1997 West Virginia Mountaineers football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1997 West Virginia Mountaineers football Big East Conference Big East 7–5 4–3 Don Nehlen 18th Dan Simrell 3rd Steve Dunlap 6th Mountaineer Field Carquest Bowl L 30–35 vs. Georgia Tech The 1997 West Virginia Mountaineers football team represented West Virginia University as a member of the Big East Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by 18th-year head coach Don Nehlen, the Mountaineers compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 4–3 in conference play, tying for third place in the Big East. West Virginia was invited to the Carquest Bowl, where the Mountaineers lost to Georgia Tech. The team played home games at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. Schedule 1997 AP Eastern August 30 12:00 p.m. w y Marshall Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV Friends of Coal Bowl ESPN Plus 42–31 65,492 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-west-virginia-su/152135021/ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette West Virginia survives rally by Marshall August 31, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 6 12:30 p.m. w y East Carolina Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV ESPN 24–17 51,143 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72990593/banged-up-harley-stalls/ The Charlotte Observer Banged up Harley stalls September 7, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 13 12:00 p.m. l y Boston College Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA ESPN 24–31 39,200 https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-just-when-its-least-ex/152135182/ The Hartford Courant Just when it's least expected September 14, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com September 27 3:30 p.m. w y Miami (FL) Miami Orange Bowl Miami, FL CBS 28–17 39,270 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-stuart-news-gloom-over-miami/152135373/ The Stuart News Gloom over Miami September 28, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 4 12:00 p.m. w Rutgers Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV ESPN Plus 48–0 51,737 https://www.newspapers.com/article/asbury-park-press-knights-simply-dazed/152135488/ Asbury Park Press Knights simply dazed; Offense hits bottom vs. W. Virginia October 5, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 11 1:00 p.m. w y y Maryland Byrd Stadium College Park, MD rivalry 31–14 31,210 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-rb-zereoue-lifts-w-vir/152101089/ The Miami Herald RB Zereoue lifts W. Virginia October 12, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com October 25 3:30 p.m. w 21 Virginia Tech 19 Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV rivalry CBS 30–17 63,649 https://www.newspapers.com/article/martinsville-bulletin-mountaineers-humbl/152135609/ Martinsville Bulletin Mountaineers humble Hokies 30–17 October 26, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 1 7:30 p.m. l y 17 Syracuse Carrier Dome Syracuse, NY rivalry ESPN 10–40 49,273 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal-news-syracuse-overcomes-mist/152135729/ The Journal News Syracuse overcomes mistakes, W. Virginia November 2, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 15 1:00 p.m. w Temple Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV 41–21 37,061 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-owls-lose-thei/152135868/ The Philadelphia Inquirer Owls lose their season finale, and maybe Dickerson as well November 16, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 22 2:30 p.m. l y y 22 Notre Dame Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN NBC 14–21 80,225 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-powlus-finally-a-h/152136074/ The Indianapolis Star Powlus finally a hero as Irish beat Mountaineers November 23, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com November 28 2:30 p.m. l Pittsburgh Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV Backyard Brawl CBS 38–41 3OT 48,044 https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-1997-gonzalez-tr/107764794/ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Triple threat; Gonzalez TD pass in third OT puts Pitt in bowl picture November 29, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com December 29 7:30 p.m. l y y Georgia Tech Pro Player Stadium Miami Gardens, FL Carquest Bowl TBS 30–35 28,262 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-odessa-american-hamilton-helps-georg/152098476/ The Odessa American Hamilton helps Georgia Tech roll over West Virginia December 30, 1997 July 27, 2024 Newspapers.com Rankings 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 17 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 23 21 17 NR NR 22 NR NR NR NR Coaches 0 17 NR NR 24 NR NR NR 24 22 20 17 22 23 21 NR NR NR NR Game summaries Marshall Thundering Herd 3 7 21 0 Mountaineers 21 7 0 14 August 30 Mountaineer FieldMorgantown, WV 12:00 p.m. EST 65,492 70 F, Partly Cloudy and Mild, Wind NW 4 mph on Jim Maconaghy John Sanders and Jeff Bostic ESPN Plus yes 1 4 12:30 WVU Gary Thompkins 7-yard blocked punt return (Jay Taylor kick) WVU 7–0 6:04 WVU Amos Zereoué 10-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) WVU 14–0 2:24 MAR Billy Malashevich 25-yard field goal WVU 14–3 0:02 WVU Amos Zereoué 52-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) WVU 21–3 2 2 10:51 WVU Curtis Keaton 11-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) WVU 28–3 3:34 MAR LaVorn Colclough 24-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) WVU 28–10 3 3 13:08 MAR Randy Moss 15-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) WVU 28–17 9:24 MAR Llow Turner 53-yard run (Billy Malashevich kick) WVU 28–24 0:35 MAR Randy Moss 25-yard pass from Chad Pennington (Billy Malashevich kick) MAR 31–28 4 2 11:07 WVU Chad Wable 15-yard pass from Marc Bulger (Jay Taylor kick) WVU 35–31 7:56 WVU Amos Zereoué 1-yard run (Jay Taylor kick) WVU 42–31 yes 1997 Marshall Thundering Herd football team Friends of Coal Bowl Marshall Makes It Close Los Angeles Times https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-aug-31-sp-27756-story.html August 31, 1997 January 5, 2019 Maryland 1997 Maryland Terrapins football team Maryland–West Virginia football rivalry Virginia Tech 1997 Virginia Tech Hokies football team Black Diamond Trophy Syracuse 1997 Syracuse Orangemen football team Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy Pittsburgh 1997 Pittsburgh Panthers football team Backyard Brawl Georgia Tech (Carquest Bowl) 1997 Carquest Bowl 1997 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team Personnel 1997 West Virginia Mountaineers y 65   Sam Austin OT 10 So Marc Bulger QB y 67 Jr Eric de Groh C 62 Jr Steve Ford OG 16 Jr Shawn Foreman WR y 9   Curtis Keaton RB y 80 So James Norton WR 77 So Solomon Page OT y 61 Jr Bryan Pukenas OG 87 Sr Chad Wable TE 34 Sr Leroy White FB 20 So Amos Zereoué RB y 3 So Perlo Bastien CB 45   Bob Baum DE 1   Damon Cogdell LB 33 So Barrett Green SS y 52 Sr John Hadley LB 50 Sr Steve Lippe LB 78 Sr Henry Slay DT y 55 Jr Gary Stills DE y 28   Nate Terry CB 11 So Gary Thompkins FS 96 Jr John Thornton NT y John Thornton (American football) 7 Sr Bryan Baumann P 47 So Jay Taylor K y Jay Taylor (placekicker) Don Nehlen References West Virginia Category:West Virginia Mountaineers football seasons West Virginia Mountaineers football