The Utes were unable to get another bowl bid in the 1997 season, going just 6–5. This was also the last season in the old Rice Stadium

Rice Stadium (Utah)

Robert Rice Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, located on the campus of the University of Utah. Originally opened in 1927 as "Ute Stadium," it was the home of the Utah Utes football team. Renamed for Robert L...

. Immediately after the final home game (against ), the stadium was torn down and rebuilt into the new Rice–Eccles Stadium, partly in anticipation of the upcoming 2002 Olympic Games.

Schedule

NFL draft

Two players went in the 1998 NFL Draft

1998 NFL Draft

The 1998 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 18-19, 1998...

, including one in the first round (Kevin Dyson

Kevin Dyson

Kevin Tyree Dyson is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Tennessee Oilers 16th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah....

).

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL Club
Kevin Dyson Kevin Dyson Kevin Tyree Dyson is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Tennessee Oilers 16th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Utah....	Wide Receiver Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...	1	16	Tennessee Oilers 1998 Tennessee Oilers season The 1998 Tennessee Oilers season was the 39th season the team was with the league and their final season as the Oilers. The team matched their previous season's output of 8–8, marking their third straight season with exactly eight wins. The Oilers failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth...
Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala is a retired American football running back who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers out of the University of Utah.-Early...	Fullback Fullback (American football) A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...	6	178	Pittsburgh Steelers 1998 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 1998 season marked the first time since 1991 that the Steelers failed to reach the playoffs. Pittsburgh finished 7–9 after starting the season 5–2, losing their last five games to knock themselves out of the playoffs...