1997 Northern Iowa Panthers football team

1997 Northern Iowa Panthers football
ConferenceGateway Football Conference
Record7–4 (5–1 Gateway)
Head coach
Home stadiumUNI-Dome
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 Northern Iowa Panthers football team represented the University of Northern Iowa as a member of the Gateway Football Conference during the 1997 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Mike Dunbar, the Panthers compiled an overall record of 7–4 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, and finished second in the Gateway.