The 1997 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado at Boulder as a member of the North Division of the Big 12 Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Rick Neuheisel, the Buffaloes compiled an overall record of 5–6 in a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the Big 12 North. Colorado played home games at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.
For the second time in the decade, Colorado played the nation's toughest schedule. While all five wins were forfeited due to the use of an ineligible player, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Colorado recognize all the results on the field for their records.[1]
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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| September 6 | 11:30 am | No. 24 Colorado State* | No. 8 | | FSN | W 31–21 (vacated) | 53,416 |
| September 13 | 10:00 am | at No. 14 Michigan* | No. 8 | | ABC | L 3–27 | 106,474 |
| September 27 | 1:30 pm | Wyoming* | No. 16 | | FSN | W 20–19 (vacated) | 50,971 |
| October 4 | 1:30 pm | No. 21 Texas A&M | No. 16 | | ABC | L 10–16 | 50,877 |
| October 11 | 5:00 pm | at No. 20 Oklahoma State | No. 24 | | FSN | L 29–33 | 50,100 |
| October 18 | 5:00 pm | Kansas | | | FSN | W 42–6 (vacated) | 52,097 |
| October 25 | 1:30 pm | at Texas | | | ABC | W 47–30 (vacated) | 78,005 |
| November 1 | 12:30 pm | Missouri | | | | L 31–41 | 49,848 |
| November 8 | 10:30 am | at Iowa State | | | FSN | W 43–38 (vacated) | 32,080 |
| November 15 | 1:30 pm | at No. 10 Kansas State | | | ABC | L 20–37 | 43,981 |
| November 28 | 12:30 pm | No. 2 Nebraska | | | ABC | L 24–27 | 52,738 |
- *Non-conference game
Homecoming- Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
- All times are in Mountain time
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[2][3][4]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked ( ) = First-place votes | Week |
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| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Final |
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| AP | 8 (3) | 8 (3) | 8 (3) | 8 (3) | 15 | 16 | 16 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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| Coaches | 7 (3) | | 7 (1) | 7 (1) | 16 | 16 | 18 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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References
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| Venues | |
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| Bowls & rivalries | |
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| Culture & lore | |
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| People | |
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| Seasons | |
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National championship seasons in bold |