1997 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team

1997 Southwest Missouri State Bears football
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Record5–6 (3–3 GFC)
Head coach
Home stadiumPlaster Sports Complex
1997 Gateway Football Conference standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
No. 2 Western Illinois $^  6 0   11 2  
Northern Iowa  5 1   7 4  
No. 4 Youngstown State ^  4 2   13 2  
Southwest Missouri State  3 3   5 6  
Indiana State  2 4   3 8  
Southern Illinois  1 5   3 8  
Illinois State  0 6   2 9  
  • $ Conference champion
  • ^ NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll

The 1997 Southwest Missouri State Bears football team represented Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University) as a member of the Gateway Football Conference (GFC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by third-year head coach Del Miller, the Bears compiled an overall record of 5–6, with a mark of 3–3 in conference play, and finished fourth in the GFC.