Date Time Opponent Site Result Attendance Source August 28 Pittsburg State * L 8–916,672 [ 1]
September 6 7:00 p.m. at Jacksonville State * W 47–4214,023 [ 2]
September 13 No. 20 McNeese State * Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO L 16–2813,385 [ 3]
September 20 Tennessee–Martin * Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO W 27–14[ 4]
October 4 at Southern Illinois W 36–3512,200 [ 5]
October 11 Indiana State Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO W 22–7[ 6]
October 18 Illinois State Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO W 41–79,003 [ 7]
October 25 at No. 3 Western Illinois L 7–3710,874 [ 8]
November 1 No. 25 Northern Iowa Plaster Sports Complex Springfield, MO L 22–23[ 9]
November 8 at Arkansas State * L 27–35[ 10]
November 15 12:00 p.m. at No. 4 Youngstown State L 13–4511,167 [ 11]
[ 12]
^ "Pitt State wins opener" . The Wichita Eagle . August 29, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "You want excitement, you got it; Williams put stamp on JSU despite loss" . The Anniston Star . September 7, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Bears' offense sputters in loss" . The Springfield News-Leader . September 14, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "UTM's Ruffin sets record in loss" . The Jackson Sun . September 21, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Salukis smarting" . Southern Illinoisan . October 5, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Indiana State falls to SW Missouri St" . The Times . October 12, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "ISU football team drowned by SW Missouri State blitz" . The Pantagraph . October 19, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Stecker, W. Illinois stun SMS" . Springfield News-Leader . October 26, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Fortney, Northern Iowa outlast Bears in Gateway thriller" . The Des Moines Register . November 2, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Long passes power A-State" . The Commercial Appeal . November 9, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Youngstown St. rolls over SW Missouri" . The Plain Dealer . November 16, 1997. Retrieved June 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Missouri State Football 2023 Media Guide" (PDF) . Missouri State University Athletics. p. 65. Retrieved June 30, 2024 .