2017 New Hampshire Wildcats football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA team season
| mode = football
| year = 2017
| team=New Hampshire Wildcats
| image= UNH Wildcats.png
| image_size= 150
| conference= Colonial Athletic Association
| division=
| short_conf= CAA
| STATSRank = 21
| FCSCoachRank = 20
| record = 9–5
| conf_record = 5–3
| head_coach= Sean McDonnell
| hc_year = 19th
| off_coach=Ryan Carty
| oc_year = 10th
| def_coach=John Lyons
| dc_year = 6th
| off_scheme=
| def_scheme=
| stadium= Wildcat Stadium
| champion =
| bowl= FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals
| bowl_result = L 14–56 vs. South Dakota State
}}
{{2017 CAA football standings}}
The 2017 New Hampshire Wildcats football team represented the University of New Hampshire in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by 19th-year head coach Sean McDonnell and played their home games at Wildcat Stadium. They were a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. They finished the season 9–5, 5–3 in CAA play to finish in a tie for fourth place. They received an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs where they defeated Central Connecticut and Central Arkansas before losing in the quarterfinals to South Dakota State.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2017
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I FCS
| poll = STATS
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = {{tooltip|August 31|Thursday}}
| time = 7:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank = 13
| opponent = Maine
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| gamename = Battle for the Brice–Cowell Musket
| tv = {{URL|1=http://www.collegesportslive.com/start/?|2=CSL}}{{cite web|url=http://www.caasports.com/news/2017/8/18/football-caa-partners-with-cbs-sports-digital.aspx|title=CAA PARTNERS WITH CBS SPORTS DIGITAL|publisher=Colonial Athletic Association|last=Washburn|first=Rob|date=August 18, 2017|accessdate=August 22, 2017}}
| score = 24–23
| attend = 15,854
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = {{tooltip|September 9|Game was moved from Statesboro, Georgia to Birmingham, Alabama.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.unhwildcats.com/news/2017/9/6/football-unh-georgia-southern-fb-game-moved-to-birmingham-ala-sept-9-4-pm-et.aspx?path=football|title=UNH/Georgia Southern Game Moved to Birmingham, Ala.|publisher=UNH Wildcats|date=September 6, 2017|accessdate=September 8, 2017}}
| time = 4:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Georgia Southern
| site_stadium = Legion Field
| site_cityst = Birmingham, AL
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 22–12
| attend = 3,387
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 16
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 9
| opponent = Holy Cross
| site_stadium = Fitton Field
| site_cityst = Worcester, MA
| tv = Charter TV3
| score = 26–51
| attend = 7,906
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 23
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = w
| homecoming = y
| rank = 15
| opponent = Rhode Island
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 28–14
| attend = 22,135
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 30
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 15
| opponent = Bryant
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 45–17
| attend = 7,951
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 14
| time = 6:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = Stony Brook
| site_stadium = Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium
| site_cityst = Stony Brook, NY
| tv = {{URL|1=http://www.stonybrookathletics.com/|2=Wolfievision}}
| score = 24–38
| attend = 12,311
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 21
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank = 18
| opponent = Towson
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| tv = {{URL|1=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxhP-8XqDHP02oTXUWDDKWg|2=UNHAthletics}} via YouTube
| score = 40–17
| attend = 10,522
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 28
| time = 3:30 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 17
| opponent = James Madison
| opprank = 1
| site_stadium = Bridgeforth Stadium
| site_cityst = Harrisonburg, VA
| tv = {{URL|1=https://portal.stretchinternet.com/jmu/|2=MadiZone}}
| score = 0–21
| attend = 25,298
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 4
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 21
| opponent = William & Mary
| site_stadium = Zable Stadium
| site_cityst = Williamsburg, VA
| tv = {{URL|1=https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wandm/|2=TATV}}
| score = 35–16
| attend = 5,426
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 11
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| rank = 18
| opponent = Elon
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| score = 16–6
| attend = 7,294
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 18
| time = 1:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| away = y
| rank = 16
| opponent = Albany
| site_stadium = Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium
| site_cityst = Albany, NY
| score = 0–15
| attend = 3,459
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 25
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 21
| opponent = Central Connecticut
| site_stadium = Wildcat Stadium
| site_cityst = Durham, NH
| gamename = NCAA Division I First Round
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 14–0
| attend = 2,385
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 2
| time = 2:00 p.m.
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 21
| opponent = Central Arkansas
| opprank = 3
| site_stadium = Estes Stadium
| site_cityst = Conway, AR
| gamename = NCAA Division I Second Round
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 21–15
| attend = 6,243
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 9
| time = 3:00 p.m.
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 21
| opponent = South Dakota State
| opprank = 6
| site_stadium = Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium
| site_cityst = Brookings, SD
| gamename = NCAA Division I Quarterfinal
| tv = ESPN3
| score = 14–56
| attend = 5,583
}}
}}
Game summaries
=Maine=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Black Bears
|R1=7|R2=3|R3=7|R4=6
|Home=No. 13 Wildcats
|H1=14|H2=3|H3=0|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Maine Black Bears football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Georgia Southern=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 12 Wildcats
|R1=15|R2=7|R3=0|R4=0
|Home=Eagles
|H1=0|H2=0|H3=5|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Georgia Southern Eagles football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Holy Cross=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 9 Wildcats
|R1=7|R2=0|R3=12|R4=7
|Home=Crusaders
|H1=3|H2=13|H3=21|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2017 Holy Cross Crusaders football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Rhode Island=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Rams
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=7|R4=7
|Home=No. 15 Wildcats
|H1=8|H2=7|H3=0|H4=13
}}
{{see also|2017 Rhode Island Rams football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Bryant=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Bulldogs
|R1=0|R2=17|R3=0|R4=0
|Home=No. 15 Wildcats
|H1=17|H2=14|H3=0|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2017 Bryant Bulldogs football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Stony Brook=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 12 Wildcats
|R1=6|R2=18|R3=0|R4=0
|Home=Seawolves
|H1=9|H2=7|H3=6|H4=16
}}
{{see also|2017 Stony Brook Seawolves football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Towson=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Tigers
|R1=3|R2=0|R3=0|R4=14
|Home=No. 18 Wildcats
|H1=7|H2=26|H3=7|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Towson Tigers football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At James Madison=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 17 Wildcats
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0
|Home=No. 1 Dukes
|H1=0|H2=14|H3=7|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 James Madison Dukes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At William & Mary=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 21 Wildcats
|R1=7|R2=14|R3=7|R4=7
|Home=Tribe
|H1=0|H2=10|H3=0|H4=6
}}
{{see also|2017 William & Mary Tribe football team}}
{{Clear}}
=Elon=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 7 Phoenix
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=6
|Home=No. 18 Wildcats
|H1=0|H2=7|H3=9|H4=0
}}
{{see also|2017 Elon Phoenix football team}}
{{Clear}}
=At Albany=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 16 Wildcats
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0
|Home=Great Danes
|H1=0|H2=3|H3=9|H4=3
}}
{{see also|2017 Albany Great Danes football team}}
{{Clear}}
=NCAA First Round—Central Connecticut=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=Blue Devils
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0
|Home=No. 21 Wildcats
|H1=0|H2=7|H3=0|H4=7
}}
{{see also|2017 Central Connecticut Blue Devils football team}}
{{Clear}}
=NCAA Second Round—at Central Arkansas=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 21 Wildcats
|R1=7|R2=0|R3=7|R4=7
|Home=No. 3 Bears
|H1=7|H2=0|H3=0|H4=8
}}
{{see also|2017 Central Arkansas Bears football team}}
{{Clear}}
=NCAA Quarterfinal–at South Dakota State=
{{Linescore Amfootball|
|Road=No. 21 Wildcats
|R1=0|R2=0|R3=7|R4=7
|Home=No. 6 Jackrabbits
|H1=21|H2=7|H3=14|H4=14
}}
{{see also|2017 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team}}
{{Clear}}
Ranking movements
{{Ranking movements
| poll1title = STATS FCS
| poll1firstweek = 0
| poll1lastweek = 13
| poll1_0=13
| poll1_1=12
| poll1_2=9
| poll1_3=15
| poll1_4=15
| poll1_5=13
| poll1_6=12
| poll1_7=18
| poll1_8=17
| poll1_9=21
| poll1_10=18
| poll1_11=16
| poll1_12=21
| poll1_13=
| poll1_14=
| poll1_15=
| poll1_16=
| poll1_17=
| poll1_18=
| poll1_19=
| poll1_20=
| poll2title = Coaches
| poll2firstweek = 0
| poll2lastweek = 13
| poll2_0=16
| poll2_1=12
| poll2_2=11
| poll2_3=16
| poll2_4=14
| poll2_5=13
| poll2_6=12
| poll2_7=18
| poll2_8=16
| poll2_9=19
| poll2_10=16
| poll2_11=14
| poll2_12=20
| poll2_13=
| poll2_14=
| poll2_15=
| poll2_16=
| poll2_17=
| poll2_18=
| poll2_19=
| poll2_20=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{New Hampshire Wildcats football navbox}}