October 5, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Indiana State falls to SW Missouri St". The Times. October 12, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
7. "ISU football team drowned by SW Missouri State blitz". The Pantagraph. October 19, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Stecker, W. Illinois stun SMS". Springfield News-Leader. October 26, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Fortney, Northern Iowa outlast Bears in Gateway thriller". The Des Moines Register. November 2, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Long passes power A-State". The Commercial Appeal. November 9, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
11. "Youngstown St. rolls over SW Missouri". The Plain Dealer. November 16, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
12. "Missouri State Football 2023 Media Guide" (PDF). Missouri State University Athletics. p. 65. Retrieved June 30, 2024.