The 1997 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Coached by Gerry DiNardo in his third season at LSU, the Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.[1]
| 1997 LSU Tigers football | |
|---|---|
SEC Western Division co-champion Independence Bowl champion | |
Independence Bowl, W 27–9 vs. Notre Dame | |
| Conference | Southeastern Conference |
| Western Division | |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 13 |
| AP | No. 13 |
| Record | 9–3 (6–2 SEC) |
| Head coach |
|
| Offensive coordinator | Morris Watts (3rd season) |
| Offensive scheme | Multiple pro set |
| Defensive coordinator | Carl Reese (3rd season) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Home stadium | Tiger Stadium |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 Tennessee x$ | 7 | - | 1 | 11 | - | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 10 Georgia | 6 | - | 2 | 10 | - | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 4 Florida | 6 | - | 2 | 10 | - | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | 3 | - | 5 | 5 | - | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kentucky | 2 | - | 6 | 5 | - | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vanderbilt | 0 | - | 8 | 3 | - | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Western Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 11 Auburn xy | 6 | - | 2 | 10 | - | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 LSU x | 6 | - | 2 | 9 | - | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 22 Ole Miss | 4 | - | 4 | 8 | - | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mississippi State | 4 | - | 4 | 7 | - | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arkansas | 2 | - | 6 | 4 | - | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alabama | 2 | - | 6 | 4 | - | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Tigers began the season with high expectations following their first 10-win season since 1987. LSU's season was highlighted by a stunning 28–21 home upset of the top ranked Florida Gators (ending Florida's 25-game winning streak in SEC play and nine-game winning streak vs. LSU) and an Independence Bowl victory over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who had defeated the Tigers in Baton Rouge during the regular season.
LSU also shut out Alabama 27–0 at Tuscaloosa, paying back the Crimson Tide for a 26–0 loss the previous season in Baton Rouge.
Despite the highs, LSU also experienced two embarrassing home losses. The first was to Ole Miss one week after the Tigers' conquest of then-No. 1 Florida, a loss made more perplexing by the 38-9 and 39-7 margins by which LSU crushed the Rebels in 1995 and '96. The second was to Notre Dame, which came to Baton Rouge at 4–5, needing three consecutive victories just to qualify for a bowl. In a stunning 24–6 triumph, the Irish rushed for 232 yards and played their first penalty-free and turnover-free game in program history.
LSU was also quite fortunate to escape with a 7–6 victory at Vanderbilt, DiNardo's former employer. The Commodores scored a late touchdown and were lined up to go for a two-point conversion and a potential 8–7 win, but two delay of game penalties convinced Vanderbilt coach Woody Widenhofer to instead play for overtime. LSU's Arnold Miller preserved the win by blocking the kick.
The Tigers tied for the SEC West title for the second straight year, but Auburn had won a dramatic game in Baton Rouge earlier in the season and therefore represented the West in the SEC Championship.[2]
Zeitplan
edit| Date | Zeit | Opponent | Rank | Website | TV | Result | Attendance | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 6 | 7:00 p.m. | UTEP* | No. 10 | W 55–3 | 80,015 | [3] | ||
| September 13 | 8:00 p.m. | at Mississippi State | No. 10 | ESPN | W 24–9 | 40,030 | [4] | |
| September 20 | 6:30 p.m. | No. 12 Auburn | No. 10 |
| ESPN | L 28–31 | 80,538 | [5] |
| September 27 | 7:00 p.m. | Akron* | No. 13 |
| W 56–0 | 79,772 | [6] | |
| October 4 | 2:30 p.m. | at Vanderbilt | No. 13 | PPV | W 7–6 | 37,045 | [7] | |
| October 11 | 6:00 p.m. | No. 1 Florida | No. 14 |
| ESPN | W 28–21 | 80,677 | [8] |
| October 18 | 11:30 a.m. | Ole Miss | No. 8 |
| JPS | L 21–36 | 80,442 | [9] |
| November 1 | 5:30 p.m. | at Kentucky | No. 16 | ESPN2 | W 63–28 | 58,450 | [10] | |
| November 8 | 2:30 p.m. | at Alabama | No. 14 | CBS | W 27–0 | 70,123 | [11] | |
| November 15 | 2:30 p.m. | Notre Dame* | No. 11 |
| CBS | L 6–24 | 80,566 | [12] |
| November 28 | 1:30 p.m. | Arkansas | No. 17 |
| CBS | W 31–21 | 79,619 | [13] |
| December 28 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. Notre Dame* | No. 15 | ESPN | W 27–9 | 50,459 | [14] | |
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Rankings
edit| Week | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
| AP | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 |
| Coaches | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 | |
References
edit- ^ Rabalais, Scott. The Fighting Tigers 1993-2008 [Into a New Century of LSU Football]. Baton Rouge: LSU University Press. ISBN 0807133701. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
- ^ "LSU Football Guide". lsusports.net. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved July 28, 2013.
- ^ "Faulk scampers for 3 TDs in rout". The Tennessean. September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Strong finish lifts LSU past Mississippi State". The Anniston Star. September 14, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Late TD sparks Auburn". The Charlotte Observer. September 21, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Faulk returns to action as LSU rolls over Akron". The Atlanta Journal. September 28, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mistakes tear up Vandy". The Commercial Appeal. October 5, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Motivated Tigers upset Gators". Albuquerque Journal. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "LSU falls flat against Ole Miss". The Atlanta Constitution. October 19, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Kentucky pays for mistakes". Asheville Citizen-Times. November 2, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Faulk, LSU show true grit". Alexandria Daily Town Talk. November 9, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "With 2 more wins, Independence Bowl could be on". Chicago Tribune. November 16, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Balance propels Tigers; Quick-strike Arkansas throws scare into LSU". The Shreveport Times. November 29, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Irish buried on the bayou". The Indianapolis Star. December 29, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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