The 1997 UCLA Bruins football team represented the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a member of the Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by second-year head coach Bob Toledo, the Bruins compiled an overall record of 10âÂÂ2 with a mark of 7âÂÂ1 in conference play, sharing the Pac-10 title with Washington State. UCLA was invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic, where the Bruins defeated Texas A&M. Though the Bruins were down 16âÂÂ7 at the half, Cade McNown, the offensive MVP of the game, led the team to a 29âÂÂ23 victory. UCLA was ranked No. 5 in both the final AP poll and the final Coaches Poll. The team played home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
*Source: Box score
The Bruins retained the Victory Bell for the seventh straight year.
Skip Hicks, Chad Overhauser, and Chris Sailer were selected to the 1997 College Football All-America Team.
The following players were selected in the 1998 NFL draft.