1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team

1997 Purdue Boilermakers football
Alamo Bowl champion
Alamo Bowl, W 33–20 vs. Oklahoma State
Conference	Big Ten Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 15
AP	No. 15
1997 record	9–3 (6–2 Big Ten)
Head coach	Joe Tiller (1st year)
Offensive coordinator	Jim Chaney (1st year)
Offensive scheme	Spread offense
Defensive coordinator	Brock Spack (1st year)
Base defense	4–3
Captain	Brian Alford (Senior year)
Captain	Rosevelt Colvin (Junior year)
Captain	Mark Fischer (Senior year)
Home stadium	Ross–Ade Stadium (Capacity: 67,861)
Seasons ← 1996 1998 →

1997 Big Ten football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#1 Michigan $		8	–	0					12	–	0
#12 Ohio State		6	–	2					10	–	3
#16 Penn State		6	–	2					9	–	3
#15 Purdue		6	–	2					9	–	3
Wisconsin		5	–	3					8	–	5
Iowa		4	–	4					7	–	5
Michigan State		4	–	4					7	–	5
Northwestern		3	–	5					5	–	7
Minnesota		1	–	7					3	–	9
Indiana		1	–	7					2	–	9
Illinois		0	–	8					0	–	11
$ – Conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

Purdue at Toledo

1 2 3 4 Total Purdue 7 7 0 8 22 • Toledo 21 6 3 6 36 Date: September 6 Location: Glass Bowl, Toledo, OH Game attendance: 26,700

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

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

Notre Dame at Purdue

1 2 3 4 Total Notre Dame 0 10 0 7 17 • Purdue 7 7 0 14 28 Date: September 13 Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN Game attendance: 68,789

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

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

Ball State at Purdue

1 2 3 4 Total Ball State 0 7 0 7 14 • Purdue 3 10 15 0 28 Date: September 20 Location: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN Game attendance: 45,947

Northwestern at Purdue

1 2 3 4 Total Northwestern 3 6 0 0 9 • Purdue 7 7 7 0 21 Date: September 27 Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN Game attendance: 42,112

Purdue at Minnesota

1 2 3 4 Total • Purdue 17 21 14 7 59 Minnesota 14 7 7 15 43 Date: October 11 Location: Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

Wisconsin at Purdue
Homecoming

1 2 3 4 Total Wisconsin 0 10 7 3 20 • Purdue 21 7 7 10 45 Date: October 18 Location: Ross–Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN

The 1997 Purdue Boilermakers football team represented Purdue University in the 1997 Big Ten Conference football season. They played their home games at Ross–Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Indiana and were members of the Big Ten Conference.

Joe Tiller's first game as Purdue head coach

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."

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

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