1997 NC State Wolfpack football team

The 1997 NC State Wolfpack football team represented North Carolina State University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was led by fifth-year head coach Mike O'Cain and played its home games at Carter–Finley Stadium. They finished the season with a 6–5 record overall and a 3–5 record in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) games.^[1][2]

1997 NC State Wolfpack football
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference
Record	6–5 (3–5 ACC)
Head coach	Mike O'Cain (5th season)
Offensive coordinator	Jimmy Kiser (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Kent Briggs (2nd season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Jeff Snipes (1st season)
Home stadium	Carter–Finley Stadium
Seasons ← 1996 1998 →

1997 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 3 Florida State $		8	–	0					11	–	1
No. 6 North Carolina		7	–	1					11	–	1
Virginia		5	–	3					7	–	4
No. 25 Georgia Tech		5	–	3					7	–	5
Clemson		4	–	4					7	–	5
NC State		3	–	5					6	–	5
Wake Forest		3	–	5					5	–	6
Maryland		1	–	7					2	–	9
Duke		0	–	8					2	–	9
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 30	at Syracuse*	Carrier Dome Syracuse, NY	W 32–31 OT	47,742	[3]
September 6	at Duke	Wallace Wade Stadium Durham, NC (rivalry)	W 45–14	33,214	[4]
September 13	Clemson	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC (Textile Bowl)	L 17–19	50,000	[5]
September 20	Northern Illinois*	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC	W 41–14	51,500	[6]
September 25	at Wake Forest	Groves Stadium Winston-Salem, NC (rivalry)	L 18–19	24,259	[7]
October 11	at Georgia Tech	Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA	L 17–27	44,195	[8]
October 18	North Carolina	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC (rivalry)	L 7–20	51,500	[9]
November 1	at Florida State	Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL	L 35–48	71,415	[10]
November 8	Maryland	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC	W 45–28	43,500	[11]
November 15	Virginia	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC	W 31–24	42,400	[12]
November 22	East Carolina*	Carter–Finley Stadium Raleigh, NC (rivalry)	W 37–24	51,500	[13]
*Non-conference game

Rankings

See also: 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Final
AP	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Coaches	—		—	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

References

1. "1997 Football Schedule". NC State Athletics. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
2. "North Carolina State Yearly Results: 1995-1999". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
3. "Syracuse unravels; N.C. State takes advantage". The State. August 31, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "State packs a wallop". The News and Observer. September 7, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Tigers give 'Pack the boot". The Greenville News. September 14, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "N.C. State hands NIU another loss". Chicago Tribune. September 21, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Wake Forest stuns N.C. State with late FG". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 26, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Georgia Tech gets past N.C. State". Winston-Salem Journal. October 12, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Heels find another win". The Herald-Sun. October 19, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Seminoles outslug Wolfpack 48–35". Asheville Citizen-Times. November 2, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Wolfpack on hot streak". The Atlanta Constitution. November 9, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Wolfpack hangs on to defeat Cavs". Rocky Mount Telegram. November 16, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "A fine finish for Pack". The News and Observer. November 23, 1997. Retrieved July 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.