| Year: | 1997 |
| Team: | Western Kentucky Hilltoppers |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Tsnrank: | 5 |
| Record: | 10–2 |
| Head Coach: | Jack Harbaugh |
| Hc Year: | 9th |
| Stadium: | L. T. Smith Stadium |
| Bowl: | NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal |
| Bowl Result: | L 21–38 at |
The 1997 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team represented Western Kentucky University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season and were led by quarterback Willie Taggart and head coach Jack Harbaugh. The team was an independent and earned their first NCAA Division I-AA Playoff berth since 1988, making it to the quarterfinals. The Hilltoppers primarily ran an option offense and were ranked 1st in Rush Offence for NCAA Division I-AA. They finished the season ranked 5th in final I-AA postseason national poll.[1]
Western Kentucky's roster included future NFL players Rod “He Hate Me” Smart and Ben Wittman. Patrick Goodman and Andy Hape were named to All-America teams,[2] while Harbaugh was Division I-AA Independents and AFCA Region 3 Coach of the Year.[3] The I-AA Independent All-Star Team included Goodman, Bryan Heyward, Joey Stockton, Hape, Ron Kelly, and Taggart.[4]