The 1997 Southern Miss Golden Eagles football team represented the University of Southern Mississippi in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season.
The Golden Eagles were led by eighth-year head coach Jeff Bower and played their home games at M. M. Roberts Stadium.
[1] They were invited to the 1997 Liberty Bowl, where they defeated Pittsburgh, 41–7.
In the final AP and Coaches Polls of the season, the Golden Eagles were ranked 19th, which was the first ranked finish in school history.
This college football 1990s season article is a stub.