1997 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

The 1997 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team represented Sam Houston State University as a member of the Southland Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by 16th-year head coach Ron Randleman, the Bearkats compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, and finished tied for fourth in the Southland.

1997 Sam Houston State Bearkats football
Conference	Southland Conference
Record	5–6 (3–4 Southland)
Head coach	Ron Randleman (16th season)
Defensive coordinator	Mike Lucas (8th season)
Home stadium	Bowers Stadium
Seasons ← 1996 1998 →

1997 Southland Football League standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 7 McNeese State +^		6	–	1					13	–	2
No. 21 Northwestern State +^		6	–	1					8	–	4
No. 13 Stephen F. Austin		5	–	2					8	–	3
Sam Houston State		3	–	4					5	–	6
Nicholls State		3	–	4					5	–	6
Southwest Texas State		2	–	5					5	–	6
Troy State		2	–	5					5	–	6
Jacksonville State		1	–	6					1	–	10
+ – Conference co-champions ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 30		Angelo State*	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	L 17–24	10,217	[1]
September 6	4:00 p.m.	at Texas A&M*	Kyle Field College Station, TX	L 6–59	58,619	[2]
September 13	7:00 p.m.	Jacksonville State	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	L 21–28	8,036	[3]
September 20		Arkansas–Monticello*	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 55–0	10,055	[4]
September 27		at Texas Southern*	Robertson Stadium Houston, TX	W 40–7	4,040	[5][6]
October 11		at No. 19 Troy State	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	L 10–13 OT	5,013	[7]
October 18		No. 15 Nicholls State	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	W 24–17	10,024	[8]
November 1		at No. 9 McNeese State	Cowboy Stadium Lake Charles, LA	L 21–38	10,238	[9]
November 8		No. 7 Stephen F. Austin	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX (Battle of the Piney Woods)	W 33–28	11,033	[10]
November 15		No. 25 Northwestern State	Bowers Stadium Huntsville, TX	L 19–35	4,019	[11]
November 22		at Southwest Texas State	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX (rivalry)	W 35–30		[12]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game

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