American college football season
1997 NCAA Division II football season Regular season September 6 – November 15, 1997 Playoffs November 22 – December 13, 1997[1] National Championship Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL Champion Northern Colorado Harlon Hill Trophy Irvin Singler, Bloomsburg
The 1997 NCAA Division II football season , part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division II level, began on September 6, 1997, and concluded with the NCAA Division II Football Championship on December 13, 1997, at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama , hosted by the University of North Alabama .
Northern Colorado defeated New Haven in the championship game, 51–0, to win their second Division II national title.[2]
The Harlon Hill Trophy was awarded to Irvin Sigler, running back from Bloomsburg .
Conference changes and new programs [ ]
Conference standings [ ]
1997 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Virginia State +
5
–
2
8
–
2
Livingstone +
5
–
2
8
–
3
Virginia Union +
5
–
2
7
–
4
Winston-Salem State
4
–
3
6
–
4
North Carolina Central
4
–
3
4
–
7
Fayetteville State
3
–
4
4
–
7
Bowie State
2
–
5
4
–
6
Elizabeth City State
1
–
6
2
–
8
Johnson C. Smith
1
–
6
2
–
8
+ – Conference co-champions Livingstone forfeited conference wins over Virginia Union and Bowie State.
1997 Eastern Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Atlantic Division
Albany xy$
8
–
0
11
–
1
Southern Connecticut
6
–
2
7
–
4
C. W. Post
5
–
3
6
–
4
Stony Brook
4
–
4
4
–
6
Pace
3
–
4
4
–
5
Sacred Heart
1
–
7
1
–
9
Bay State Division
American International xy
8
–
0
8
–
4
Bentley
5
–
3
6
–
3
Stonehill
3
–
5
4
–
6
Merrimack
3
–
5
3
–
6
UMass Lowell
1
–
7
2
–
8
Assumption
0
–
7
0
–
9
Championship: Albany 27 , American International 20
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant
1997 Lone Star Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Overall
No. 4 Texas A&M–Kingsville $^
9
–
0
9
–
2
No. 6 Angelo State ^
8
–
1
10
–
2
Central Oklahoma
7
–
2
9
–
2
West Texas A&M
6
–
3
7
–
4
SW Oklahoma State
5
–
4
5
–
5
Abilene Christian
5
–
4
7
–
4
Northeastern State
4
–
4
4
–
7
SE Oklahoma State
3
–
5
3
–
7
Harding
3
–
5
5
–
5
Ouachita Baptist
3
–
5
4
–
6
Texas A&M–Commerce
3
–
6
3
–
8
Eastern New Mexico
3
–
6
5
–
6
Midwestern State
3
–
6
3
–
7
Tarleton State
3
–
6
4
–
7
East Central
0
–
8
0
–
10
North
Central Oklahoma x
5
–
1
9
–
2
SW Oklahoma State x
5
–
1
5
–
5
Northeastern State
4
–
2
4
–
7
Harding
3
–
3
5
–
5
Ouachita Baptist
3
–
3
4
–
6
SE Oklahoma State
1
–
5
3
–
7
East Central
0
–
6
0
–
10
South
No. 4 Texas A&M–Kingsville x$^
7
–
0
9
–
2
No. 6 Angelo State ^
6
–
1
10
–
2
Abilene Christian
4
–
3
7
–
4
West Texas A&M
4
–
3
7
–
4
Eastern New Mexico
2
–
5
5
–
6
Tarleton State
2
–
5
4
–
7
Texas A&M–Commerce
3
–
5
3
–
8
Midwestern State
1
–
6
3
–
7
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1997 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 3 NW Missouri State $^
9
–
0
12
–
1
No. 8 Pittsburg State ^
8
–
1
9
–
2
Missouri Southern
6
–
3
7
–
3
Truman State
6
–
3
6
–
4
Emporia State
5
–
4
7
–
4
Central Missouri State
4
–
5
5
–
6
Missouri Western
3
–
6
5
–
6
Washburn
2
–
7
3
–
8
Missouri–Rolla
2
–
7
3
–
8
Southwest Baptist
0
–
9
0
–
10
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1997 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Ashland +^
9
–
1
9
–
2
Grand Valley State +
9
–
1
9
–
1
Saginaw Valley State
8
–
2
9
–
2
Indianapolis
7
–
3
8
–
3
Northern Michigan
6
–
4
7
–
4
Hillsdale
4
–
6
4
–
7
Ferris State
3
–
7
3
–
7
Northwood
3
–
7
3
–
7
Hillsdale
3
–
7
3
–
7
Michigan Tech
2
–
8
2
–
8
St. Francis (IL)
1
–
9
1
–
9
^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1997 North Central Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 11 Northern Colorado $^
8
–
1
13
–
2
North Dakota
7
–
2
8
–
2
No. 16 North Dakota State ^
7
–
2
9
–
3
Nebraska–Omaha
6
–
3
8
–
3
St. Cloud State
5
–
4
6
–
5
South Dakota
3
–
6
5
–
6
Augustana (SD)
3
–
6
5
–
6
Mankato State
3
–
6
4
–
7
South Dakota State
3
–
6
4
–
6
Morningside
0
–
9
0
–
11
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1997 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
Western State (CO) $^
7
–
1
9
–
3
Chadron State
6
–
2
8
–
3
New Mexico Highlands
6
–
2
8
–
3
Nebraska–Kearney
6
–
2
7
–
4
Fort Hays State
4
–
4
5
–
6
Fort Lewis
3
–
5
4
–
7
Mesa State
2
–
6
4
–
7
Colorado Mines
1
–
7
3
–
8
Adams State
1
–
7
1
–
10
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
1997 South Atlantic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 1 Carson–Newman $^
7
–
0
11
–
1
Catawba
5
–
2
8
–
3
Gardner–Webb
4
–
3
8
–
3
Wingate
4
–
3
8
–
3
Mars Hill
3
–
4
5
–
5
Presbyterian
3
–
4
5
–
6
Newberry
2
–
5
4
–
7
Lenoir–Rhyne
0
–
7
0
–
10
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1997 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football standings
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 5 Albany State ^
6
–
0
11
–
1
Alabama A&M
4
–
2
7
–
4
Kentucky State
4
–
2
7
–
5
Fort Valley State
4
–
2
5
–
6
Tuskegee
3
–
3
7
–
4
Morris Brown
3
–
3
6
–
5
Miles
3
–
3
4
–
6
Clark Atlanta
2
–
4
4
–
7
Savannah State
1
–
5
3
–
8
Morehouse
0
–
6
3
–
8
^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
1997 NCAA Division II independents football records
Conf
Overall
Team
W
L
W
L
No. 2 New Haven ^
–
12
–
2
Mercyhurst
–
6
–
3
No. 14 UC Davis ^
–
9
–
5
Elon
–
7
–
4
Saint Joseph's (IN)
–
5
–
6
Wayne State (NE)
–
3
–
7
Quincy
–
0
–
10
^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll
Conference summaries [ ]
See also: List of NCAA Division II football seasons
Conference Champions
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association – Livingstone , Virginia State , and Virginia Union
Eastern Collegiate Football Conference – Albany
Gulf South Conference – Southern Arkansas and West Georgia
Lone Star Conference – Texas A&M–Kingsville
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association – Northwest Missouri State
Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference – Grand Valley State and Ashland
North Central Conference – Northern Colorado
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Winona State
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference – Bloomsburg (East), Slippery Rock (West)
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Western State
South Atlantic Conference – Carson-Newman
Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Albany State
West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – Glenville State and Shepherd
Postseason [ ]
1997 NCAA Division II Football Championship Teams 16 Finals Site Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL Champion Northern Colorado (2nd title, title game) Runner-up New Haven (1st title game) Semifinalists Winning coach
The 1997 NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs were the 24th single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division II college football. The championship game was held at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama , for the 11th time.
Playoff bracket [ ]
First round Campus sites
Quarterfinals Campus sites
Semifinals Campus sites
Championship Braly Municipal Stadium Florence, AL
UC Davis
37
Texas A&M–Kingsville †
34
UC Davis
50
Angelo State
33
Angelo State
46
Western State (CO)
20
UC Davis
25
New Haven
27
New Haven
47
Glenville State
7
New Haven
49
Slippery Rock
21
Slippery Rock
30
Ashland
20
New Haven
0
Northern Colorado
51
Northwest Missouri State
39
North Dakota State
28
Northwest Missouri State
19
Northern Colorado
35
Northern Colorado
24
Pittsburg State
16
Northern Colorado
30
Carson–Newman
29
Carson–Newman
21
North Alabama
7
Carson–Newman
23
Albany State
22
Albany State
10
Southern Arkansas
6
See also [ ]
References [ ]
Seasons
Playoffs
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Championship games
Bowl era
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West: Camellia Bowl (1964–1967)
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Records & statistics
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