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The 1997 Washington State Cougars football team was an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
team that represented
Washington State University Washington State University (Washington State, WSU, or informally Wazzu) is a public land-grant research university with its flagship, and oldest, campus in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest land-grant uni ...
in the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their ninth season under head coach Mike Price, the Cougars went 10–1 in the regular season (7–1 in Pac-10), won the conference championship, lost to #1
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
in the Rose Bowl, and outscored their opponents 483 to 296. They played their home games on campus at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington, and were ninth in the final rankings. The team's statistical leaders included Ryan Leaf with 3,968 passing yards, Michael Black with 1,181 rushing yards, and Chris Jackson with 1,005 receiving yards. Freshman defensive back
Lamont Thompson Lamont Darnell Thompson (born July 30, 1978) is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He also played for the Tennessee Titans, Miam ...
led the team with 6 interceptions. The Rose Bowl appearance was the first for Washington State in 67 years; the next was five years later. Leaf decided to forgo his remaining season of eligibility ( 1998) and entered the 1998 NFL Draft, where he was the second overall selection.


Schedule


Roster

:


Game summaries


UCLA

UCLA took a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter, but Washington State exploded for 27 unanswered points to end the half. The Cougars led by as many as 16 on two occasions, but clung to just a 3-point lead late in the game. UCLA had a 4th and goal from the one-yard line with 2:50 remaining, but the Cougars stood tall to emerge victorious.


at No. 23 USC

Washington State defeated No. 23 USC in Los Angeles for the first time since 1957.


at Illinois


Boise State


at Oregon


California


Arizona


at No. 20 Arizona State

After trailing 24–0 midway through the second quarter, Washington State rallied to take a 25–24 lead early in the fourth quarter. After Arizona State answered with a touchdown, the Cougars were driving again. However, the Cougars were doomed by two late fumbles that were both returned for touchdowns.


Southwestern Louisiana


Stanford


at No. 20 Washington


vs. No. 1 Michigan (Rose Bowl)


Awards and honors

* Ryan Leaf
Sammy Baugh Trophy The Touchdown Club of Columbus was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1956 by Sam B. Nicola at the request of state auditor James A. Rhodes, who later became governor of the state. Nicola served as the club's president until his death in 1993. More t ...
,
Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Coaches of the Pac-12 Conference bestow the following awards at the end of each football season. The conference was founded in its current form as the Athletic Association of Western Universities in 1959, but traces its roots to the Pacific Coast Co ...
, All-American, Third in Heisman Trophy voting * Leon BenderAll-American * Mike Price
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award The Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award is an annual college football award given to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision head coach whose team excels on the field, in the classroom, and in the community. The award is named for Bobby Dodd, ...
, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year,
Home Depot Coach of the Year Award The Coach of the Year Award is given annually to college football's top head coach. The award for the Division I (NCAA), Division I Football Bowl Subdivision is selected by ESPN and American Broadcasting Company, ABC college football analysts. Br ...
, ''Sporting News'' College Football Coach of the Year, Pac-10 Coach of the Year


NFL Draft

Four Cougars were selected in the 1998 NFL Draft; quarterback Ryan Leaf was taken second overall.


References

{{Pac-12 Conference football champions
Washington State Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a U.S. state, state in the Northwestern United States, Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first President of the United States, U.S. p ...
Washington State Cougars football seasons Pac-12 Conference football champion seasons Washington State Cougars football