1997 CFL season

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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.

Contents

1 CFL News in 1997
2 Regular Season Standings

2.1 Final regular season standings

3 Grey Cup playoffs

3.1 Divisional Semi-Finals
3.2 Divisional Finals
3.3 Grey Cup Championship

4 1997 CFL All-Stars

4.1 '''OFFENCE'''
4.2 '''DEFENCE'''
4.3 '''SPECIAL TEAMS'''

5 1997 CFL Awards

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

Western Division Standings
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Edmonton 18 12 6 0 479 400 24
Calgary 18 10 8 0 522 442 20
Saskatchewan 18 8 10 0 413 479 16
B.C. 18 8 10 0 429 536 16

Eastern Division Standings
Team GP W L T PF PA Pts
Toronto 18 15 3 0 660 327 30
Montreal 18 13 5 0 509 532 26
Winnipeg 18 4 14 0 443 548 8
Hamilton 18 2 16 0 362 549 4

Bold text means that they have clinched the playoffs.
Edmonton and Toronto both have first round byes.
Due to the cross-over rule - the B.C. Lions will play the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final Game.

Grey Cup playoffs

Note: All dates in 1997

Divisional Semi-Finals

Eastern Semi-Final

British Columbia Lions @ Montreal Alouettes
Date	Away	Home
November 2	35	45

Western Semi-Final

Divisional Finals

|} Western Final |}

Grey Cup Championship

1997 CFL All-Stars

OFFENCE

QB - Doug Flutie
FB - Robert Drummond
RB - Mike Pringle
SB - Derrell Mitchell
SB - Darren Flutie
WR - Alfred Jackson
WR - Milt Stegall
C - Mike Kiselak
OG - Fred Childress
OG - Pierre Vercheval
OT - Uzooma Okeke
OT - Neal Fort

DEFENCE

DT - Rob Waldrop
DT - Doug Petersen
DE - Elfrid Payton
DE - Bobby Jurasin
LB - Maurice Kelley
LB - Willie Pless
LB - Shonte Peoples
CB - Kavis Reed
CB - Marvin Coleman
DB - Glenn Rogers Jr.
DB - Johnnie Harris
DS - Lester Smith

SPECIAL TEAMS

P/K - Mike Vanderjagt
ST - Mike "Pinball" Clemons

1997 CFL Awards

CFL's Outstanding Player Award - Doug Flutie (QB)
CFL's Outstanding Canadian Player Award - Sean Millington (FB)
CFL's Outstanding Defensive Player Award - Willie Pless (LB)
CFL's Outstanding Lineman Award - Mike Kiselak (C)
CFL's Outstanding Rookie Award - Derrell Mitchell (SB)
CFLPA's Outstanding Community Service Award - Mark McLoughlin (K)
CFL's Coach of the Year - Don Matthews

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