| Year: | 1997 |
| Team: | Southern Miss Golden Eagles |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Conference USA |
| Short Conf: | C-USA |
| Coachrank: | 19 |
| Aprank: | 19 |
| Record: | 9–3 |
| Conf Record: | 6–0 |
| Head Coach: | Jeff Bower |
| Hc Year: | 8th |
| Off Coach: | Larry Kueck |
| Oc Year: | 1st |
| Off Scheme: | Pro-style |
| Def Coach: | John Thompson |
| Dc Year: | 6th |
| Def Scheme: | Multiple |
| Stadium: | M. M. Roberts Stadium |
| Champion: | Conference USA champion Liberty Bowl champion |
| Bowl: | Liberty Bowl |
| Bowl Result: | W 41–7 vs. Pittsburgh |
The 1997 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Golden Eagles were led by eighth-year head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium. In their second year in the Conference USA, they claimed their second-straight conference championship with a 6–0 C-USA record and a 9–3 record overall.[1] They were invited to the 1997 Liberty Bowl, where they defeated Pittsburgh, 41–7. In the final AP and Coaches Polls of the season, the Golden Eagles were ranked 19th, which was the first ranked finish in school history.[2]
See also: 1997 NCAA Division I-A football rankings.