The Crimson finished with a 10–1–1 record and shut out 10 of 12 opponents under first-year head coach William Cameron Forbes, who later served as Governor-General of the Philippines (1908–13) and Ambassador of the United States to Japan (1930–32).
The 1897 team won its first ten games by a combined 227-5 score.
It then closed the season playing to a scoreless tie with Yale and losing by a 15-6 score against Penn.
[1][2] Two Harvard players received consensus honors on the 1897 College Football All-America Team: center Allan Doucette and halfback Benjamin Dibblee.
Other notable players on Harvard's 1897 team included end Norman Cabot and tackle Malcolm Donald.