Story by
How many national championships does Michigan football have? Revisiting Wolverines' history
- Story by
- How many national championships does Michigan football have? Revisiting Wolverines' history
Michigan football is no stranger to national championships, but it remains unfamiliar with national championship games .
Despite a rich college football history that dates back to the program's inception in 1879, Monday's national championship game against Washington will be the Wolverines ' first title game in its history.
Advertisement
The showdown between the No. 1 Wolverines (14-0, 9-0 Big Ten) and No. 2 Huskies (14-0, 9-0 Pac-12) will be Michigan 's first chance to compete under the ultimate spotlight since national championship games were introduced by the BCS in 1998, a year after Michigan was crowned a split national champions by the AP Top 25, the program's most recent title.
REQUIRED READING: Michigan football recovered from huge mistakes in Rose Bowl, showed championship resolve
Michigan already achieved a historic milestone earlier this season when it became the first program to win 1,000 games . Now, the Wolverines will look to make program history and win their first national championship game.
Here's what you need to know about Michigan's national championship history.
Advertisement
How many national championships does Michigan have?
The NCAA officially recognizes nine national championships for Michigan football , tied for sixth-most in the NCAA along with USC . However, the University of Michigan claims a total of 11 national championships.
According to the NCAA, the Wolverines have titles in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1933, 1948 and 1997. Michigan also claims titles in 1932 and 1947, the latter of which saw the Wolverines win the Rose Bowl as part of a 10-0 season.
Michigan has yet to win or participate in a national championship since the College Football Playoff committee was introduced in 2014.
Advertisement
When was Michigan football's last national championship?
Michigan hasn't secured a national championship for almost 25 years, with its last victory dating back to 1997. That season saw the Wolverines go 12-0 in coach Lloyd Carr's third season, with wins over the following ranked opponents:
-
No. 8 Colorado
-
No. 15 Iowa
-
No. 15 Michigan State
-
No. 2 Penn State
-
No. 23 Wisconsin
-
No. 4 Ohio State
-
No. 8 Washington State
Despite the impressive season by the Wolverines, which included a Heisman Trophy for defensive back Charles Woodson Jr., Michigan did not win the outright title: Though they finished ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25, they finished No. 2 in the Coaches Poll behind Tom Osborne's undefeated Nebraska team, which likewise finished No. 2 in the AP poll.
The majority of Michigan's national championships were earned prior to the commencement of the Associated Press Poll era in 1936, which generally considered the first season of the modern college football era. Because Michigan's most recent title was in 1997, it has never had a chance to participate in a national championship game, as the first season of the BCS wasn't until a year later.
Advertisement
REQUIRED READING: Michigan football's J.J. McCarthy on sign-stealing: '(The players) did things the right way'
Michigan national championship history
Michigan boasts a rich history of championships, as it started competing in collegiate football back in 1879. The NCAA has recognized nine of Michigan's national championships, while the university claims the 1932 and 1947 national titles as well.
Here's a list of Michigan's national championships, along with their corresponding record and the major selectors of that specific year:
-
1901 (11-0):Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate and National Championship Foundation.
-
1902 (11-0):Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation and Parke Davis.
-
1903 (11-0-1):Billingsley and National Championship Foundation.
-
1904 (10-0):Billingsley and National Championship Foundation.
-
1918 (5-0):Billingsley and National Championship Foundation.
-
1923 (8-0):Billingsley and National Championship Foundation.
-
1932 (8-0):Dickinson and Parke Davis.
-
1933 (7-0-1):Billingsley, Boand, College Football Research Association, Dickinson, Helms, Houlgate, Football Research, National Championship Foundation and Parke Davis.
-
1947 (10-0):Associated Press, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous and National Championship Foundation.
-
1948 (9-0):Associated Press, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation and Williamson.
-
1997 (12-0):Associated Press, National Football Foundation and Football Writer's Association.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football national championships: How many do Wolverines have?
