1997 New Mexico Lobos football team

American college football season August 2023 December 2025 1997 New Mexico Lobos football Western Athletic Conference Mountain Division WAC 9–4 6–2 Dennis Franchione 6th Dennis Darnell 4th Gary Patterson 2nd Multiple 4–2–5 University Stadium WAC Mountain Division champion Insight.com Bowl L 14–20 vs. Arizona WAC Championship Game L 13–41 vs. Colorado State The 1997 New Mexico Lobos football team represented the University of New Mexico in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Lobos were led by sixth-year head coach Dennis Franchione, in his final year with the team, and played their home games at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They finished the regular season atop the Mountain Division of the Western Athletic Conference with a 6–2 conference record, and lost to Colorado State in the 1997 WAC Championship Game. New Mexico was invited to the 1997 Insight.com Bowl, their first bowl game since 1961, where they lost to Arizona, 14–20. The season is also notable for the Lobos because their brief appearance in the Coaches' Poll in Week 15 is the last time that the team has been featured in either the Coaches' Poll or the AP Poll, 2024 y. Schedule 1997 AP August 30 w y Northern Arizona University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 33–10 25,643 Easier Said Than Done: Lobos Begin Season With Victory Over Lumberjacks Albuquerue Journal August 31, 1997 E1, E12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86705483/easier-said-than-done-lobos-begin/ Newspapers.com4th quarter barrage too much for Jacks Arizona Daily Sun Jason Stone August 31, 1997 21 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86705536/4th-quarter-barrage-too-much-for-jacks/ Newspapers.com September 6 w y New Mexico State University Stadium Albuquerque, NM Rio Grande Rivalry 61–24 September 13 w y UTEP Sun Bowl El Paso, TX 38–20 19,857 September 20 w y y Utah State Romney Stadium Logan, UT 25–22 15,112 October 4 w y SMU University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 22–15 33,128 October 11 w y San Diego State Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego, CA 36–21 28,732 October 18 l Rice University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 23–35 October 25 l y Utah Robert Rice Stadium Salt Lake City, UT 10–15 28,129 November 1 w y TCU Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX 40–10 November 15 w BYU University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 38–28 30,363 November 22 w Tulsa University Stadium Albuquerque, NM 51–13 29,217 December 6 l y Colorado State 20 Sam Boyd Stadium Whitney, NV WAC Championship Game 13–41 12,706 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29292635/western_athletic_conf_championship/ Western Athletic Conf. Championship Akron Beacon Journal Akron, Ohio C9 December 7, 1997 March 8, 2019 newspapers.com December 27 l y y Arizona Arizona Stadium Tucson, AZ Insight.com Bowl, rivalry 14–20 49,385 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/new-mexico/1997-schedule.html 1997 New Mexico Lobos Schedule & Results Sports-Reference.com May 10, 2017 Rankings 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings AP 0 17 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR Coaches 0 17 NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR NR 25 NR NR Roster 1997 New Mexico Lobos f 6 Sr Scott McGarrahan WS y 10 Jr Danny Gonzales SS P y 16 Sr Billy Austin Billy Austin (American football) FS y 44 So Brian Urlacher LB y 51 SR Bart Barnard LB *Dennis Franchione References New Mexico Category:New Mexico Lobos football seasons New Mexico Lobos football