CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1997 Ohio

8–⁠3 (6–⁠2 Mid-American Conference), coached by Jim Grobe.

Schedule and results

Ohio in 1997, game by game: won vs. Kent State 31–7; won at Maryland 21–14; lost at No. 20 Kansas State 20–23; won vs. Buffalo 50–0; won vs. Western Michigan 31–7; won at Eastern Michigan 47–7; won vs. Bowling Green 24–0; won at Akron 21–17; won at Northern Illinois 35–30; lost vs. Miami (OH) 21–45; lost at Marshall 0–27+50−27Won 31–7 vs. Kent State+24Kent StateWon 21–14 at Maryland+7MarylandLost 20–23 at No. 20 Kansas State-3No. 20 Kansas StateWon 50–0 vs. Buffalo+50BuffaloWon 31–7 vs. Western Michigan+24Western MichiganWon 47–7 at Eastern Michigan+40Eastern MichiganWon 24–0 vs. Bowling Green+24Bowling GreenWon 21–17 at Akron+4AkronWon 35–30 at Northern Illinois+5Northern Illino…Lost 21–45 vs. Miami (OH)-24Miami (OH)Lost 0–27 at Marshall-27Marshall
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 28vsKent StateW 31–⁠776%
Sep 6atMarylandW 21–⁠1444%
Sep 13at20Kansas StateL 20–⁠2325%
Sep 20vsBuffaloW 50–⁠074%
Sep 27vsWestern MichiganW 31–⁠772%
Oct 4atEastern MichiganW 47–⁠760%
Oct 18vsBowling GreenW 24–⁠077%
Oct 25atAkronW 21–⁠1774%
Nov 1atNorthern IllinoisW 35–⁠3087%
Nov 8vsMiami (OH)L 21–⁠4555%
Nov 15atMarshallL 0–⁠2747%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Marshall 27–⁠0; unranked in the final AP poll; tied for 3rd in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 20th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 93 on file).

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.

Record
8–⁠3
Conference
6–⁠2 tied for 3rd in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
301–⁠177
Coach
Jim Grobe
Elo
1514 +55 this season
SP+ rating
7.5 No. 44 of 112; offense No. 71, defense No. 25
SRS
2.2 No. 51 of 112 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Troy Calhoun
Defensive coordinator
Tim DeRuyter
Offense
Triple Option

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.