1997 Northern Colorado Bears football
NCAA Division II champion
NCC champion
ConferenceNorth Central Conference
Record13–2 (8–1 NCC)
Head coach
Home stadiumNottingham Field
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 North Central Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 11 Northern Colorado $^   8 – 1     13 – 2  
North Dakota   7 – 2     8 – 2  
No. 16 North Dakota State ^   7 – 2     9 – 3  
Nebraska–Omaha   6 – 3     8 – 3  
St. Cloud State   5 – 4     6 – 5  
South Dakota   3 – 6     5 – 6  
Augustana (SD)   3 – 6     5 – 6  
Mankato State   3 – 6     4 – 7  
South Dakota State   3 – 6     4 – 6  
Morningside   0 – 9     0 – 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division II playoff participant
Rankings from NCAA Division II Football Committee poll

The 1997 Northern Colorado Bears football team was an American football team that won the 1997 NCAA Division II national championship.

The team represented the University of Northern Colorado in the North Central Conference (NCC) during the 1997 NCAA Division II football season. In their ninth season under head coach Joe Glenn, the Bears compiled a 13–2 record (8–1 against conference opponents), outscored opponents by a total of 489 to 249, and won the NCC championship.[1] The team advanced to the playoffs and won the national championship by defeating New Haven in the championship game.[2]

The team played its home games at Nottingham Field in Greeley, Colorado.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 6Mesa State*No. 1
W 28–7
September 13at Western State (CO)*No. 1Gunnison, COL 13–14
September 20at Augustana (SD)No. 15Sioux Falls, SDW 49–40
September 27St. Cloud StateNo. 18
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 30–27
October 4North Dakota StateNo. 17
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
L 24–28[3]
October 11at South DakotaVermillion, SDW 45–31
October 18Mankato State
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 31–0
October 25 No. 13 Nebraska–Omaha
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 37–17
November 1at MorningsideNo. 19Sioux City, IAW 41–7
November 8at South Dakota StateNo. 13Brookings, SDW 17–7
November 15 No. 7 North DakotaNo. 12
  • Nottingham Field
  • Greeley, CO
W 34–7
November 22at No. 8 Pittsburg State*No. 11
W 24–16
November 29at No. 3 Northwest Missouri State*No. 11
W 35–19
December 6at No. 1 Carson–Newman*No. 11Jefferson City, TN (NCAA Division II semifinal)W 30–29
December 13vs. No. 2 New Haven*No. 11
W 51–03,352[2]

References

  1. ^ "Northern Colorado Yearly Results". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "N. Colorado 51, New Haven 0". Hartford Courant. December 14, 1997. p. D11 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Air Freeney leads NDSU over Northern Colorado". The Bismarck Tribune. October 5, 1997. Retrieved October 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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