1997 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings

The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football rankings are from the Sports Network poll of Division I-AA head coaches, athletic directors, sports information directors and media members. This is for the 1997 season.

## Legend

[edit]

|  | Increase in ranking

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|  | Decrease in ranking
|  | Not ranked previous week

(#–#)

|  | Win–loss record

(Italics)

|  | Number of first place votes

|  | Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

## The Sports Network poll

[edit]

| Preseason
[1]| Week 1
Sept 2[2]| Week 2
Sept 9[3]| Week 3
Sept 16[4]| Week 4
Sept 23[5]| Week 5
Sept 30[6]| Week 6
Oct 7[7]| Week 7
Oct 14[8]| Week 8
Oct 21[9]| Week 9
Oct 28[10]| Week 10
Nov 4[11]| Week 11
Nov 11[12]| Week 12
Nov 18[13]|

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1.| Montana| Montana (0–0)| Montana (0–0) (63)| Montana (1–0) (62)| Montana (2–0) (91)| Montana (3–0) (91)| Youngstown State (5–0) (56)| Youngstown State (6–0) (65)| Villanova (6–0) (74)| Villanova (7–0) (89)| Villanova (8–0) (83)| Villanova (9–0) (83)| Villanova (10–0) (83)| 1.
2.| Troy State| Troy State (1–0)| Troy State (2–0) (10)| Troy State (2–0) (10)| Youngstown State (3–0)| Youngstown State (4–0)| Montana (3–1) (24)| Montana (4–1) (21)| McNeese State (6–0) (16)| Western Illinois (7–1) (3)| Western Illinois (8–1) (6)| Western Illinois (9–1) (6)| Western Illinois (9–1) (3)| 2.
3.| Northern Iowa| William & Mary (1–0)| William & Mary (2–0) (3)| William & Mary (3–0) (7)| Western Kentucky (4–0)| Western Kentucky (5–0)| Villanova (4–0) (8)| Villanova (5–0) (4)| Western Illinois (6–1) (2)| Delaware (7–1) (1)| Delaware (8–1) (1)| Delaware (9–1) (1)| Delaware (10–1)| 3.
4.| William & Mary| Northern Iowa (0–0)| Delaware (1–0)| Western Illinois (3–0)| Villanova (3–0)| Villanova (3–0)| McNeese State (5–0) (3)| McNeese State (6–0) (4)| Delaware (6–1) (1)| Youngstown State (6–1)| Youngstown State (7–1)| Youngstown State (8–1)| Youngstown State (9–1) (1)| 4.
5.| Appalachian State| Western Illinois (1–0)| Western Illinois (2–0)| Youngstown State (2–0)| Northern Arizona (2–1)| Northern Arizona (3–1)| Western Illinois (4–1) (1)| Western Illinois (5–1)| Youngstown State (6–1) (2)| Western Kentucky (7–1)| Western Kentucky (8–1)| Western Kentucky (9–1)| Western Kentucky (9–1)| 5.
6.| Eastern Illinois| Delaware (0–0)| East Tennessee State (2–0)| Western Kentucky (3–0)| Appalachian State (1–1)| Appalachian State (2–1)| Delaware (4–1)| Delaware (5–1)| Montana (4–2)| Southern (7–0) (1)| Southern (8–0) (3)| Eastern Washington (9–1) (4)| Eastern Washington (10–1) (6)| 6.
7.| Northern Arizona| East Tennessee State (1–0)| Youngstown State (2–0)| Northern Arizona (1–1)| Troy State (2–1)| Troy State (3–1)| Western Kentucky (5–1)| Western Kentucky (5–1)| Western Kentucky (6–1)| Stephen F. Austin (6–1)| Stephen F. Austin (7–1) (2)| McNeese State (8–1) (1)| McNeese State (9–1)| 7.
8.| Delaware| Appalachian State (0–0)| Northern Arizona (0–1)| Jackson State (3–0)| Western Illinois (3–1)| William & Mary (4–1)| East Tennessee State (4–1) (1)| Southern (5–0)| Southern (6–0)| Eastern Illinois (7–1)| Eastern Washington (8–1) (2)| Georgia Southern (8–2)| Georgia Southern (9–2) (1)| 8.
9.| Western Illinois| Youngstown State (1–0)| Western Kentucky (2–0)| Appalachian State (0–1)| William & Mary (3–1)| Western Illinois (3–1)| Southern (5–0)| Georgia Southern (5–1) (1)| Eastern Illinois (6–1)| McNeese State (6–1)| Eastern Illinois (8–1)| Hampton (8–1) (2)| Hampton (9–1) (1)| 9.
10.| Western Kentucky| Northern Arizona (0–1)| Furman (1–0)| Villanova (2–0)| Delaware (2–1)| McNeese State (4–0)| Eastern Illinois (5–1)| Eastern Illinois (5–1)| Stephen F. Austin (5–1)| Northern Arizona (6–2) (1)| McNeese State (7–1)| Florida A&M (7–2)| Florida A&M (8–2)| 10.
11.| Youngstown State| Western Kentucky (1–0)| Appalachian State (0–1)| Delaware (1–1)| McNeese State (3–0)| Delaware (3–1)| Georgia Southern (4–1)| Northern Arizona (4–2)| Northern Arizona (5–2)| Eastern Washington (7–1) (1)| Georgia Southern (7–2)| Montana (6–3)| Montana (7–3)| 11.
12.| East Tennessee State| Murray State (1–0)| Jackson State (2–0)| Northern Iowa (1–1)| Florida A&M (3–0)| Florida A&M (4–0)| Northern Arizona (3–2)| Stephen F. Austin (4–1)| Eastern Washington (6–1)| East Tennessee State (5–2)| Hampton (7–1)| Southern (8–1)| Southern (9–1)| 12.
13.| Murray State| Furman (0–0)| Northern Iowa (0–1)| Southern (3–0)| Southern (4–0)| Southern (4–0)| Stephen F. Austin (3–1)| Jackson State (5–1)| East Tennessee State (4–2)| Hampton (7–1)| Montana (5–3)| Jackson State (7–2)| Stephen F. Austin (8–2)| 13.
14.| Jackson State| Jackson State (1–0)| Stephen F. Austin (2–0)| East Tennessee State (2–1)| East Tennessee State (2–1)| East Tennessee State (3–1)| Appalachian State (2–2)| East Tennessee State (4–2)| William & Mary (6–2)| Georgia Southern (6–2)| Jackson State (7–2)| Stephen F. Austin (7–2)| Jackson State (8–2)| 14.
15.| Stephen F. Austin| Stephen F. Austin (1–0)| Southern (2–0)| Florida A&M (2–0)| Nicholls State (2–1)| Eastern Illinois (4–1)| Jackson State (5–1)| Nicholls State (4–2)| Hampton (6–1)| Montana (4–3)| Florida A&M (6–2)| Appalachian State (6–3)| Appalachian State (7–3)| 15.
16.| Furman| Florida A&M (1–0)| Florida A&M (1–0)| McNeese State (2–0)| Eastern Illinois (3–1)| Stephen F. Austin (3–1)| Florida A&M (4–1)| Troy State (4–2)| Georgia Southern (5–2) (1)| Jackson State (6–2)| Northern Arizona (6–3)| Eastern Illinois (8–2)| Eastern Illinois (8–2)| 16.
17.| Southern| Southern (1–0)| Murray State (1–1)| Stephen F. Austin (2–1)| Stephen F. Austin (2–1)| Georgia Southern (3–1)| Northern Iowa (3–2)| Murray State (5–2)| Northern Iowa (4–3)| Florida A&M (5–2)| Appalachian State (5–3)| South Carolina State (8–1)| Hofstra (8–2)| 17.
18.| Florida A&M| Northwestern State (0–0)| Villanova (1–0)| Furman (1–1)| Furman (1–1)| Furman (2–1)| Nicholls State (3–2)| William & Mary (5–2)| South Carolina State (6–0)| Appalachian State (4–3)| Dayton (9–0)| Dayton (9–0)| Cal Poly (9–1)| 18.
19.| Howard| Villanova (1–0)| Eastern Illinois (1–1)| Eastern Illinois (2–1)| Jackson State (3–1)| Jackson State (4–1)| Troy State (3–2)| Hampton (5–1)| Furman (4–2)| Cal Poly (7–0) (1)| South Carolina State (7–1)| East Tennessee State (6–3)| Eastern Kentucky (7–3)| 19.
20.| Northwestern State| Howard (0–0)| McNeese State (1–0)| Georgia Southern (1–1)| Georgia Southern (2–1)| Eastern Washington (4–0)| Murray State (4–2)| Eastern Washington (5–1)| Jackson State (5–2)| William & Mary (6–3)| East Tennessee State (5–3)| Liberty (8–1)| Northeastern (8–2)| 20.
21.| New Hampshire| Eastern Kentucky (0–0)| Georgia Southern (1–1)| Eastern Washington (2–0)| Eastern Washington (3–0)| Northwestern State (2–1)| Richmond (4–1)| Florida A&M (4–2)| Florida A&M (5–2)| Dayton (8–0)| Hofstra (7–2)| Hofstra (7–2)| Northwestern State (7–3)| 21.
22.| Eastern Kentucky| New Hampshire (0–0)| Eastern Kentucky (0–1)| Chattanooga (2–0)| Chattanooga (2–0)| James Madison (3–1)| SW Texas State (3–1)| Furman (3–2)| Appalachian State (3–3)| South Carolina State (6–1)| Liberty (7–1)| Cal Poly (8–1)| South Carolina State (8–2)| 22.
23.| Nicholls State| Georgia Southern (1–0)| Howard (0–1)| Northwestern State (1–1)| Northern Iowa (1–2)| Northern Iowa (2–2)| William & Mary (4–2)| South Carolina State (5–0)| Dayton (7–0)| Chattanooga (6–1)| Cal Poly (7–1)| Eastern Kentucky (6–3)| Dayton (9–1)| 23.
24.| SW Missouri State| Eastern Illinois (0–1)| Northwestern State (0–1)| Weber State (2–0)| Northwestern State (1–1)| Nicholls State (2–2)| Connecticut (4–0)| Northern Iowa (3–3)| North Carolina A&T (5–1)| Hofstra (6–2)| Eastern Kentucky (5–3)| Northeastern (7–2)| Bucknell (10–0)| 24.
25.| Buffalo| Buffalo (1–0)| Nicholls State (1–1)| Nicholls State (1–1)| James Madison (2–1)| Murray State (2–2)| Hampton (4–1)| SW Texas State (3–2)| Troy State (4–3)| Nicholls State (5–3)| Northeastern (6–2)| Northwestern State (6–3)| Liberty (8–2)| 25.
| Preseason
[1]| Week 1
Sept 2[2]| Week 2
Sept 9[3]| Week 3
Sept 16[4]| Week 4
Sept 23[5]| Week 5
Sept 30[6]| Week 6
Oct 7[7]| Week 7
Oct 14[8]| Week 8
Oct 21[9]| Week 9
Oct 28[10]| Week 10
Nov 4[11]| Week 11
Nov 11[12]| Week 12
Nov 18[13]|
| Dropped:

* 23 Nicholls State
* 24 SW Missouri State

| Dropped:

* 22 New Hampshire
* 25 Buffalo

| Dropped:

* 17 Murray State
* 22 Eastern Kentucky
* 23 Howard

| Dropped:
24 Weber State| Dropped:
22 Chattanooga| Dropped:

* 18 Furman
* 20 Eastern Washington
* 21 Northwestern State
* 22 James Madison

| Dropped:

* 14 Appalachian State
* 21 Richmond
* 24 Connecticut

| Dropped:

* 15 Nicholls State
* 17 Murray State
* 25 SW Texas State

| Dropped:

* 17 Northern Iowa
* 19 Furman
* 24 North Carolina A&T
* 25 Troy State

| Dropped:

* 20 William & Mary
* 23 Chattanooga
* 25 Nicholls State

| Dropped:
16 Northern Arizona| Dropped:
19 East Tennessee State|

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Top 25 (TSN poll)". Great Falls Tribune. Great Falls, Montana. August 20, 1997. p. S1. Retrieved May 2, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "The Sports Network Division I-AA poll". The Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. September 3, 1997. p. D5. Retrieved May 2, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Division I-AA poll". South Florida Sun Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. September 9, 1997. p. 11C. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "I-AA Poll". Reno Gazette-Journal. Reno, Nevada. September 16, 1997. p. 5C. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "NCAA I-AA poll". The Salina Journal. Salina, Kansas. September 23, 1997. p. B2. Retrieved May 2, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Div. I-AA Poll". Hattiesburg American. Hattiesburg, Mississippi. October 1, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "College Football NCAA I-AA Top 25". Lansing State Journal. Lansing, Michigan. October 7, 1997. p. 2C. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "NCAA Div. I-AA Poll". The Index-Journal. Greenwood, South Carolina. October 14, 1997. p. 5B. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "NCAA Div. I-AA poll". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa. October 21, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Div I-AA Poll". Asheville Citizen-Times. Asheville, North Carolina. October 28, 1997. p. D4. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Div. I-AA poll". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa. November 4, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Division I-AA". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. November 11, 1997. p. C6. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Div. I-AA Poll". Longview News-Journal. Longview, Texas. November 18, 1997. p. 2D. Retrieved April 30, 2017 - via Newspapers.com.

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NCAA college football rankings

Pre-divisional|

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NCAA University Division|

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NCAA Division I|

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NCAA Division I-A/FBS|

* 1978
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NCAA Division I-AA/FCS|

* 1978
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Small college|

* 1958
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NCAA Division II|

* 1975
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NCAA Division III|

* 2003
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Polls|

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