2017 Northern Colorado Bears football team

The 2017 Northern Colorado Bears football team represented the University of Northern Colorado in the 2017 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by seventh-year head coach Earnest Collins Jr. and played their home games at Nottingham Field. They were a member of the Big Sky Conference.[2] They finished the season 3–7, 2–6 in Big Sky play to finish in a three-way tie for ninth place.

2017 Northern Colorado Bears football
Conference	Big Sky Conference
2017 record	3–7 (2–6 Big Sky)
Head coach	Earnest Collins Jr. (7th season)
Offensive coordinator	James Jones (2nd season)
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Larry Kerr (4th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Nottingham Field (Capacity: 8,533)[1]

2017 Big Sky Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 14 Southern Utah +^		7	–	1					9	–	3
No. 5 Weber State +^		7	–	1					11	–	3
Northern Arizona ^		6	–	2					7	–	5
No. 21 Eastern Washington		6	–	2					7	–	4
Sacramento State		6	–	2					7	–	4
Montana		5	–	3					7	–	4
Montana State		5	–	3					5	–	6
UC Davis		3	–	5					5	–	6
Idaho State		2	–	6					4	–	7
Northern Colorado		2	–	6					3	–	7
North Dakota		2	–	6					3	–	8
Cal Poly		1	–	7					1	–	10
Portland State		0	–	8					0	–	11
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from STATS Poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 2	2:00 p.m.	College of Idaho*	Nottingham Field Greeley, CO	CET	W 41–14	3,547
*Non-conference game

^{^[a]} The game between Florida and Northern Colorado, recently had been rescheduled in advance of the arrival of Hurricane Irma, but on September 7, both schools agreed to canceled the game completely.

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

College of Idaho

	1	2	3	4	Total
Coyotes	0	7	0	7	14
Bears	28	7	3	3	41

at Colorado

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	7	7	7	0	21
Buffaloes	14	14	3	10	41

Idaho State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bengals	10	7	13	12	42
Bears	10	10	20	3	43

at Northern Arizona

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	0	7	13	0	20
Lumberjacks	7	13	14	14	48

at North Dakota

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	7	17	14	0	38
Fighting Hawks	14	14	10	10	48

Montana State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bobcats	0	7	3	17	27
Bears	7	14	0	3	24

Southern Utah

	1	2	3	4	Total
No. 25 Thunderbirds	13	7	7	0	27
Bears	0	7	7	0	14

at Sacramento State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	14	7	0	0	21
Hornets	14	6	9	21	50

at Montana

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bears	7	0	0	7	14
Grizzlies	14	23	7	0	44

Cal Poly

	1	2	3	4	Total
Mustangs	0	0	0	0	0
Bears	0	21	21	0	42

References

1. "Gameday at Northern Colorado". University of Northern Colorado. Retrieved April 4, 2015. Stadium Capacity: 8,533
2. "Buffs, Gators Highlight 2017 Schedule". September 15, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2016.