American college football season
The 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season . Led by first-year head coach Joe Tiller , the Boilermakers compiled an overall record of 9–3 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, placing in a three-way tie in the Big Ten. Purdue had its best season since 1980 . The team played home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana .
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance September 6 6:00 pm at Toledo * L 22–3627,700 September 13 2:30 pm No. 12 Notre Dame * ABC W 28–1768,789 September 20 1:00 pm Ball State * Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN W 28–1445,947 September 27 11:30 am Northwestern Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN ESPN W 21–942,112 October 11 6:00 pm at Minnesota ESPN Plus W 59–4337,821 October 18 1:00 pm No. 24 Wisconsin Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN W 45–2054,252 October 25 1:00 pm at Illinois No. 22 W 48–345,122 November 1 12:30 pm at No. 15 Iowa No. 18 ESPN2 L 17–3570,397 November 8 12:30 pm Michigan State No. 23 Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN ESPN2 W 22–2155,539 November 15 12:00 pm No. 6 Penn State No. 19 Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN ESPN L 17–4252,156 November 22 1:00 pm at Indiana No. 23 W 56–746,599 December 30 8:00 pm No. 24 Oklahoma State * No. 17 ESPN W 33–2055,552 *Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked т = Tied with team above or below Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Final AP — — — — — — — — — 22 18 23 19т 23 18 18 17 15 Coaches — — — — — — — — 23 18 24 20 25 18 17 16 15
Offense: WR Brian Alford , WR Gabe Cox, LT Mark Fischer, WR F Chesti, LG Brian Nicely, C Jim Niedrach, RG Chukky Okobi , RT Dan Maly, TE Jon Blackman , WR Isaac Jones , QB Billy Dicken , RB Edwin Watson, K Shane Ryan Defense: LE Chukie Nwokorie , LT Leo Perez, RT Greg Smith, RE Rosevelt Colvin , WLB Willie Burroughs, MLB Willie Fells, SLB Mike Rose, LCB Michael Hawthorne , FS Adrian Beasley, SS Lee Brush, RCB Lamar Conrad, P Brandon Kaser[ 2] Purdue at Toledo 1 2 3 4 Total Purdue 7 7 0 8 22 • Toledo 21 6 3 6 36
Scoring summary 1 PUR Watson 45-yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 7-0 1 TOL Reynolds 1-yard run (Merrick kick) Tied 7-7 1 TOL Harris 5-yard run (Merrick kick) TOL 14-7 1 TOL Freeman 29-yard pass from Wallace (Merrick kick) TOL 21-7 2 TOL Merrick 25-yard field goal TOL 24-7 2 TOL Merrick 37-yard field goal TOL 27-7 2 PUR Alford 73-yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) TOL 27-14 3 TOL Merrick 21-yard field goal TOL 30-14 4 TOL Kreitzburg 6-yard pass from Wallace (two-point failed) TOL 36-14 4 PUR Sutherland 5-yard run (Watson rund) TOL 36-22
Joe Tiller's first game as Purdue head coach [ 3]
Notre Dame at Purdue 1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 10 0 7 17 • Purdue 7 7 0 14 28
Scoring summary 1 PUR Edwin Watson 1-yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 7-0 2 ND Sanson 34-yard field goal PUR 7-3 2 PUR Edwin Watson 1-yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 14-3 2 ND Autry Denson 16-yard run (Sanson kick)PUR 14-10 4 PUR Adrian Beasley 43-yard fumble return (Ryan kick) PUR 21-10 4 ND Autry Denson 1-yard pass from Ron Powlus (Sanson kick) PUR 21-17 4 PUR Kendall Matthews 3-yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 28-17
In Joe Tiller 's first home game, Purdue snapped an 11-game losing streak to Notre Dame as fans tore down the goalposts after the victory. Edwin Watson, who had two touchdown runs, had said earlier in the week that former head coach and new Irish offensive coordinator Jim Colletto "was used to losing here (Purdue), so it would be nothing new for him."[ 4]
Ball State at Purdue 1 2 3 4 Total Ball State 0 7 0 7 14 • Purdue 3 10 15 0 28
Date: September 20Location: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INGame attendance: 45,947
[ 5]
Northwestern at Purdue 1 2 3 4 Total Northwestern 3 6 0 0 9 • Purdue 7 7 7 0 21
Date: September 27Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, INGame attendance: 42,112
[ 6]
Kendall Matthews 29 rushes, 152 yards [ 7]
Purdue at Minnesota 1 2 3 4 Total • Purdue 17 21 14 7 59 Minnesota 14 7 7 15 43
Scoring summary Q1 10:31 MINN Nelson 31 yard pass from Atwell (Bailey kick) MINN 7−0 Q1 10:03 PUR Watson 65 yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) Tie 7–7 Q1 6:30 PUR Ryan 32 yard field goal PUR 10–7 Q1 3:21 PUR Matthews 33 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 17–7 Q1 0:23 MINN Duerr 3 yard pass from Sauter (Bailey kick) PUR 17–14 Q2 8:05 PUR Watson 21 yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) PUR 24–14 Q2 5:07 MINN Wyrick 42 yard pass from Rindels (Bailey kick) PUR 24–21 Q2 4:45 PUR Alford 93 yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) PUR 31–21 Q2 1:36 PUR Watson 1 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 38–21 Q3 13:53 MINN Evans 45 yard run (Bailey kick) PUR 38–28 Q3 10:11 PUR Dicken 11 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 45–28 Q3 1:33 PUR Alford 89 yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) PUR 52–28 Q4 9:40 PUR Jones 4 yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) PUR 59–28 Q4 7:21 MINN Atwell 46 yard pass from Cockerham (Bailey kick) PUR 59–35 Q4 0:38 MINN Bean 1 yard run (Bean run) PUR 59–43
Purdue's first win in Minneapolis since 1983. [ 8]
Wisconsin at Purdue Homecoming 1 2 3 4 Total Wisconsin 0 10 7 3 20 • Purdue 21 7 7 10 45
Date: October 18Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN
With the win over Wisconsin, Purdue is off to its best start since 1978 and produced their first five-game winning streak since 1980.[ 9]
Purdue at Illinois 1 2 3 4 Total • Purdue 14 20 7 7 48 Illinois 0 3 0 0 3
[ 10]
Kendall Matthews 16 rushes, 177 yards [ 11]
Purdue at Iowa 1 2 3 4 Total Purdue 10 7 0 0 17 • Iowa 0 14 21 0 35
[ 12]
Michigan State at Purdue 1 2 3 4 Total Michigan State 7 7 0 7 21 • Purdue 0 7 0 15 22
Date: November 8Location: Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, INGame attendance: 55,539
[ 13]
Edwin Watson 24 rushes, 115 yards [ 14]
Penn State at Purdue 1 2 3 4 Total • Penn State 0 14 14 14 42 Purdue 0 9 0 8 17
Date: November 15Location: Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, INGame attendance: 52,156
[ 15]
Edwin Watson 19 rushes, 133 yards [ 16]
Purdue at Indiana 1 2 3 4 Total • Purdue 14 7 7 28 56 Indiana 0 7 0 0 7
Scoring summary 1 PUR Watson 14 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 7–0 1 PUR Dicken 6 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 14–0 2 IND Conner 42 yard pass from Rodgers (Payne kick) PUR 14–7 2 PUR L. Johnson 35 yard fumble return (Ryan kick) PUR 21–7 3 PUR Watson 48 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 28–7 4 PUR I. Jones 16 yard pass from Dicken (Ryan kick) PUR 35–7 4 PUR Rose 24 yard interception return (Ryan kick) PUR 42–7 4 PUR Brees 5 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 49–7 4 PUR Graham 49 yard run (Ryan kick) PUR 56–7
[ 17] [ 18]
Edwin Watson 18 rushes, 163 yards [ 19]
Oklahoma State vs. Purdue Alamo Bowl 1 2 3 4 Total • Purdue 7 3 20 3 33 Oklahoma State 3 3 7 7 20
[ 20]
1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team roster Players Coaches Offense Defense Special teams Pos. # Name Class PK 22 Aaron Bunten Fr P 26 Danny Rogers So LS 60 Andy Standifer So P 92 Brandon Kaser Jr PK 96 Shane Ryan So
Head coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: November 28, 2016
^ 2011 Purdue football information guide ^ 2011 Purdue football information guide ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011 ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011. ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011 ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011 ^ 2020 Purdue Record Book . Retrieved 2020-Dec-27. ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011 ^ "Boilermakers Rout Wisconsin." 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011 ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 9, 2011 ^ 2020 Purdue Record Book . Retrieved 2020-Dec-21. ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011 ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011. ^ 2020 Purdue Record Book . Retrieved 2021-Jan-02. ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011. ^ 2020 Purdue Record Book . Retrieved 2020-Dec-29. ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011 ^ USA Today . ^ 2020 Purdue Record Book . Retrieved 2020-Dec-21. ^ 1997 Purdue football archives. PurdueSports.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011 ^ 2011 Purdue football information guide
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