1997 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1997

| team = Penn State Nittany Lions

| sport = football

| image = Penn State text logo.svg

| image_size = 250

| conference = Big Ten Conference

| short_conf = Big Ten

| CoachRank = 17

| APRank = 16

| record = 9–3

| conf_record = 6–2

| head_coach = Joe Paterno

| hc_year = 32nd

| off_coach = Fran Ganter

| oc_year = 14th

| off_scheme = Pro-style

| def_coach = Jerry Sandusky

| dc_year = 21st

| def_scheme = 4–3

| captain = Aaron Collins

| captain2 = Matt Fornadel

| captain3 = Mike McQueary

| captain4 = Phil Ostrowski

| stadium = Beaver Stadium

| champion = Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy

| bowl = Florida Citrus Bowl

| bowl_result = L 6–21 vs. Florida

}}

The 1997 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 32nd-year head coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions compiled an overall record of 9–3 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie for second in the Big Ten. Penn State was invited to the Florida Citrus Bowl, where the Nittany Lions lost to Florida. The team played home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1997

| poll = AP

| timezone = Eastern

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 6

| time = 3:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = Pittsburgh

| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, PA

| gamename = rivalry

| tv = ABC

| score = 34–17

| attend = 97,115

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 13

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = Temple

| gamename = rivalry

| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, PA

| tv =

| score = 52–10

| attend = 96,735

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 20

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = Louisville

| site_stadium = Cardinal Stadium

| site_cityst = Louisville, KY

| tv = CBS

| score = 57–21

| attend = 39,826

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 4

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 2

| opponent = Illinois

| site_stadium = Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Champaign, IL

| tv = ESPN2

| score = 41–6

| attend = 51,523

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 11

| time = 3:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| rank = 2

| opponent = Ohio State

| opprank = 7

| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, PA

| gamename = rivalry

| tv = ABC

| score = 31–27

| attend = 97,282

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 18

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| homecoming = y

| rank = 1

| opponent = Minnesota

| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, PA

| gamename = Governor's Victory Bell

| tv = ESPN Plus

| score = 16–15

| attend = 96,953

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 1

| time = 12:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 2

| opponent = Northwestern

| site_stadium = Ryan Field

| site_cityst = Evanston, IL

| tv = ESPN

| score = 30–27

| attend = 47,129

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 8

| time = 3:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| rank = 2

| opponent = Michigan

| opprank = 4

| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, PA

| gamename = rivalry

| tv = ABC

| score = 8–34

| attend = 97,498

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 6

| opponent = Purdue

| opprank = 19

| site_stadium = Ross–Ade Stadium

| site_cityst = West Lafayette, IN

| tv = ESPN

| score = 42–17

| attend = 52,156

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 22

| time = 3:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| rank = 6

| opponent = Wisconsin

| opprank = 24

| site_stadium = Beaver Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, PA

| tv = ABC

| score = 35–10

| attend = 96,934

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 29

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank = 4

| opponent = Michigan State

| site_stadium = Spartan Stadium

| site_cityst = East Lansing, MI

| gamename = rivalry

| tv = ABC

| score = 14–49

| attend = 73,623

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = {{tooltip|January 1, 1998|Thursday}}

| time = 1:00 p.m.

| w/l = l

| neutral = y

| nonconf = y

| rank = 11

| opponent = Florida

| opprank = 6

| site_stadium = Florida Citrus Bowl

| site_cityst = Orlando, FL

| gamename = Florida Citrus Bowl

| tv = ABC

| score = 6–21

| attend = 72,940

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-leader-somber-ending-senior-n/152119722/|work=The Times Leader|title=Somber ending; Senior Nittany Lions melancholy after loss to Florida|date=January 2, 1998|accessdate=July 27, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

Rankings

{{Ranking movements

| poll1title = AP

| poll1firstweek = 0

| poll1lastweek = 17

| poll1_0=1 (21)

| poll1_1=1 (22)

| poll1_2=1 (23)

| poll1_3=1 (22)

| poll1_4=1 (25)

| poll1_5=2 (28)

| poll1_6=2 (25)

| poll1_7=2 (26)

| poll1_8=1 (51)

| poll1_9=2 (26)

| poll1_10=2 (25)

| poll1_11=2 (16)

| poll1_12=6

| poll1_13=6

| poll1_14=4

| poll1_15=12

| poll1_16=11

| poll1_17=16

| poll2title = Coaches

| poll2firstweek =0

| poll2lastweek =17

| poll2_0=2 (9)

| poll2_1=

| poll2_2=2 (13)

| poll2_3=2 (12)

| poll2_4=2 (14)

| poll2_5=2 (14)

| poll2_6=2 (13)

| poll2_7=2 (11)

| poll2_8=1 (51)

| poll2_9=2 (29)

| poll2_10=2 (20)

| poll2_11=3 (8)

| poll2_12=6

| poll2_13=6

| poll2_14=4

| poll2_15=12

| poll2_16=12

| poll2_17=17

}}

Roster

{{American football roster/Header

| year = 1997

| team = Penn State Nittany Lions

| teamcolors = f

| offensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=39|class=Jr|first=Curtis|last=Enis|pos=RB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=2|class=So|first=Chafie|last=Fields|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=83|class=Sr|first=Joe|last=Jurevicius|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=9|class=Sr|first=Mike|last=McQueary|pos=QB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=64|class=Sr|first=Phil|last=Ostrowski|pos=G|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=16|class=So|first=Kevin|last=Thompson|dab=Kevin Thompson (American football)|pos=QB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=69|class=Jr|first=Floyd|last=Wedderburn|pos=G|link=y}}

| defensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=11|class=Fr|first=LaVar|last=Arrington|pos=LB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=86|class=So|first=Courtney|last=Brown|dab=Courtney Brown (defensive end)|pos=DE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=17|class=Jr|first=Brad|last=Johnson|pos=CB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=4|class=So|first=Derek|last=Fox|pos=SS}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=44|class=Sr|first=Jim|last=Nelson|dab=Jim Nelson (American football)|pos=LB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=27|class=So|first=David|last=Macklin|pos=CB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=5|class=Jr|first=Brad|last=Scioli|pos=DE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=43|class=So|first=Brandon|last=Short|pos=LB|link=y}}

| special_teams_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=41|class=So|first=Pat|last=Pidgeon|pos=P}}

}}

{{American football roster/Footer

| head_coach = *Joe Paterno

| asst_coach =

| accessdate= 2015-12-20

}}

NFL draft

Three Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1998 NFL draft.

Round	Pick	Overall	Name	Position	Team
class="wikitable"
1st	5	5	Curtis Enis	Running back	Chicago Bears
2nd	25	55	Joe Jurevicius	Wide receiver	New York Giants
5th	28	151	Phil Ostrowski	Offensive guard	San Francisco 49ers

References

Penn State

Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football seasons

Category:Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy seasons

Penn State Nittany Lions football