1997 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team

American college football season August 2023 January 2026 1997 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football Atlantic 10 Conference Mid-Atlantic Division A-10 3 12–2 7–1 Tubby Raymond 32nd Ted Kempski 30th Delaware Wing-T Bob Sabol 7th 4–3 Delaware Stadium Lambert Cup winner NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal L 21–23 vs. McNeese State The 1997 Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football team represented the University of Delaware as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Division of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 32nd-year head coach Tubby Raymond, the Fightin' Blue Hens compiled an overall record of 12–2 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the A-10's Mid-Atlantic Division. For the sixth time in seven sessions, Delaware advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where the Fightin' Blue Hens beat 1997 Hofstra Flying Dutchmen Hofstra in the first round and Georgia Southern in the quarterfinals before losing to the eventual national runner-up, McNeese State, in the semifinals. The team played home games at Delaware Stadium in Newark, Delaware. Schedule 1997 NCAA Division I-AA The Sports Network September 6 w y 6 New Hampshire 22 Cowell Stadium Durham, NH 27–10 September 13 l 4 Villanova 18 Delaware Stadium Newark, DE Battle of the Blue 25–35 September 20 w y 11 1997 West Chester Golden Rams West Chester Delaware Stadium Newark, DE rivalry 28–7 September 27 w y 10 1997 Northeastern Huskies Northeastern Parsons Field Brookline, MA 38–14 October 4 w y 11 Boston University Nickerson Field Boston, MA 49–17 October 11 w 6 Richmond 21 Delaware Stadium Newark, DE 24–7 14,324 Punter White lifts Blue Hens with foot, arm The News Journal October 12, 1997 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/112636374/punter-white-lifts-blue-hens-with-foot/ November 6, 2022 Newspapers.com October 18 w y 6 James Madison Bridgeforth Stadium Harrisonburg, VA rivalry 49–27 12,000 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87666637/blue-hens-pile-up-the-points/ The News Journal Blue Hens pile up the points October 19, 1997 October 24, 2021 Newspapers.com October 25 w y y 4 UMass Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium Hadley, MA 40–9 5,317 November 1 w y 3 William & Mary 20 Delaware Stadium Newark, DE rivalry 14–0 18,707 November 8 w 3 Connecticut Delaware Stadium Newark, DE 37–29 November 15 w y y 3 Lehigh Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, PA rivalry 24–19 7,122 'Flat' Blue Hens Slip Past Lehigh Tom Tomashek November 16, 1997 D1 Sunday News Journal Wilmington, Del. Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/clip/59380492/1997-lehigh-delaware/ November 29 w y 3 1997 Hofstra Flying Dutchmen Hofstra 17 Delaware Stadium Newark, DE NCAA Division I-AA First Round 24–14 December 6 w y 3 Georgia Southern 8 Delaware Stadium Newark, DE NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal 16–7 11,203 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph-georgia-southern-can/176167985/ The Macon Telegraph Georgia Southern can't cross Delaware December 7, 1997 July 7, 2025 Newspapers.com December 13 l y 3 McNeese State 7 Delaware Stadium Newark, DE NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal 21–23 14,461 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/120238859/kick-halts-delawares-hopes/ The Philadelphia Inquirer Kick halts Delaware's hopes December 14, 1997 March 5, 2023 Newspapers.com 1997 Football Schedule https://bluehens.com/sports/football/schedule/1997 Delaware Blue Hens November 7, 2022 References Delaware Category:Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football seasons Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football Delaware