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 10–2 with a mark of 7–1 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 16–7 at the half, Cade McNown, the offensive MVP of the game, led the team to a 29–23 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. Wiki link