| Year: | 2017 |
| Team: | The Citadel Bulldogs |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SoCon |
| Record: | 5–6 |
| Conf Record: | 3–5 |
| Head Coach: | Brent Thompson |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Coach: | Lou Conte |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Off Scheme: | Triple option |
| Def Coach: | Blake Harrell |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Scheme: | 4–3 |
| Stadium: | Johnson Hagood Stadium |
The 2017 The Citadel Bulldogs football team represented The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Bulldogs were led by second-year head coach Brent Thompson and played their home games at Johnson Hagood Stadium. They were members of the Southern Conference. They finished the season 5–6, 3–5 in SoCon play to finish in a tie for sixth place.
The SoCon released their preseason media poll on July 18, 2017, with the Bulldogs predicted to finish in second place, with six of 22 voters picking The Citadel first.[1] The same day the coaches released their preseason poll with the Bulldogs also predicted to finish in second place.[2]
| 1 | Wofford | 178 (11) | |
| 2 | The Citadel | 166 (6) | |
| 3 | Samford | 156 (3) | |
| 4 | Chattanooga | 152 (2) | |
| 5 | Mercer | 101 | |
| 6 | Furman | 87 | |
| 7 | Western Carolina | 71 | |
| 8 | ETSU | 49 | |
| 9 | VMI | 30 |
| 1 | Wofford | 63 (7) | |
| 2 | The Citadel | 54 (2) | |
| 3 | Samford | 52 | |
| 4 | Chattanooga | 41 | |
| 5 | Mercer | 32 | |
| 6 | Western Carolina | 27 | |
| 7 | Furman | 26 | |
| 8 | ETSU | 17 | |
| 9 | VMI | 12 |
The Bulldogs placed five players on the preseason all-SoCon teams, and Kailik Williams was named as preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Defensive Player of the Year
Kailik Williams – DB
Offense
1st team
Defense
1st team
2nd team
See also: 2017 Presbyterian Blue Hose football team.
See also: 2017 East Tennessee State Buccaneers football team.
See also: 2017 Samford Bulldogs football team.
See also: 2017 Mercer Bears football team.
See also: 2017 Wofford Terriers football team.
See also: 2017 Chattanooga Mocs football team.
See also: 2017 VMI Keydets football team and Military Classic of the South.
See also: 2017 Western Carolina Catamounts football team.
See also: 2017 Furman Paladins football team and The Citadel–Furman football rivalry.
See also: 2017 Clemson Tigers football team.
See main article: 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football rankings.