The 1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University as a member of the North Division of the Big 12 Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by ninth-year head coach Bill Snyder, the Wildcats compiled an overall record of 11–1 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, placing second in the Big 12's North Division. Kansas State was invited to the Fiesta Bowl, where the Wildcats defeated Donovan McNabb's Syracuse Orangemen. The team played home games at KSU Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|
| September 6 | 6:30 p.m. | at Northern Illinois* | No. 21 | | | W 47–7 | 26,873 |
| September 13 | 6:10 p.m. | Ohio* | No. 20 | | | W 23–20 | 42,097 |
| September 27 | 1:10 p.m. | Bowling Green* | No. 18 | | | W 58–0 | 41,524 |
| October 4 | 6:00 p.m. | at No. 3 Nebraska | No. 17 | | FX | L 26–56 | 75,856 |
| October 11 | 11:30 a.m. | Missouri | No. 22 | | FSN | W 41–11 | 43,510 |
| October 18 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 14 Texas A&M | No. 20 | | ABC | W 36–17 | 43,601 |
| October 25 | 1:30 p.m. | at Oklahoma | No. 14 | | | W 26–7 | 68,433 |
| November 1 | 11:30 a.m. | at Texas Tech | No. 13 | | FSN | W 13–2 | 38,322 |
| November 8 | 1:10 p.m. | Kansas | No. 11 | | PPV | W 48–16 | 43,832 |
| November 15 | 2:30 p.m. | Colorado | No. 10 | | ABC | W 37–20 | 43,981 |
| November 22 | 11:30 a.m. | at Iowa State | No. 9 | | FSN | W 28–3 | 24,042 |
| December 31 | 6:00 p.m. | vs. No. 14 Syracuse* | No. 10 | | CBS | W 35–18 | 69,367 |
- *Non-conference game
- Homecoming
- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Central time
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Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
т = Tied with team above or below | Week |
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| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
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| AP | 23 | 22 | 21т | 20 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
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| Coaches | 23 | | 23 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 23 | 20 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 |
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Game summaries
Nebraska
Kansas State at Nebraska
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Kansas State |
6 |
0 | 6 | 14 |
26 |
| • Nebraska |
10 |
10 | 21 | 15 |
56 |
Texas A&M
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
| No. 14 Texas A&M
|
0
|
3
|
7
|
7 |
17 |
| No. 20 Kansas State
|
13
|
3
|
7
|
13 |
36 |
Kansas
Syracuse (Fiesta Bowl)
1997 Fiesta Bowl
| Team |
1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #10 Kansas State |
0 |
21 | 0 | 14 |
35 |
| #14 Syracuse |
3 |
12 | 0 | 3 |
18 |
Roster
| 1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team roster
|
| Players
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Coaches
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| Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Ron Hudson – Offensive Coordinator & quarterbacks
- Michael Smith – Running backs
- Greg Peterson – Wide receivers & passing game coordinator
- Larry Kramer – Tight ends & Special Teams Coordinator
- Mike Stoops – Defensive Coordinator & defensive backs
- Mo Latimore – interior Defensive line
- Jon Faris – Defensive end
- Brent Venables – Linebackers
- Mark Mangino – Recruiting Game Coordinator
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
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References
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| Venues | |
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| Bowls & rivalries | |
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| Culture & lore | |
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| People | |
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| Seasons | |
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