1997 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team

1997 Mississippi State Bulldogs football
Conference	Southeastern Conference
Division	Western Division
Record	7–4 (4–4 SEC)
Head coach	Jackie Sherrill (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	Lynn Amedee (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Joe Lee Dunn (2nd season)
Base defense	50
Home stadium	Scott Field

1997 Southeastern Conference football standings

	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Eastern Division
No. 7 Tennessee x$		7	–	1					11	–	2
No. 10 Georgia		6	–	2					10	–	2
No. 4 Florida		6	–	2					10	–	2
South Carolina		3	–	5					5	–	6
Kentucky		2	–	6					5	–	6
Vanderbilt		0	–	8					3	–	8
Western Division
No. 11 Auburn xy		6	–	2					10	–	3
No. 13 LSU x		6	–	2					9	–	3
No. 22 Ole Miss		4	–	4					8	–	4
Mississippi State		4	–	4					7	–	4
Arkansas		2	–	6					4	–	7
Alabama		2	–	6					4	–	7
Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team represented Mississippi State University as a member of the Western Division of the Southern Conference (SEC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Jackie Sherrill, the Bulldogs compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for third place in the SEC's Western Division. Mississippi State played home games at Scott Field in Starkville, Mississippi.

As of 2024, the 1997 Bulldogs are the last SEC team with seven or more wins not to be invited to a bowl game.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
August 30	6:00 p.m.	Memphis*		Scott Field Starkville, MS	FSN	W 13–10	33,310
September 6	11:30 a.m.	Kentucky		Scott Field Starkville, MS	JPS	W 35–27	30,121
September 13	8:00 p.m.	No. 10 LSU		Scott Field Starkville, MS (rivalry)	ESPN	L 9–24	40,030
September 27	11:30 a.m.	South Carolina		Scott Field Starkville, MS	JPS	W 37–17	30,120
October 4	12:00 p.m.	at No. 18 Georgia		Sanford Stadium Athens, GA		L 0–47	83,211
October 11	6:00 p.m.	Northeast Louisiana*		Scott Field Starkville, MS		W 24–10	30,857
October 25	1:30 p.m.	UCF*		Scott Field Starkville, MS		W 35–28	28,621
November 1	1:00 p.m.	at No. 11 Auburn		Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, AL		W 20–0	82,736
November 15	11:30 a.m.	at Alabama	No. 17	Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL (rivalry)	JPS	W 32–20	70,123
November 22	1:00 p.m.	at Arkansas	No. 15	Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR		L 7–17	39,911
November 29	2:30 p.m.	Ole Miss	No. 22	Scott Field Starkville, MS (Egg Bowl)	JPS	L 14–15	41,200
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time