1997 CFL season

The 1997 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 44th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 40th Canadian Football League season.

CFL News in 1997

The CFL entered the 1997 season with eight teams, instead of nine. The Ottawa Rough Riders ceased operations and folded after the 1996 season. In February, a dispersal draft was held for the players who were under contract with the Ottawa franchise.

The Montreal Alouettes began the 1997 season under new ownership, which was headed by Robert C. Wetenhall. Wetenhall and his ownership group retained the Alouette name and logo.

With the Rough Riders departure, the CFL returned the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the East Division.

The CFL also started implementing the cross-over rule, which enables one 4th place team from a division to qualify for the playoffs, as long as, they have earned more points than the 3rd place team from the oppossing division. If qualified the 4th place team would then cross-over to the other division in the playoffs and play the 2nd place team.

Regular Season Standings

Final regular season standings

"Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, Pts = Points"

*Bold text means that they clinched playoff spots.
*"Edmonton and Toronto both had first round byes."
*"Due to the cross-over rule - the B.C. Lions played the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final Game."

Grey Cup playoffs

The Toronto Argonauts won their second-straight Grey Cup championship in 1997, defeating the Saskatchewan Roughriders 47-23, at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium. The Argonauts' Doug Flutie (QB) was named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Player and Paul Masotti (WR) was the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian.

Playoff bracket

6TeamBracket
RD1=November 2: Division Semifinals
RD2=November 9: Division Finals
RD3=November 16: 85th Grey Cup @ Commonwealth Stadium - Edmonton, AB
group1=East
group2=West
RD1-seed1=W4
RD1-team1=British Columbia Lions
RD1-score1=35
RD1-seed2=E2
RD1-team2=Montreal Alouettes
RD1-score2=45
RD1-seed3=W3
RD1-team3=Saskatchewan Roughriders
RD1-score3=33
RD1-seed4=W2
RD1-team4=Calgary Stampeders
RD1-score4=30
RD2-seed1=E2
RD2-team1=Montreal Alouettes
RD2-score1=30
RD2-seed2=E1
RD2-team2=Toronto Argonauts
RD2-score2=37
RD2-seed3=W3
RD2-team3=Saskatchewan Roughriders
RD2-score3=31
RD2-seed4=W1
RD2-team4=Edmonton Eskimos
RD2-score4=30
RD3-seed2=W3
RD3-team2=Saskatchewan Roughriders
RD3-score2=23
RD3-seed1=E1
RD3-team1=Toronto Argonauts
RD3-score1=47

1997 CFL All-Stars

OFFENCE

*QB - Doug Flutie, Toronto Argonauts
*FB - Robert Drummond, Toronto Argonauts
*RB - Mike Pringle, Montreal Alouettes
*SB - Derrell Mitchell, Toronto Argonauts
*SB - Darren Flutie, Edmonton Eskimos
*WR - Alfred Jackson, British Columbia Lions
*WR - Milt Stegall, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*C - Mike Kiselak, Toronto Argonauts
*OG - Fred Childress, Calgary Stampeders
*OG - Pierre Vercheval, Montreal Alouettes
*OT - Uzooma Okeke, Montreal Alouettes
*OT - Neal Fort, Montreal Alouettes

DEFENCE

*DT - Rob Waldrop, Toronto Argonauts
*DT - Doug Petersen, Montreal Alouettes
*DE - Elfrid Payton, Montreal Alouettes
*DE - Bobby Jurasin, Saskatchewan Roughriders
*LB - Maurice Kelley, British Columbia Lions
*LB - Willie Pless, Edmonton Eskimos
*LB - Shonte Peoples, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
*CB - Kavis Reed, Edmonton Eskimos
*CB - Marvin Coleman, Calgary Stampeders
*DB - Glenn Rogers Jr., Edmonton Eskimos
*DB - Johnnie Harris, Toronto Argonauts
*DS - Lester Smith, Toronto Argonauts

PECIAL TEAMS

*P/K - Mike Vanderjagt, Toronto Argonauts
*ST - Mike "Pinball" Clemons, Toronto Argonauts

1997 CFL Awards

*CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award - Doug Flutie (QB), Toronto Argonauts
*CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award - Sean Millington (FB), British Columbia Lions
*CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award - Willie Pless (LB), Edmonton Eskimos
*CFL's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award - Mike Kiselak (C), Toronto Argonauts
*CFL's Most Outstanding Rookie Award - Derrell Mitchell (SB), Toronto Argonauts
*CFLPA's Most Outstanding Community Service Award - Mark McLoughlin (K), Calgary Stampeders
*CFL's Coach of the Year - Don Matthews, Toronto Argonauts