CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1997 Central Michigan

2–⁠9 (1–⁠7 Mid-American Conference), coached by Dick Flynn.

Schedule and results

Central Michigan in 1997, game by game: won vs. Northern Illinois 44–10; lost at No. 2 Florida 6–82; won vs. Boise State 44–26; lost at Louisiana Tech 28–56; lost vs. Eastern Michigan 24–31; lost at Akron 14–53; lost vs. Toledo 10–41; lost at Ball State 34–37; lost at Kent State 37–60; lost vs. Marshall 17–45; lost at Western Michigan 24–38+34−76Won 44–10 vs. Northern Illinois+34Northern Illino…Lost 6–82 at No. 2 Florida-76No. 2 FloridaWon 44–26 vs. Boise State+18Boise StateLost 28–56 at Louisiana Tech-28Louisiana TechLost 24–31 vs. Eastern Michigan-7Eastern MichiganLost 14–53 at Akron-39AkronLost 10–41 vs. Toledo-31ToledoLost 34–37 at Ball State-3Ball StateLost 37–60 at Kent State-23Kent StateLost 17–45 vs. Marshall-28MarshallLost 24–38 at Western Michigan-14Western Michigan
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 28vsNorthern IllinoisW 44–⁠1079%
Sep 6at2FloridaL 6–⁠8213%
Sep 13vsBoise StateW 44–⁠2683%
Sep 20atLouisiana TechL 28–⁠5642%
Sep 27vsEastern MichiganL 24–⁠3168%
Oct 4atAkronL 14–⁠5352%
Oct 11vsToledoL 10–⁠4131%
Oct 18atBall StateL 34–⁠3739%
Oct 25atKent StateL 37–⁠6059%
Nov 1vsMarshallL 17–⁠4535%
Nov 8atWestern MichiganL 24–⁠3821%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Western Michigan 38–⁠24; unranked in the final AP poll; 11th in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 52nd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 68 on file).

Record
2–⁠9
Conference
1–⁠7 11th in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
282–⁠479
Coach
Dick Flynn
Elo
1277 −185 this season
SP+ rating
-17.8 No. 103 of 112; offense No. 40, defense No. 109
SRS
−18.6 No. 107 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Tom Kearly
Defensive coordinator
Jim Schulte
Most valuable player
Rollie Ferris

1997 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Marshall7–⁠110–⁠3
Toledo7–⁠19–⁠3
Western Michigan6–⁠28–⁠3
Miami (OH)6–⁠28–⁠3
Ohio6–⁠28–⁠3
Ball State4–⁠45–⁠6
Eastern Michigan4–⁠54–⁠7
Bowling Green3–⁠53–⁠8
Kent State3–⁠53–⁠8
Akron2–⁠72–⁠9
Central Michigan1–⁠72–⁠9
Northern Illinois0–⁠80–⁠11

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.