1997 Youngstown State Penguins football team

American college football season

1997 Youngstown State Penguins football

NCAA Division I-AA champion

NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game, W 10–9 vs. McNeese State

Conference| Gateway Football Conference
Ranking
Sports Network| No. 4
Record| 13–2 (4–2 Gateway)
Head coach|

* Jim Tressel (12th season)

Home stadium| Stambaugh Stadium

Seasons

<- 1996

1998 ->

1997 Gateway Football Conference standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

|
|
|
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Team |  | W |  | L |  |  |  |  | W |  | L |
No. 2 Western Illinois $^  |  | 6  | - | 0  |  |  |  |  | 11  | - | 2  |
Northern Iowa |  | 5  | - | 1  |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  |
No. 4 Youngstown State ^  |  | 4  | - | 2  |  |  |  |  | 13  | - | 2  |
Southwest Missouri State |  | 3  | - | 3  |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  |
Indiana State |  | 2  | - | 4  |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  |
Southern Illinois |  | 1  | - | 5  |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  |
Illinois State |  | 0  | - | 6  |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  |

* $ - Conference champion
* ^ - NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant

Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1997 Youngstown State Penguins football team was an American football team represented Youngstown State University in the Gateway Football Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. In their 12th season under head coach Jim Tressel, the team compiled a 13–2 record (4–2 against conference opponents) and defeated McNeese State in the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game.[1] It was Youngstown State's fourth national championship in seven years.[2]

Quarterback Demond Tidwell received the team's most valuable player award.[3] The team's statistical leaders included Tidwell with 1,961 passing yards, Jack Andreadis with 1,057 rushing yards and 1,688 all-purpose yards, and Adrian Brown with 122 points.[4]

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Rank| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

August 28| 7:00 p.m.| Slippery Rock*| No. 11|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| W 33–9| 14,107|
September 6| 7:00 p.m.| Kent State*| No. 9|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| W 44–23| 17,974|
September 20| 1:00 p.m.| at Boston University*| No. 6|

* Nickerson Field
* Boston, MA

| W 28–7| 2,035|
September 27| 7:00 p.m.| Hofstra*| No. 2|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| W 27–22| 16,071|
October 4| 2:00 p.m.| at Indiana State| No. 2|

* Memorial Stadium
* Terre Haute, IN

| W 31–0| 5,335|
October 11| 1:00 p.m.| Buffalo*| No. 1|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| W 52–17| 20,519|
October 18| 1:30 p.m.| at No. 24 Northern Iowa| No. 1|

* UNI-Dome
* Cedar Falls, IA

| L 32–35| 12,218|
November 1| 1:00 p.m.| Illinois State| No. 4|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| W 13–0| 13,363|
November 8| 12:30 p.m.| at Southern Illinois| No. 4|

* McAndrew Stadium
* Carbondale, IL

| W 34–10| 2,000| [5]
November 15| 1:00 p.m.| Southwest Missouri State| No. 4|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| W 45–13| 11,167| [6]
November 22| 1:00 p.m.|  No. 2 Western Illinois| No. 4|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH

| L 21–24| 12,134| [7]
November 29| 1:00 p.m.|  No. 9 Hampton*| No. 4|

* Stambaugh Stadium
* Youngstown, OH (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)

| W 28–13| 12,431| [8]
December 6| 12:00 p.m.| at No. 1 Villanova*| No. 4|

* Villanova Stadium
* Villanova, PA (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)

| W 37–34| 7,591|
December 13| 12:30 p.m.| at No. 6 Eastern Washington*| No. 4|

* Joe Albi Stadium
* Spokane, WA (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)

| W 25–14| 8,529| [9]
December 20| 2:00 p.m.| vs. No. 7 McNeese State*| No. 4|

* Finley Stadium
* Chattanooga, TN (NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game)

| W 10–9| 14,771| [2]

* *Non-conference game
* Homecoming
* Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Eastern time

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "2018 YSU Football Media Guide" (PDF). Youngstown State University. p. 43. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
2. ^ a b "Penguins win 4th national title: Tidwell's TD pass lifts Youngstown State". The Times Recorder. Associated Press. December 21, 1997. p. 2B - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ 2018 Media Guide, p. 45.
4. ^ 2018 Media Guide, pp. 31-32.
5. ^ Hardwig, Greg (November 9, 1997). "Penguins ice SIU". The Southern Illinoisan. p. 1C. Retrieved January 15, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Youngstown St. rolls over SW Missouri". The Plain Dealer. November 16, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Leathernecks capture Gateway championship". The Southern Illinoisan. Associated Press. November 23, 1997. p. 3C. Retrieved November 6, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "Penguins down Hampton". The Newark Advocate. November 30, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Eastern's last stand". The Spokesman-Review. December 14, 1997. pp. C1, C8 - via Newspapers.com.

* v
* t
* e

1997 Youngstown State Penguins football—NCAA Division I-AA national champions

* Willis Marshall

* Head coach: Jim Tressel

* Assistant coaches: Mike Priefer
* Mike Sullivan
* Bob Tucker
* Brian Wright

* v
* t
* e

Youngstown State Penguins football

Venues|

* Rayen Stadium (1938–1981)
* Stambaugh Stadium (1982–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Steel Tire (Akron; 1940–1995)

Culture & lore|

* Pete and Penny
* "Red and White"
* 1941 Oklahoma City game

People|

* Head coaches
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

National championship seasons in bold

* v
* t
* e

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football champions

1970s|

* 1978: Florida A&M
* 1979: Eastern Kentucky

1980s|

* 1980: Boise State
* 1981: Idaho State
* 1982: Eastern Kentucky
* 1983: Southern Illinois
* 1984: Montana State
* 1985: Georgia Southern
* 1986: Georgia Southern
* 1987: Northeast Louisiana
* 1988: Furman
* 1989: Georgia Southern

1990s|

* 1990: Georgia Southern
* 1991: Youngstown State
* 1992: Marshall
* 1993: Youngstown State
* 1994: Youngstown State
* 1995: Montana
* 1996: Marshall
* 1997: Youngstown State
* 1998: UMass
* 1999: Georgia Southern

2000s|

* 2000: Georgia Southern
* 2001: Montana
* 2002: Western Kentucky
* 2003: Delaware
* 2004: James Madison
* 2005: Appalachian State
* 2006: Appalachian State
* 2007: Appalachian State
* 2008: Richmond
* 2009: Villanova

2010s|

* 2010: Eastern Washington
* 2011: North Dakota State
* 2012: North Dakota State
* 2013: North Dakota State
* 2014: North Dakota State
* 2015: North Dakota State
* 2016: James Madison
* 2017: North Dakota State
* 2018: North Dakota State
* 2019: North Dakota State

2020s|

* 2020: Sam Houston State
* 2021: North Dakota State
* 2022: South Dakota State
* 2023: South Dakota State
* 2024: North Dakota State

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[No.]: Number