1997 Washington Huskies football team

1997 Washington Huskies football
Aloha Bowl champion
Aloha Bowl, W 51–23 vs. Michigan State
ConferencePacific-10
Ranking
CoachesNo. 18
APNo. 18
Record8–4 (5–3 Pac-10)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorScott Linehan (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorRandy Hart (3rd season)
MVPJerome Pathon
Captains
Home stadiumHusky Stadium
Seasons
← 1996
1998 →
1997 Pacific-10 Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 9 Washington State +   7 1     10 2  
No. 5 UCLA +   7 1     10 2  
No. 14 Arizona State   6 2     9 3  
No. 18 Washington   5 3     8 4  
Arizona   4 4     7 5  
USC   4 4     6 5  
Oregon   3 5     7 5  
Stanford   3 5     5 6  
California   1 7     3 8  
Oregon State   0 8     3 8  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 Washington Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the University of Washington during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its fifth season under head coach Jim Lambright, the team compiled an 8–4 record, finished fourth in the Pacific-10 Conference, and outscored its opponents 420 to 259.[1] Receiver Jerome Pathon was selected as the team's most valuable player. Seniors Pathon, Jerry Jensen, Rashaan Shehee, Tony Parrish were the team captains.

After a 27–0 shutout of USC on November 1,[2] the Huskies were 7–1 and ranked sixth in the nation. Saddled with injuries,[2][3] they lost the final three conference games to unranked Oregon,[4] #9 UCLA, and #11 Washington State.[5][6]

At the Aloha Bowl on Christmas Day against #25 Michigan State, Washington built a 31–10 lead at halftime and won 51–23;[3][7] it was Lambright's sole bowl victory in his six seasons as head coach. The win moved UW up three spots in the final rankings, to #18 in both major polls.[8]

  1. ^ "Washington Yearly Results (1995–1999)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Condotta, Bob (November 2, 1997). "UW emerges battered, not beaten". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). (Tacoma News Tribune). p. C1.
  3. ^ a b "UW leis Spartans low". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 26, 1997. p. C1.
  4. ^ Conrad, John (November 9, 1997). "Ducks turn Huskies to mush". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1D.
  5. ^ Cour, Jim (November 23, 1997). "Everything comes up roses for WSU". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. p. 1G.
  6. ^ Sando, Mike (November 23, 1997). "On to Pasadena!". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C1.
  7. ^ Withers, Bud (December 26, 1997). "Huskies too fast, too big for Spartans". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). p. 1C.
  8. ^ "College football final polls". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). wire services. January 3, 1998. p. 3D.