1997 NAIA football season

The 1997 NAIA football season, as part of the 1997 college football season in the United States, was the 42nd season of college football sponsored by the NAIA.

1997 NAIA football season
Regular season	August–November 1997
Postseason	November 18–December 20, 1997
National Championship	Jim Carroll Stadium Savannah, TN
Champion	Findlay (4)
Player of the Year	Bo Hurley (QB, Findlay)

The season was played from August to November 1997, culminating in the 1997 NAIA Football National Championship, played this year on December 20, 1997 at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee.

Findlay defeated Willamette in the championship game, 14–7, to win their fourth NAIA national title.

Conference standings

1997 Columbia Football Association standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 13 Western Oregon $^   4 – 1     7 – 3   Central Washington   3 – 2     5 – 4   Southern Oregon   3 – 2     5 – 4   Western Washington   3 – 2     5 – 5   Simon Fraser   1 – 4     2 – 7   Humboldt State   1 – 4     2 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 Frontier Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 4 Montana Tech $^   6 – 0     10 – 2   Rocky Mountain   3 – 3     4 – 5   Carroll (MT)   2 – 4     4 – 5   Western Montana   1 – 5     1 – 8   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 Heart of America Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 10 Benedictine (KS) +^   8 – 1     9 – 2   No. 9 Evangel +^   8 – 1     9 – 2   No. 23 MidAmerica Nazarene   6 – 3     7 – 4   Baker   5 – 4     6 – 4   William Jewell   5 – 4     5 – 5   Graceland   4 – 5     5 – 5   Missouri Valley   4 – 5     5 – 5   Lindenwood   4 – 5     4 – 6   Central Methodist   1 – 8     1 – 9   Culver–Stockton   0 – 9     1 – 9   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll
1997 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 12 Ottawa +^   7 – 1     9 – 2   No. 15 Southwestern (KS) +^   7 – 1     8 – 3   No. 20 Bethany (KS)   6 – 2     7 – 2   McPherson   4 – 4     6 – 4   Bethel (KS)   4 – 4     5 – 5   Friends   4 – 4     4 – 6   Sterling   2 – 6     3 – 7   Kansas Wesleyan   2 – 6     2 – 7   Tabor   0 – 8     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 Mid-South Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 11 Campbellsville +^   5 – 1     7 – 3   Georgetown (KY) +   5 – 1     5 – 4   Cumberland (TN)   4 – 2     5 – 4   Cumberland (KY)   3 – 3     5 – 5   Lambuth   2 – 4     4 – 6   Union (KY)   2 – 4     2 – 8   North Greenville   0 – 6     1 – 8   + – Conference co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 Mid-States Football Association standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   Mideast League No. 5 Geneva x^   6 – 0     11 – 2   No. 8 Westminster (PA) ^   5 – 1     9 – 2   No. 21 Walsh   4 – 2     7 – 3   Malone   3 – 3     5 – 5   Tri-State   2 – 4     4 – 6   Tiffin   1 – 4     4 – 7   Urbana   0 – 6     0 – 10   Midwest League No. 1 Findlay x^   6 – 0     14 – 0   No. 24 Taylor   5 – 1     7 – 3   Olivet Nazarene   4 – 2     7 – 3   St. Ambrose   3 – 3     4 – 6   Iowa Wesleyan   1 – 5     4 – 7   Saint Xavier   1 – 5     1 – 9   Trinity International   1 – 5     1 – 9   x – League champion/co-champions ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll
1997 Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 7 Doane $^   6 – 0     11 – 1   Hastings   5 – 1     5 – 4   Northwestern (IA)   3 – 3     5 – 5   Nebraska Wesleyan   3 – 3     5 – 5   Dana   2 – 4     4 – 6   Midland   2 – 4     2 – 8   Concordia (NE)   0 – 6     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 North Dakota College Athletic Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 6 Jamestown $^   6 – 0     10 – 1   No. 16 Minnesota–Crookston ^   4 – 2     7 – 3   No. 22 Dickinson State   4 – 2     6 – 3   Minot State   4 – 2     5 – 4   Valley City State   2 – 4     5 – 5   Mary   1 – 5     4 – 2   Mayville State   0 – 6     0 – 10   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA Division II playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 Northwest Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 2 Willamette $^   5 – 0     13 – 1   No. 19 Linfield   4 – 1     6 – 3   No. 17 Pacific Lutheran   3 – 2     7 – 2   Lewis & Clark   2 – 3     3 – 6   Whitworth   1 – 4     2 – 7   Puget Sound   0 – 5     2 – 7   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll
1997 South Dakota-Iowa Intercollegiate Conference football standings Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 3 Sioux Falls $^   6 – 0     11 – 2   No. 25 Westmar   5 – 1     8 – 2   Dakota Wesleyan   3 – 3     5 – 5   Huron   3 – 3     4 – 6   Black Hills State   2 – 4     3 – 6   Dakota State   1 – 5     2 – 8   South Dakota Tech   1 – 5     1 – 9   $ – Conference champion ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll	1997 NAIA independents football records Conf Overall Team   W   L     W   L   No. 14 McKendree ^   –     8 – 2   No. 18 Clinch Valley   –     6 – 3   Peru State   –     6 – 4   NW Oklahoma State   –     5 – 5   Azusa Pacific   –     4 – 5   Eastern Oregon   –     4 – 6   ^ – NAIA playoff participant Rankings from NAIA poll

Conference champions

Conference	Champion	Record
Columbia	Western Oregon Central Washington	3–1
Frontier	Montana Tech	6–0
Heart of America	Benedictine Evangel	8–1
Kansas	Ottawa Southwestern (KS)	7–1
Mid-South	Campbellsville Georgetown (KY)	5–1
Mid-States	Mideast Division: Geneva Midwest Division: Findlay	6–0 6–0
Nebraska-Iowa	Doane	6–0
North Dakota	Jamestown	6–0
South Dakota-Iowa	Sioux Falls	—

Season events

The 1997 Linfield vs. Willamette football game was played between the Linfield Wildcats and the Willamette Bearcats played on October 18, 1997. The game was played at McCulloch Stadium in Salem, Oregon. Willamette won the game by a score of 27 to 0. During the game, Liz Heaston became the first woman to not only play but also to score in a college football game.

Postseason

	First Round November 18, 1997 Campus sites					Quarterfinals December 6, 1997 Campus sites					Semifinals December 13, 1997 Campus sites					Championship December 20, 1997 Savannah, TN
	10	Benedictine (KS)	30
	6	Jamestown	55
						6	Jamestown	6
						3	Sioux Falls	29
	12	Ottawa	14
	3	Sioux Falls	57
											3	Sioux Falls	7
											2	Willamette	17
	16	Minnesota–Crookston	10
	4	Montana Tech	51
						4	Montana Tech	24
						2	Willamette	50
	13	Western Oregon	20
	2	Willamette	26
																2	Willamette	7
																1	Findlay	14
	15	Southwestern (KS)	28
	7	Doane	53
						7	Doane	59
						9	Evangel	20
	14	McKendree	6
	9	Evangel	46
											7	Doane	25
											1	Findlay	26
	11	Campbellsville	14
	5	Geneva	34
						5	Geneva	7
						1	Findlay	28
	8	Westminster (PA)	0
	1	Findlay	40

See also

• 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
• 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season
• 1997 NCAA Division II football season
• 1997 NCAA Division III football season