1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football Atlantic Coast Conference ACC 4 6 11–1 7–1 Mack Brown 10th regular season Carl Torbush interim; bowl game Greg Davis 2nd Multiple Carl Torbush 10th 4–3 Greg Ellis Vonnie Holliday Jonathan Linton Jeff Saturday Brian Simmons Kenan Memorial Stadium Gator Bowl champion Gator Bowl W 42–3 vs. Virginia Tech The 1997 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The team was coached by Mack Brown and finished the season 11–1 overall, 7–1 in the conference. At the end of the season, Brown left for the University of Texas at Austin and did not coach in the Gator Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. Carl Torbush, who was the defensive coordinator during the regular season, became the head coach when Brown left. North Carolina credits the regular season to Brown and the Gator Bowl victory to Torbush. Schedule 1997 AP Eastern September 6 12:00 p.m. w y 7 Indiana Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC ESPN2 23–6 57,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-indiana-cant-find/152077411/ The Indianapolis Star Indiana can't find end zone in loss September 7, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com September 13 6:00 p.m. w y 7 Stanford 17 Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC ESPN2 28–17 57,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-cruz-sentinel-cardinal-streak-snap/152077552/ Santa Cruz Sentinel Cardinal streak snapped September 14, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com September 20 12:00 p.m. w y 6 Maryland Byrd Stadium College Park, MD JPS 40–14 30,084 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charlotte-observer-tar-heels-thump-t/152077668/ The Charlotte Observer Tar Heels thump Terrapins September 21, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com September 27 12:00 p.m. w 5 Virginia Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC South's Oldest Rivalry ABC 48–20 57,800 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-chapel-hill-news-reversal-of-fortune/152077796/ The Chapel Hill News Reversal of fortune; UNC rallies for huge win over Cavs September 28, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com October 4 8:05 p.m. w y y 5 TCU Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX 31–10 29,415 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-journal-tcus-rally-falls-sh/152077899/ The Atlanta Journal TCU's rally falls short vs. Tar Heels October 5, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com October 11 12:00 p.m. w 5 Wake Forest Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC rivalry JPS 30–12 57,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-of-atlantic-city-north-carolina-ha/152078017/ Press of Atlantic City North Carolina has its flaws, but does enough to top Wake Forest October 12, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com October 18 6:00 p.m. w y 4 NC State Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC rivalry ESPN2 20–7 51,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-sun-heels-find-another-win/152078149/ The Herald-Sun Heels find another win October 19, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com October 30 8:00 p.m. w y 5 Georgia Tech Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA ESPN 16–13 45,126 https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-tar-heels-nip-jack/152078262/ Winston-Salem Journal Tar Heels nip Jackets October 31, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com November 8 7:30 p.m. l 5 Florida State 3 Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC College GameDay ESPN 3–20 62,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-index-journal-fsu-downs-heels/152076772/ The Index-Journal FSU downs Heels November 9, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com November 15 3:30 p.m. w y 8 Clemson Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC ABC 17–10 71,514 https://www.newspapers.com/article/florence-morning-news-north-carolina-dea/152078382/ Florence Morning News North Carolina deals Clemson near-fatal blow November 16, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com November 22 12:00 p.m. w 8 Duke Kenan Memorial Stadium Chapel Hill, NC Victory Bell JPS 50–14 53,500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-heels-make-big-bow/152078514/ The News and Observer Heels make big bowl plea November 23, 1997 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com January 1, 1998 12:30 p.m. w y y 7 Virginia Tech Alltel Stadium Jacksonville, FL Gator Bowl NBC 42–3 54,116 https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-north-carolina/152078648/ Fort Worth Star-Telegram North Carolina makes statement in rout January 2, 1998 July 26, 2024 Newspapers.com Roster 1997 North Carolina Tar Heels f 4 Sr Octavus Barnes WR 15 Sr Chris Keldorf QB 18 Jr Na Brown WR y 23 Jr LC Stevens WR 77 Jr John Surigao OT 27 Sr Jonathan Linton RB y 51 Sr Mike Baxter OT 63 Sr Mike Hobgood OG 64 Sr Jeff Saturday C y 82 So Alge Crumpler TE y 86 Jr Ebenezer Ekuban TE y 2 Sr Omar Brown Omar Brown (defensive back, born 1975) S y 3 Sr Greg Williams S 9 Jr Keith Newman LB y 29 Jr Robert Williams CB 31 So Dré Bly CB yes y 41 Sr Brian Simmons LB y 53 Sr Kivuusama Mays LB y 84 Sr Nate Hobgood-Chittick DT y 85 So Chris Mintz DT yes 87 Sr Greg Ellis Greg Ellis (American football) DE y 90 Sr Vonnie Holliday DT y 91 Jr Mike Pringley DE y 96 Jr Russell Davis Russell Davis (defensive tackle) DE y 23 So Brian Schmitz P 37 So Josh McGee K *Mack Brown Rankings 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 17 7 (4) 7 (4) 7 (4) 7 (2) 6 (1) 5 (2) 5 (2) 5 (2) 4 (2) 4 (2) 5 (2) 5 (2) 8 8 8 7 7 6 Coaches Poll 0 17 8 (1) 8 (1) 8 (1) 8 (1) 7 (1) 5 (1) 5 (1) 5 (1) 4 (1) 4 (1) 5 5 9 8 6 5 5 4 Game summaries Vs. Virginia Tech (Gator Bowl) North Carolina vs. Virginia Tech(Gator Bowl) No. 7 Tar Heels Hokies 16 6 6 14 0 0 3 0 January 1, 1998 Alltel StadiumJacksonville, FL EST 54,116 Charlie Jones (play–by–play), Bob Trumpy (analyst) and John Dockery (sideline) NBC 1997 Virginia Tech Hokies football team 1998 Gator Bowl In Gator, UNC Gives Hokies a 'Good Whuppin',' 42-3 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/colfoot/longterm/1997/bowls/results/gator2.htm The Washington Post January 2, 1998 January 23, 2021 Players in the 1998 NFL draft 1998 NFL draft Player Position Round Pick NFL club Ref Greg Ellis DE 1 8 Dallas Cowboys pro-football-reference.com 1998 NFL Draft https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1998/draft.htm Brian Simmons LB 1 17 Cincinnati Bengals Vonnie Holliday DE 1 19 Green Bay Packers Omar Brown S 4 103 Atlanta Falcons Kivuusama Mays LB 4 110 Minnesota Vikings Robert Williams CB 5 128 Kansas City Chiefs Jonathan Linton FB 5 131 Buffalo Bills References North Carolina Category:North Carolina Tar Heels football seasons Category:Gator Bowl champion seasons North Carolina Tar Heels football