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Youngstown-McNeese postseason game
This article is about the Division I-AA (now FCS) championship game. For the Division I-A (now FBS) championship game, see
1997 Sugar Bowl .
College football game
The 1997 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game was a postseason college football game between the Youngstown State Penguins and the McNeese State Cowboys . The game was played on December 20, 1997, and was the first I-AA title game contested at Finley Stadium , home field of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga . The culminating game of the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season , it was won by Youngstown State, 10–9.[ 3]
The participants of the Championship Game were the finalists of the 1997 I-AA Playoffs , which began with a 16-team bracket .[ 4]
Youngstown State Penguins [ edit ] Youngstown State finished their regular season with a 9–2 record (4–2 in conference).[ 5] Hampton , first-seed Villanova , and third-seed Eastern Washington to reach the final. This was the fifth appearance for Youngstown State in a Division I-AA championship game, having won three titles (1991, 1993, and 1994) against one loss (1992).
McNeese State Cowboys [ edit ] McNeese State finished their regular season with a 10–1 record (6–1 in conference).[ 6] Montana , second-seed Western Illinois , and fourth-seed Delaware to reach the final. This was the first appearance for McNeese State in a Division I-AA championship game.
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
YSU
MSU
1
5:30
10
54
4:01
MSU
22-yard field goal by Shonz LaFrenz
0
3
2
2:19
14
52
6:22
YSU
21-yard field goal by Mark Griffith
3
3
3
8:08
5
28
2:51
MSU
37-yard field goal by LaFrenz
3
6
3
0:51
9
38
4:45
MSU
46-yard field goal by LaFrenz
3
9
4
8:08
9
66
3:54
YSU
Renauld Ray 9-yard touchdown reception from Demond Tidwell, Griffith kick good
10
9
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
10
9
[ 1] [ 7]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 8 Penguins
0
3
0
7
10
No. 6 Cowboys
3
0
6
0
9
Youngstown State head coach Jim Tressel
Statistics
YSU
MSU
First downs
12
11
Plays–yards
60–200
57–201
Rushes–yards
39–73
29–58
Passing yards
127
143
Passing: comp –att –int
12–21–0
14–28–1
Time of possession
31:37
28:23
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Youngstown State
Passing
Demond Tidwell
11–20, 110 yds, 1 TD
Rushing
Jake Andreadis
16 car, 47 yds
Receiving
Tim Tyrrell
4 rec, 54 yds
McNeese State
Passing
Blake Prejean
14–28, 143 yds, 1 INT
Rushing
William Davis
19 car, 59 yds
Receiving
Donnie Ashley
4 rec, 45 yds
[ 1] [ 3]
^ a b c d "Youngstown State vs McNeese State" . ysusports.com . December 20, 1997. Retrieved February 21, 2019 .^ "Recipients Named For Seventh Annual Golden Whistle Merit Awards" (PDF) . NCHSAA Bulletin . Vol. 65, no. 4. Summer 2013. p. 4. Retrieved February 21, 2019 .^ a b "Youngstown Wins 4th Championship Penguins Use Improvised Play To Squeeze By Mcneese State" . The Spokesman-Review Spokane, Washington . AP . December 21, 1997. Retrieved February 21, 2019 .^ "I-AA football playoffs" . Missoulian Missoula, Montana . November 24, 1997. p. D4. Retrieved February 8, 2019 – via newspapers.com.^ "Youngstown State Penguins 1997 Schedule" . cfbinfo.com . Retrieved February 21, 2019 .^ "McNeese State Cowboys 1997 Schedule" . cfbinfo.com . Retrieved February 21, 2019 .^ "NCAA I-AA Championship" . The Advocate Newark, Ohio . December 21, 1997. p. 2B. Retrieved February 21, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
Games through 2009 were played in December. Subsequent games have been played in January (*) or May (†).
Venues
Killen Field (1951–1953)
Wildcat Stadium (1954–1964)
Cowboy Stadium (1965–present) Bowls & rivalries People Seasons
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold
1997–98 NCAA Division I championships
† Not an officially sanctioned NCAA championship
