# 1996–97 British Collegiate American Football League

The 1996–97 BCAFL was the 12th full season of the British Collegiate American Football League, organised by the British Students American Football Association.

## Changes from last season

Division Changes There were no changes to the Divisional setup
Team Changes
* University of Derby joined the Northern Conference, as the Braves
* University of Kent joined the Southern Conference, as the Falcons
* University of Nottingham joined the Northern Conference, as the Outlaws
* Reading Knights moved within the Southern Conference from Eastern to Western Division
* Sheffield Zulus moved within the Northern Conference from Central to Eastern Division
* Stirling Clansmen returned after one season out
This increased the number of teams in BCAFL to 31, an all-time high.

## Regular season
### Northern Conference, Scottish Division

| Team | Pld | Won | Lst | Drw | PF | PA | Win% | |
| Glasgow Tigers | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 93 | 48 | 0.750 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Strathclyde Hawks | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 99 | 89 | 0.500 |
| Stirling Clansmen | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 81 | 157 | 0.438 |
| Paisley Panthers | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 38 | 89 | 0.188 | Withdrew after this season |

### Northern Conference, Eastern Division

| Team | Pld | Won | Lst | Drw | PF | PA | Win% | |
| Lancaster Bombers | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 254 | 122 | 0.875 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Leeds Celtics | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 311 | 111 | 0.750 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Newcastle Mariners | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 270 | 151 | 0.625 |
| Sunderland Wearwolves | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 88 | 166 | 0.500 |
| Sheffield Zulus | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 34 | 138 | 0.071 | Withdrew after this season |
| Teesside Demons | 7 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 230 | 0.071 |

### Northern Conference, Central Division

| Team | Pld | Won | Lst | Drw | PF | PA | Win% | |
| Loughborough Aces | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 301 | 14 | 1.000 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Nottingham Outlaws | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 119 | 128 | 0.625 |
| Staffordshire Stallions | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 208 | 153 | 0.625 |
| Leicester Lemmings | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 74 | 172 | 0.375 |
| Hull Sharks | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 143 | 0.250 |
| Derby Braves | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 28 | 261 | 0.000 |

### Southern Conference, Eastern Division

| Team | Pld | Won | Lst | Drw | PF | PA | Win% | |
| UEA Pirates | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 168 | 66 | 0.875 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Cambridge Pythons | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 178 | 90 | 0.750 | Withdrew after this season |
| Hertfordshire Hurricanes | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 168 | 70 | 0.625 |
| Surrey Stingers | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 80 | 165 | 0.500 |
| Kent Falcons | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 34 | 169 | 0.125 |

### Southern Conference, Central Division

| Team | Pld | Won | Lst | Drw | PF | PA | Win% | |
| Tarannau Aberystwyth | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 0 | 1.000 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Birmingham Lions | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 132 | 40 | 0.750 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Warwick Wolves | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 68 | 93 | 0.625 |
| Oxford Cavaliers | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 53 | 130 | 0.250 |
| Aston Rhinos | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 77 | 0.062 | Withdrew after this season |

### Southern Conference, Western Division

| Team | Pld | Won | Lst | Drw | PF | PA | Win% | |
| Bath Killer Bees | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 118 | 28 | 0.750 | Qualified for Playoffs |
| Southampton Stags | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 119 | 43 | 0.688 |
| Cardiff Cobras | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 64 | 49 | 0.375 |
| Reading Knights | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 60 | 219 | 0.188 |
| Bristol Bullets | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 38 | 116 | 0.188 |

## Playoffs

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | College Bowl XI | College Bowl XI | College Bowl XI |
| N.C1 | Loughborough Aces | 43 | | | | | | |
| N.E2 | Leeds Celtics | 0 | | | | | | |
| N.E2 | Leeds Celtics | 0 | Loughborough Aces | Loughborough Aces | 21 | | | |
| | | | Glasgow Tigers | Glasgow Tigers | 8 | | | |
| N.E1 | Lancaster Bombers | 6 | Glasgow Tigers | Glasgow Tigers | 8 | | | |
| N.S1 | Glasgow Tigers | 12 | | | | | | |
| N.S1 | Glasgow Tigers | 12 | | | | Loughborough Aces | Loughborough Aces | 28 |
| | | | | | | Tarannau Aberystwyth | Tarannau Aberystwyth | 19 |
| S.W1 | Bath Killer Bees | 14 | | | | | | | Tarannau Aberystwyth | Tarannau Aberystwyth | 19 |
| S.E1 | UEA Pirates | 0 | | | | | | |
| S.E1 | UEA Pirates | 0 | Bath Killer Bees | Bath Killer Bees | 8 | | | |
| | | | Tarannau Aberystwyth | Tarannau Aberystwyth | 20 | | | |
| S.C2 | Birmingham Lions | 13 | Tarannau Aberystwyth | Tarannau Aberystwyth | 20 | | | |
| S.C1 | Tarannau Aberystwyth | 15 | | | | | | |
* Note – the table does not indicate who played home or away in each fixture.