1997 Ohio State Buckeyes football team


The 1997 Ohio State Buckeyes football team was an American football team that represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their tenth year under head coach John Cooper, the Buckeyes compiled a 10–3 record, finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a total of 380 to 139. Against ranked opponents, the Buckeyes defeated No. 11 Iowa and No. 21 [1997 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State] and lost to No. 2 Penn State and No. 1 Michigan. The Buckeyes concluded the season with a 31–14 loss to No. 4 Florida State in the 1998 Sugar Bowl. Ohio State was ranked No. 12 in the final AP poll.
The Buckeyes gained an average of 155.0 rushing yards and 226.1 passing yards per game. On defense, they gave up 114.7 rushing yards and 132.6 passing yards per game. Quarterback duties were split between junior Joe Germaine and senior Stanley Jackson. The team's other statistical leaders included running back Pepe Pearson and wide receiver David Boston. Linebacker Andy Katzenmoyer was selected as a consensus first-team All-American. Defensive back Antoine Winfield also received first-team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and Football Writers Association of America. Six Ohio State players received first-team honors on the 1997 All-Big Ten Conference football team: Boston; Katzenmoyer; Winfield; offensive tackle Eric Gohlstin; defensive back Damon Moore; and punter Brent Bartholomew.
The team played its home games at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Game summaries

Northwestern

Personnel

Coaching staff

NFL draft

For the first time since the NFL draft's inception in 1936, no Ohio State players were selected in the 1998 NFL draft.