The 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

as a member of the

Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Fa ...

during the

1997 NCAA Division I-A football season The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in ...

. Led by first-year head coach

Joe Tiller Joseph Henry Tiller (December 7, 1942 – September 30, 2017) was an American football offensive lineman and coach. He served as the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders as an interim head coach in 1976, University of Wyoming from 1991 to 1996, ...

, 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 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

. The team played home games at

Ross–Ade Stadium Ross–Ade Stadium is a stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana, on the campus of Purdue University. It is the home field of Purdue Boilermakers football. History The stadium was built in 1924 to replace Stuart Field, which had been hosting Pur ...

West Lafayette, Indiana West Lafayette ( ) is a city in Wabash and Tippecanoe Townships, Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, approximately northwest of the state capital of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette is directly across the Wabash ...

Schedule

Rankings

Game summaries

Toledo

''Joe Tiller's first game as Purdue head coach''

Notre Dame

'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."

Ball State

Northwestern

*Kendall Matthews 29 rushes, 152 yards

Minnesota

*Purdue's first win in Minneapolis since 1983.

Wisconsin

With the win over Wisconsin, Purdue is off to its best start since 1978 and produced their first five-game winning streak since 1980.

Illinois

*Kendall Matthews 16 rushes, 177 yards

Iowa

Michigan State

*Edwin Watson 24 rushes, 115 yards

Penn State

*Edwin Watson 19 rushes, 133 yards

Indiana

*Edwin Watson 18 rushes, 163 yards

Oklahoma State

Personnel

Roster

Coaching staff

* Head coach:

* Assistants: Tim Burke, Jim Chaney, Scott Downing, Gary Emanuel, Danny Hope, Larry Korpitz, Tim Lappano, Randy Melvin, Greg Olson, Brock Spack

Starters

*Offense: WR

Brian Alford Brian Wayne Alford (born June 7, 1975) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Purdue Boilermakers, earning fi ...

, 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 Billy Charles Dicken (born December 28, 1974) is a former arena football quarterback who is currently the defensive quality coach for the NC State Football team. Dicken played in the Arena Football League (AFL) from 2001 to 2006 for the Chicago ...

, 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

Awards

* All-Americans:

(Football News) * All-Big Ten: Brian Alford (1st), Rosevelt Colvin (2nd), Billy Dicken (1st)2011 Purdue football information guide

References

{{Purdue Boilermakers football navbox

Purdue Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donat ...

Purdue Boilermakers football seasons Alamo Bowl champion seasons

Purdue Boilermakers football The Purdue Boilermakers football team represents Purdue University in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football. Purdue plays its home games at Ross–Ade Stadium on the campus of Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. ...