1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football team

1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football
ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
DivisionEastern Division
Record5–6 (3–5 SEC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJohn Eason (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorWally Burnham (4th season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumWilliams–Brice Stadium
1997 Southeastern Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Eastern Division
No. 7 Tennessee x$  7 1   11 2  
No. 10 Georgia  6 2   10 2  
No. 4 Florida  6 2   10 2  
South Carolina  3 5   5 6  
Kentucky  2 6   5 6  
Vanderbilt  0 8   3 8  
Western Division
No. 11 Auburn xy  6 2   10 3  
No. 13 LSU x  6 2   9 3  
No. 22 Ole Miss  4 4   8 4  
Mississippi State  4 4   7 4  
Arkansas  2 6   4 7  
Alabama  2 6   4 7  
Championship: Tennessee 30, Auburn 29
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1997 South Carolina Gamecocks football team represented the University of South Carolina as a member of the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Brad Scott, the Gamecocks compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, placing fourth in the SEC's Eastern Division. The team played home games at Williams–Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina.

This was the first of three consecutive losing seasons for South Carolina ending the 1990s.