1997 Jackson State Tigers football team

The 1997 Jackson State Tigers football team represented Jackson State University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by sixth-year head coach James Carson, the Tigers compiled an overall record of 9–3 and a mark of 7–1 in conference play, and finished second in the SWAC. Jackson State finished their season with a loss against Western Illinois in the Division I-AA playoffs.

1997 Jackson State Tigers football
NCAA Division I-AA First Round, L 24–31 vs. Western Illinois
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 14
Record	9–3 (7–1 SWAC)
Head coach	James Carson (6th season)
Home stadium	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium
Seasons ← 1996 1998 →

1997 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 12 Southern $		8	–	0					11	–	1
No. 14 Jackson State ^		7	–	1					9	–	3
Arkansas–Pine Bluff		6	–	2					8	–	3
Texas Southern		4	–	4					5	–	6
Alcorn State		4	–	4					4	–	7
Mississippi Valley State		3	–	5					4	–	6
Alabama State		2	–	6					3	–	8
Grambling State		2	–	6					3	–	8
Prairie View A&M		0	–	8					0	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	vs. Alabama State	No. 14	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (Labor Day Classic)	W 38–11	44,316	[1]
September 6	Howard*	No. 14	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 35–33	28,537	[2]
September 13	vs. Tennessee State*	No. 12	Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, TN (Southern Heritage Classic)	W 31–28	61,171	[3]
September 20	at No. 15 Florida A&M*	No. 8	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	L 14–30	10,473	[4]
September 27	Mississippi Valley State	No. 19	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 48–31		[5]
October 4	at Texas Southern	No. 19	Robertson Stadium Houston, TX	W 55–49 OT		[6]
October 18	No. 8 Southern	No. 13	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS (rivalry)	L 8–28	60,319	[7]
October 25	Grambling State	No. 20	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 23–0	35,430	[8]
November 1	Arkansas–Pine Bluff	No. 16	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS	W 37–8	15,500	[9]
November 15	at Prairie View A&M	No. 13	Edward L. Blackshear Field Prairie View, TX	W 20–7	389	[10]
November 22	Alcorn State	No. 14	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS (Capitol City Classic)	W 54–15	55,000	[11]
November 29	at No. 2 Western Illinois*	No. 14	Hanson Field Macomb, IL (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)	L 24–31	8,980	[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game