1997 Memphis Tigers football team

1997 Memphis Tigers football
Conference	Conference USA
Record	4–7 (2–4 C-USA)
Head coach	Rip Scherer (3rd season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Rusty Burns (1st season)
Co-offensive coordinator	Dave Magazu (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Jim Pletcher (3rd season)
Home stadium	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium

1997 Conference USA football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 19 Southern Miss $		6	–	0					9	–	3
Tulane		5	–	1					7	–	4
East Carolina		4	–	2					5	–	6
Cincinnati		2	–	4					8	–	4
Memphis		2	–	4					4	–	7
Houston		2	–	4					3	–	8
Louisville		0	–	6					1	–	10
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 Memphis Tigers football team represented the University of Memphis in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Memphis competed as a member of Conference USA. The team was led by head coach Rip Scherer. The Tigers played their home games at the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 30	at Mississippi State*	Scott Field Starkville, MS	L 10–13	33,310	[1]
September 6	UAB*	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	W 28–7	24,108	[2]
September 13	at No. 21 Michigan State*	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	L 21–51	72,131
September 20	Minnesota*	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	L 17–20	23,208
October 4	at Cincinnati	Nippert Stadium Cincinnati, OH (rivalry)	L 17–20	19,511
October 11	Arkansas State*	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Paint Bucket Bowl)	W 38–9	21,357
October 25	at East Carolina	Dowdy–Ficklen Stadium Greenville, NC	L 10–32	28,029	[3]
November 1	Houston	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN	W 24–3	20,181
November 8	at Tulane	Superdome New Orleans, LA	L 14–26	23,494	[4]
November 15	Louisville	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (rivalry)	W 21–20	15,234
November 22	Southern Miss	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Black and Blue Bowl)	L 18–42	17,243	[5]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[6]

References

1. "Last-minute kick gives MSU win". The Sun Herald. August 31, 1997. Retrieved July 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Tigers catch on, rip UAB". The Commercial Appeal. September 7, 1997. Retrieved December 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Memphis drilled by East Carolina". The Jackson Sun. October 26, 1997. Retrieved February 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Wave crashes over Tigers". The Commercial Appeal. November 9, 1997. Retrieved February 9, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Eagles close deal in C-USA". The Clarion-Ledger. November 23, 1997. Retrieved September 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "'97 Review" (PDF). Memphis Athletics.