1997 NCAA Division II football season

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.

1997 NCAA Division II football season
Regular seasonSeptember 6 – November 15, 1997
PlayoffsNovember 22 – December 13, 1997[1]
National ChampionshipBraly Municipal Stadium
Florence, AL
ChampionNorthern Colorado
Harlon Hill TrophyIrvin Singler, Bloomsburg

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
School1996 Conference1997 Conference
Chico StateNCACdropped program
East CentralOklahoma Intercollegiate (NAIA)Lone Star
ElonSouth AtlanticIndependent
HardingIndependent (NAIA)Lone Star
Humboldt StateNCACColumbia (NAIA)
Mississippi CollegeIndependentAmerican Southwest (D-III)
Northeastern StateOklahoma Intercollegiate (NAIA)Lone Star
Ouachita BaptistIndependent (NAIA)Lone Star
Sonoma StateNCACdropped program
Southeastern Oklahoma StateOklahoma Intercollegiate (NAIA)Lone Star
Southwestern Oklahoma StateOklahoma Intercollegiate (NAIA)Lone Star

Conference standings
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 
NW Missouri State $^  9 –0     12 –1  
Pittsburg State ^  8 –1     9 –2  
Missouri Southern State  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 State  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 AFCA 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 $^  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 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  
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
Teams16
Finals Site
Champion
Runner-up
Semifinalists
Winning Coach
  • championship

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 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 (GA) 22
Albany State 10
Southern Arkansas 6

References
  1. "1995-1999 Northern Colorado Schedules". College Football Warehouse. cfbdatawarehouse.com. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  2. "1997 NCAA Division II National Football Championship Bracket" (PDF). NCAA. NCAA.org. p. 14. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
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