1997 Southern Jaguars football team

The 1997 Southern Jaguars football team represented Southern University as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Pete Richardson, the Jaguars compiled an overall record of 11–1, with a conference record of 8–0, and finished as SWAC champion. At the conclusion of the season, the Jaguars were also recognized as black college national champion.

1997 Southern Jaguars football
Black college national champion SWAC champion
Heritage Bowl, W 34–28 vs. South Carolina State
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Record	11–1 (8–0 SWAC)
Head coach	Pete Richardson (5th season)
Home stadium	A. W. Mumford Stadium
Seasons ← 1996 1998 →

1997 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 12 Southern $		8	–	0					11	–	1
No. 14 Jackson State ^		7	–	1					9	–	3
Arkansas–Pine Bluff		6	–	2					8	–	3
Texas Southern		4	–	4					5	–	6
Alcorn State		4	–	4					4	–	7
Mississippi Valley State		3	–	5					4	–	6
Alabama State		2	–	6					3	–	8
Grambling State		2	–	6					3	–	8
Prairie View A&M		0	–	8					0	–	9
$ – Conference champion ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network Poll

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 30	vs. Mississippi Valley State	No. 17	Soldier Field Chicago, IL (Chicago Football Classic)	W 57–30	22,061	[1]
September 6	Northwestern State*	No. 17	A. W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	W 27–9		[2]
September 13	Arkansas–Pine Bluff	No. 15	A. W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	W 36–33 3OT		[3]
September 20	Prairie View A&M	No. 13	A. W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	W 63–7		[4]
October 4	vs. Alabama State	No. 13	Ladd Stadium Mobile, AL (Gulf Coast Classic)	W 27–16	29,331	[5]
October 18	at Jackson State	No. 8	Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium Jackson, MS (rivalry)	W 28–8	60,319	[6]
October 25	Alcorn State	No. 8	A. W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	W 25–16		[7]
November 1	Nicholls State*	No. 6	A. W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	W 21–14	24,000	[8]
November 8	at No. 15 Florida A&M*	No. 6	Bragg Memorial Stadium Tallahassee, FL	L 3–33	33,441	[9]
November 16	at Texas Southern	No. 12	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	W 27–17		[10][11]
November 29	vs. Grambling State	No. 12	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans, LA (Bayou Classic)	W 30–7		[12]
December 27	vs. No. 22 South Carolina State*	No. 12	Georgia Dome Atlanta, GA (Heritage Bowl)	W 34–28	32,629	[13]
*Non-conference game Rankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the game