CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1997 Colorado State

11–⁠2 (7–⁠1 Western Athletic Conference), coached by Sonny Lubick, finished No. 17 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Colorado State in 1997, game by game: won vs. Nevada 45–13; lost at No. 8 Colorado 21–31; won at Utah State 35–24; lost vs. Air Force 0–24; won vs. Hawai’i 63–0; won at San José State 55–20; won at Wyoming 14–7; won vs. Tulsa 44–8; won at UNLV 45–19; won vs. Fresno State 41–3; won at San Diego State 38–17; won vs. New Mexico 41–13; won vs. No. 19 Missouri 35–24+63−24Won 45–13 vs. Nevada+32NevadaLost 21–31 at No. 8 Colorado-10No. 8 ColoradoWon 35–24 at Utah State+11Utah StateLost 0–24 vs. Air Force-24Air ForceWon 63–0 vs. Hawai’i+63Hawai’iWon 55–20 at San José State+35San José StateWon 14–7 at Wyoming+7WyomingWon 44–8 vs. Tulsa+36TulsaWon 45–19 at UNLV+26UNLVWon 41–3 vs. Fresno State+38Fresno StateWon 38–17 at San Diego State+21San Diego StateWon 41–13 vs. New Mexico+28New MexicoWon 35–24 vs. No. 19 Missouri+11No. 19 Missouri
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 30vsNevadaW 45–⁠1356%
Sep 6at8ColoradoL 21–⁠3129%
Sep 13atUtah StateW 35–⁠2452%
Sep 20vsAir ForceL 0–⁠2459%
Oct 4vsHawai’iW 63–⁠083%
Oct 11atSan José StateW 55–⁠2076%
Oct 18atWyomingW 14–⁠739%
Oct 26vsTulsaW 44–⁠886%
Nov 1atUNLVW 45–⁠1980%
Nov 8vsFresno StateW 41–⁠376%
Nov 22atSan Diego StateW 38–⁠1763%
Dec 6Bowls & playoffvsNew MexicoWestern Athletic Championship GameW 41–⁠1363%
Dec 29Bowls & playoffvs19MissouriHoliday BowlW 35–⁠2468%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Missouri 35–⁠24 in the Holiday Bowl; No. 17 in the final AP poll; Western Athletic Conference champions.

In program history: The best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 123 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 3: 24
  2. Wk 4: 25
  3. Wk 5: 23
  4. Wk 14: 25
  5. Wk 15: 20
  6. Wk 16: 20
  7. Wk 17: 18
  8. Final: 17

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1997.

Western Athletic Conference champions7–⁠1 in the conference, won the Western Athletic Championship Game

Led the nationKevin McDougal: yards per carry (7.4)

Record
11–⁠2
Conference
7–⁠1 first in Western Athletic Conference
AP final
No. 17 peak No. 17
Points
477–⁠203
Coach
Sonny Lubick
Elo
1707 +155 this season
SP+ rating
21.8 No. 12 of 112; offense No. 13, defense No. 22
SRS
16.2 No. 14 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Steve Fairchild
Defensive coordinator
Larry Kerr

Drafted in 1998

The 1998 draft
Rd 7Moses Moreno QBChicago Bears

1997 Western Athletic Conference standings

TeamConf.OverallAP final
Colorado State7–⁠111–⁠217
Air Force6–⁠210–⁠3
New Mexico6–⁠29–⁠4
Rice5–⁠37–⁠4
Utah5–⁠36–⁠5
SMU5–⁠36–⁠5
Fresno State5–⁠36–⁠6
BYU4–⁠46–⁠5
Wyoming4–⁠47–⁠6
San Diego State4–⁠45–⁠7
San José State4–⁠44–⁠7
UTEP3–⁠54–⁠7
UNLV2–⁠63–⁠8
Tulsa2–⁠62–⁠9
Hawai’i1–⁠73–⁠9
TCU1–⁠71–⁠10

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