1997 UMass Minutemen football team

1997 UMass Minutemen football
Conference	Atlantic 10 Conference New England Division
1997 record	2–9 (1–7 A-10)
Head coach	Mike Hodges
Home stadium	Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium (17,000)

1997 Atlantic 10 Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
New England
New Hampshire x		5	–	3					5	–	6
Connecticut		4	–	4					7	–	4
Maine		4	–	4					5	–	6
Rhode Island		2	–	6					2	–	9
Boston University		1	–	7					1	–	10
UMass		1	–	7					2	–	9
Mid–Atlantic
#1 Villanova x$^		8	–	0					12	–	1
#3 Delaware ^		7	–	1					12	–	2
#24 Northeastern		5	–	3					8	–	3
Richmond		4	–	4					6	–	5
William & Mary		4	–	4					7	–	4
James Madison		3	–	5					5	–	6
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions ^ – Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network I–AA Poll

The 1997 UMass Minutemen football team represented the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season as a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The team was coached by Mike Hodges and played its home games at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Hadley, Massachusetts. It was Hodges' last as head coach, as he would take the position of Assistant Athletic Director at the University in the offseason. The 1997 season was a tough one for the Minutemen as they stumbled to their worst record since 1953. UMass finished the season with a record of 2–9 overall and 1–7 in conference play.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 30, 1997	1:00 PM	Richmond		McGuirk Stadium • Hadley, MA		L 6–21	10,837
September 13, 1997	1:00 PM	at Maine		Alumni Stadium • Orono, ME		L 6–49	4,363
September 20, 1997	6:00 PM	at James Madison		Bridgeforth Stadium • Harrisonburg, VA		L 10–13	11,300
September 27, 1997	1:00 PM	Rhode Island		McGuirk Stadium • Hadley, MA		W 18–14	8,218
October 4, 1997	12:00 PM	New Hampshire		McGuirk Stadium • Hadley, MA (Rivalry)	A10 TV	L 10–28	14,835
October 11, 1997	1:00 PM	at #4 Villanova		Villanova Stadium • Philadelphia, PA	NESN	L 27–49	7,109
October 18, 1997	1:30 PM	at Buffalo*		UB Stadium • Amherst, NY		W 26–20	6,052
October 25, 1997	1:00 PM	#4 Delaware*		McGuirk Stadium • Hadley, MA		L 9–40	5,317
November 1, 1997	12:30 PM	Hofstra*		McGuirk Stadium • Hadley, MA		L 13–51	2,510
November 8, 1997	1:00 PM	at Boston University		Nickerson Field • Boston, MA		L 8–33	3,140
November 15, 1997	12:30 PM	Connecticut		McGuirk Stadium • Hadley, MA (Rivalry)		L 16–49	2,870
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from the FCS Sports Network Poll, unless otherwise noted. All times are in Eastern Time.