| Season: | 1997 |
| Conference: | SEC (6) |
Two human polls comprised the 1997 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I-A football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, did not bestow a national championship; instead that title was bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
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| Not ranked previous week | |||
| National champion | |||
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| Tied with team above or below also with this symbol |
In the final Coaches Poll of the 1997 season, Nebraska leapfrogged Michigan to secure a share of the national championship, making it the 3rd split championship of the 1990s.[1] Eight coaches split their first-place votes, with a final tally of 32 first-place votes for Nebraska and 30 for Michigan. The final vote count was Nebraska 1,520, Michigan 1,516.[2]