1997 Northwestern Wildcats football team

The 1997 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 1997 Big Ten Conference football season. They played their home games at Ryan Field and participated as members of the Big Ten Conference. They were coached by Gary Barnett.

1997 Northwestern Wildcats football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record5–7 (3–5 Big Ten)
Head coach
Captains
  • Eric Collier[1]
  • Barry Gardner
  • Nate Strikwerda
Home stadiumRyan Field
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 1 Michigan $   8 0     12 0  
No. 12 Ohio State   6 2     10 3  
No. 16 Penn State   6 2     9 3  
No. 15 Purdue   6 2     9 3  
Wisconsin   5 3     8 5  
Iowa   4 4     7 5  
Michigan State   4 4     7 5  
Northwestern   3 5     5 7  
Minnesota   1 7     3 9  
Indiana   1 7     2 9  
Illinois   0 8     0 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule edit

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
August 2311:00 amvs. Oklahoma*ABCW 24–036,804
September 62:30 pmat Wake Forest*No. 21ABCL 20–2724,320
September 131:00 pmDuke*W 24–2036,225
September 2011:30 amRice*
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, Illinois
SCCL 34–4032,762
September 2711:30 amat PurdueESPNL 9–2142,112
October 46:00 pmWisconsin
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPNL 25–2647,129
October 1111:30 amat No. 6 MichiganESPNL 6–23106,048
October 182:30 pmNo. 11 Michigan State 
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ABCW 19–1747,129
October 252:30 pmat No. 9 Ohio StateABCL 6–4992,445
November 111:30 amNo. 2 Penn State
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPNL 27–3047,129
November 811:00 amat IllinoisESPN PlusW 34–2141,195
November 1511:30 amNo. 22 Iowa
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
ESPN2W 15–1440,838
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Central time

[2]

Rankings edit

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked т = Tied with team above or below
Week
PollPre12345678910111213141516Final
AP2421т
Coaches24

Roster edit

1997 Northwestern Wildcats football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 5 D'Wayne Bates Jr
OT 74 Paul Janus Sr
TE 84 Jay Tant So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DE 36 Casey Dailey Sr
LB 55 Barry Gardner Jr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  •   Injured
  •   Redshirt

References edit

  1. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2007. p. 149. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 16, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "NUSPORTS.COM - The Northwestern Official Athletic Site - Football". Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2012.