1997 CFL season

1997 CFL season
DurationJune 25 – October 26, 1997
East championsToronto Argonauts
West championsSaskatchewan Roughriders
85th Grey Cup
DateNovember 16, 1997
VenueCommonwealth Stadium,
Edmonton
ChampionsToronto Argonauts
CFL seasons
← 1996
1998 →
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Alouettes
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Eskimos
Stampeders
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Lions
Canadian Football League team locations: West, East

The 1997 CFL 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

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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 changed the playoff format, adding a 'cross-over' rule. Previously, the 3rd place team in each division played the 2nd place team in the division semifinals. Under the new rule, should the 4th place team in one division have a better record than that of the 3rd place team in the other division, the 4th place team crosses over to the other division's semifinal, taking that 3rd place team's place. There is no tie-breaker; the cross-over hopeful must have a strictly better record to advance. BC attained a cross-over playoff berth in the first year under this rule. The rule remains in effect.

Regular season standings

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Final regular season standings

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

West Division
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Edmonton Eskimos 18 12 6 0 479 400 24
Calgary Stampeders 18 10 8 0 522 442 20
Saskatchewan Roughriders 18 8 10 0 413 479 16
BC Lions 18 8 10 0 429 536 16
East Division
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Toronto Argonauts 18 15 3 0 660 327 30
Montreal Alouettes 18 13 5 0 509 532 26
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18 4 14 0 443 548 8
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 18 2 16 0 362 549 4
  • Bold text means that they clinched playoff spots.
  • Edmonton and Toronto both had first round byes.
  • Due to the cross-over rule – the BC Lions played the Montreal Alouettes in the East Semi-Final Game.

Grey Cup playoffs

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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

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November 2: Division Semifinals November 9: Division Finals November 16: 85th Grey Cup @ Commonwealth StadiumEdmonton, AB
         
E2 Montreal Alouettes 30
East
E1 Toronto Argonauts 37
W4 BC Lions 35
E2 Montreal Alouettes 45
E1 Toronto Argonauts 47
W3 Saskatchewan Roughriders 23
W3 Saskatchewan Roughriders 31
West
W1 Edmonton Eskimos 30
W3 Saskatchewan Roughriders 33
W2 Calgary Stampeders 30

CFL Leaders

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1997 CFL All-Stars

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Offence

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Defence

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Special teams

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1997 Eastern All-Stars

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Offence

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Defence

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Special teams

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1997 Western All-Stars

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Offence

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Defence

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Special teams

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1997 Intergold CFLPA All-Stars

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Offence

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Defence

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Special teams

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Head coach

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1997 CFL Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "CFLapedia".
  2. ^ 1997 Intergold CFLPA All-Stars