| 1997 NCAA Division I-AA season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Regular season | |
| Number of teams | 120 |
| Duration | August–November |
| Payton Award | Brian Finneran (WR, Villanova) |
| Buchanan Award | Chris McNeil (DE, North Carolina A&T) |
| Playoff | |
| Duration | November 29–December 20 |
| Championship date | December 20, 1997 |
| Championship site | Finley Stadium Chattanooga, Tennessee |
| Champion | Youngstown State |
| NCAA Division I-AA football seasons | |
«1996 1998» | |
The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season, part of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division I-AA level, began in August 1997, and concluded with the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game on December 20, 1997, at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Youngstown State Penguins won their fourth I-AA championship, defeating the McNeese State Cowboys by a score of 10−9.[1]
- ^ "1997 NCAA Division I Football Championship" (PDF). NCAA.org. p. 16. Retrieved December 29, 2013.