CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1997 Ohio State

10–⁠3 (6–⁠2 Big Ten), coached by John Cooper, finished No. 12 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Ohio State in 1997, game by game: won vs. Wyoming 24–10; won vs. Bowling Green 44–13; won vs. Arizona 28–20; won at Missouri 31–10; won vs. No. 11 Iowa 23–7; lost at No. 2 Penn State 27–31; won vs. Indiana 31–0; won vs. Northwestern 49–6; won at No. 21 Michigan State 37–13; won at Minnesota 31–3; won vs. Illinois 41–6; lost at No. 1 Michigan 14–20; lost vs. No. 4 Florida State 14–31+43−17Won 24–10 vs. Wyoming+14WyomingWon 44–13 vs. Bowling Green+31Bowling GreenWon 28–20 vs. Arizona+8ArizonaWon 31–10 at Missouri+21MissouriWon 23–7 vs. No. 11 Iowa+16No. 11 IowaLost 27–31 at No. 2 Penn State-4No. 2 Penn StateWon 31–0 vs. Indiana+31IndianaWon 49–6 vs. Northwestern+43NorthwesternWon 37–13 at No. 21 Michigan State+24No. 21 Michigan StateWon 31–3 at Minnesota+28MinnesotaWon 41–6 vs. Illinois+35IllinoisLost 14–20 at No. 1 Michigan-6No. 1 MichiganLost 14–31 vs. No. 4 Florida State-17No. 4 Florida State
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 28vsWyomingW 24–⁠1074%
Sep 13vsBowling GreenW 44–⁠1387%
Sep 20vsArizonaW 28–⁠2081%
Sep 27atMissouriW 31–⁠1071%
Oct 4vs11IowaW 23–⁠770%
Oct 11at2Penn StateL 27–⁠3145%
Oct 18vsIndianaW 31–⁠091%
Oct 25vsNorthwesternW 49–⁠682%
Nov 1at21Michigan StateW 37–⁠1365%
Nov 8atMinnesotaW 31–⁠388%
Nov 15vsIllinoisW 41–⁠696%
Nov 22at1MichiganL 14–⁠2041%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs4Florida StateSugar BowlL 14–⁠3144%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Florida State 31–⁠14 in the Sugar Bowl; No. 12 in the final AP poll; tied for 2nd in the Big Ten.

In program history: The 29th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 128 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 9
  2. Wk 2: 9
  3. Wk 3: 9
  4. Wk 4: 9
  5. Wk 5: 9
  6. Wk 6: 7
  7. Wk 7: 7
  8. Wk 8: 7
  9. Wk 9: 11
  10. Wk 10: 9
  11. Wk 11: 9
  12. Wk 12: 7
  13. Wk 13: 4
  14. Wk 14: 4
  15. Wk 15: 9
  16. Wk 16: 9
  17. Wk 17: 9
  18. Final: 12

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.

Butkus AwardAndy Katzenmoyer, LB

Consensus All-AmericanAndy Katzenmoyer, LB

Record
10–⁠3
Conference
6–⁠2 tied for 2nd in Big Ten
AP final
No. 12 peak No. 4
Points
394–⁠170
Coach
John Cooper
Elo
1746 +54 this season
SP+ rating
26.0 No. 8 of 112; offense No. 20, defense No. 2
SRS
21.5 No. 7 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Mike Jacobs
Defensive coordinator
Fred Pagac
Captains
Winfield Garnett and Stanley Jackson
Most valuable player
Antoine Winfield
Offense
Singleback
Defense
4–⁠3

All-Big Ten

6 first team, 1 second team

First team

Second team

  • Rob MurphyOGCoaches-2; Media-2

From Wikipedia’s 1997 all-conference team article, with the selectors that named each player (AP-1: the Associated Press’s first team).

1997 Big Ten standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Michigan8–⁠012–⁠01
Ohio State6–⁠210–⁠312
Penn State6–⁠29–⁠316
Purdue6–⁠29–⁠315
Wisconsin5–⁠38–⁠5
Michigan State4–⁠47–⁠5
Iowa4–⁠47–⁠5
Northwestern3–⁠55–⁠7
Minnesota1–⁠73–⁠9
Indiana1–⁠72–⁠9
Illinois0–⁠80–⁠11

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