1997 Utah Utes football team

American college football season

1997 Utah Utes football
ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
DivisionMountain Division
Record6–5 (5–3 WAC)
Head coach
  • Ron McBride (8th season)
Offensive coordinatorFred Graves (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorKyle Whittingham (3rd season)
Home stadiumRice Stadium (32,500)
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 Western Athletic Conference football standings
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Mountain Division
New Mexico x   6 – 2     9 – 4  
Rice   5 – 3     7 – 4  
SMU   5 – 3     6 – 5  
Utah   5 – 3     6 – 5  
BYU   4 – 4     6 – 5  
UTEP   3 – 5     4 – 7  
Tulsa   2 – 6     2 – 9  
TCU   1 – 7     1 – 10  
Pacific Division
No. 17 Colorado State x$   7 – 1     11 – 2  
Air Force   6 – 2     10 – 3  
Fresno State   5 – 3     6 – 6  
Wyoming   4 – 4     7 – 6  
San Diego State   4 – 4     5 – 7  
San Jose State   4 – 4     4 – 7  
UNLV   2 – 6     3 – 8  
Hawaii   1 – 7     3 – 9  
Championship: Colorado State 41, New Mexico 13
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The Utes were unable to get another bowl bid in the 1997 season, going just 6–5. This was also the last season in the old Rice Stadium. Immediately after the final home game (against Rice University), the stadium was torn down and rebuilt into the new Rice-Eccles Stadium, partly in anticipation of the upcoming 2002 Olympic Games.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 307:00 pmUtah State*L 14–2133,804
September 61:00 pmat Louisville*KJZZW 27–2135,437
September 137:05 pmat TCUW 32–1825,382
September 207:00 pmUTEP
  • Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
W 56–328,820
October 26:00 pmat Fresno StateESPNL 13–2737,994
October 111:00 pmSMU
  • Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
L 19–2026,611
October 182:00 pmat Oregon*L 13–3139,389
October 251:00 pmNew Mexicodagger
  • Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
W 15–1028,129
November 11:00 pmat TulsaL 13–2119,864
November 151:00 pmRice
  • Rice Stadium
  • Salt Lake City, UT
W 31–1427,049
November 221:30 pmat BYU
ABCW 20–1465,868

[1][2] [3]

Game summaries

BYU

1 234Total
• Utah 10 0010 20
BYU 7 700 14
  • Date: November 22
  • Location: Cougar Stadium, Provo, UT
  • Game start: 1:30 PM MST
Scoring summary
111:16UTAHTommy Truhe 27-yard field goalUTAH 3-0
13:33UTAHDarnell Arceneaux 4-yard run (Tommy Truhe kick)UTAH 10-0
11:19BYUBrian McKenzie 1-yard run (Owen Pochman kick)UTAH 10-7
212:11BYUBrian McKenzie 16-yard run (Owen Pochman kick)BYU 14-10
414:56UTAHDarnell Arceneaux 8-yard run (Tommy Truhe kick)UTAH 17-14
41:39UTAHTommy Truhe 33-yard field goalUTAH 20-14

[4]

After the season

NFL draft

Two players went in the 1998 NFL Draft, including one in the first round (Kevin Dyson).

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Kevin Dyson Wide receiver 1 16 Tennessee Oilers
Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala Fullback 6 178 Pittsburgh Steelers

References

  1. ^ "Ute Record Book" (PDF). University of Utah. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 13, 2011. Retrieved October 21, 2009.
  2. ^ "1997 record". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
  3. ^ "1997 scoreboard and statistics". Utah Official Athletic Site. Archived from the original on December 18, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2009.
  4. ^ USA Today
  • v
  • t
  • e
Utah Utes football
Venues
Bowls & rivalries
Culture & lore
People
Seasons
National championship seasons in bold