NAIA returned to a single division playoff for its football championship in 1997.
First Round (Nov. 20)
| at Taylor (Ind.) 38 | Mo. Valley College 12 |
| at Hastings (Neb.) 45 | Bethany (Kan.) 23 |
| at Georgetown (Ky.) 38 | St. Francis (Ind.) 0 |
| at Mary (N.D.) 34 | Huron (S.D.) 3 |
| at NW Oklahoma St. 44 | Southwestern (Kan.) 10 |
| Lambuth (Tenn.) 41 | at McKendree (Ill.) 38 |
| Rocky Mtn. (Mont.) 38 | at Dickinson St. (N.D.) 32 |
| at Azusa Pacific (Calif.) 31 | Doane (Neb.) 12 |
Quarterfinals (Nov. 27)
| at Georgetown 55 | Taylor 3 |
| at Mary 7 | Rocky Mtn. College 3 |
| at NW Oklahoma St. 56 | Lambuth 13 |
| at Azusa Pacific 38 | Hastings 35 |
Semifinals (Dec. 4)
| at NW Oklahoma 21 | Mary 6 |
| Georgetown 66 | at Azusa Pacific 35 |
Championship
Dec. 18 at Savannah, Tenn. (Att: 6,000 est.)
| NW Oklahoma St. 34 | Georgetown 26 |
| (13-0) | (13-1) |
