| Year: | 1997 |
| Regular Season: | August–November 1997 |
| Postseason: | November 18–December 20, 1997 |
| Championship: | Jim Carroll Stadium Savannah, TN |
| Champions: | Findlay (4) |
| Naia Poty: | Bo Hurley (QB, Findlay) |
The 1997 NAIA football season, as part of the 1997 college football season in the United States, was the 42nd season of college football sponsored by the NAIA.
The season was played from August to November 1997, culminating in the 1997 NAIA Football National Championship, played this year on December 20, 1997 at Jim Carroll Stadium in Savannah, Tennessee.[1]
Findlay defeated Willamette in the championship game, 14–7, to win their fourth NAIA national title.[2]
| Conference | Champion | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | Western Oregon Central Washington | 3–1 | |
| Frontier | Montana Tech | 6–0 | |
| Heart of America | Benedictine Evangel | 8–1 | |
| Kansas | Ottawa Southwestern (KS) | 7–1 | |
| Mid-South | Campbellsville Georgetown (KY) | 5–1 | |
| Mid-States | Mideast Division: Geneva Midwest Division: Findlay | 6–0 6–0 | |
| Nebraska-Iowa | Doane | 6–0 | |
| North Dakota | Jamestown | 6–0 | |
| South Dakota-Iowa | Sioux Falls | — |
The 1997 Linfield vs. Willamette football game was played between the and the played on October 18, 1997. The game was played at McCulloch Stadium in Salem, Oregon. Willamette won the game by a score of 27 to 0. During the game, Liz Heaston became the first woman to not only play but also to score in a college football game.[3]