1997 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team

1997 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football
Conference	Southland Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 13
Record	8–3 (5–2 SLC)
Head coach	John Pearce (6th season)
Home stadium	Homer Bryce 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 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks football team was an American football team that represented Stephen F. Austin State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their sixth year under head coach John Pearce, the team compiled an overall record of 8–3, with a mark of 5–2 in conference play, and finished third in the Southland.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 28	West Texas A&M *	No. 15	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 35–17		[1]
September 6	Delta State *	No. 15	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 38–3		[2]
September 13	at No. 1 Montana *	No. 14	Washington–Grizzly Stadium Missoula, MT	L 10–24	18,730	[3]
September 27	New Hampshire *	No. 17	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 17–14		[4]
October 11	Jacksonville State	No. 13	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 41–15	6,217	[5]
October 18	at No. 16 Troy State	No. 12	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	W 20–13		[6]
October 25	No. 2 McNeese State	No. 10	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 13–7	17,387	[7]
November 1	Southwest Texas State	No. 7	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 31–28		[8]
November 8	at Sam Houston State	No. 7	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (rivalry)	L 28–33	11,033	[9]
November 15	Nicholls State	No. 14	Homer Bryce Stadium Nacogdoches, TX	W 39–7		[10]
November 20	at No. 21 Northwestern State	No. 13	Harry Turpin Stadium Natchitoches, LA (rivalry)	L 24–38		[11]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

References

1. "SFA begins with victory". New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. August 29, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
2. "Delta State falls to SFA". The Mississippi Press. September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
3. "Grizzlies stuff SFA, 24–10". The Missoulian. September 14, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
4. "'Cats can't hold on". Concord Monitor. September 28, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
5. "Stephen F. Austin defense strangles Jacksonville State". The Birmingham News. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Last chance pass falls short for Troy State". The Montgomery Advertiser. October 19, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
7. "SFA edges No. 2 McNeese". Longview News-Journal. October 26, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
8. "SFA edges Southwest Texas". The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. November 2, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Wylie, Sam Houston State score late to stun 'Jacks". Longview News-Journal. November 9, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Lumberjacks roll to win over Nicholls State". The Tyler Courier-Times-Telegraph. November 16, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
11. "SFA's playoff bid hurt by Demons". Longview News-Journal. November 21, 1997. Retrieved July 19, 2025– via Newspapers.com.