The 1997 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of Michigan State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1997 Big Ten Conference football season.
Led by third-year head coach Nick Saban, the Spartans compiled an overall record of 7–5 with a mark of 4–4 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the Big Ten.
Michigan State was invited to the Aloha Bowl, where they lost, 51–23, on December 25 to Washington.
The team played home games at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan.
[1] Michigan State's first win versus Notre Dame since 1986.