On Monday night, the No. 1 Michigan Wolverines took down the No. 2 Washington Huskies, completing a 15-0 season and earning a national championship. But when did they last win a national title? And how many have they won throughout the years? Well, it depends who you ask.
Until Monday, the last time Michigan could claim a championship was 1997. Legendary two-way star Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy as the team won the Rose Bowl with an undefeated record in an unforgettable season for the Wolverines. However, Nebraska also went undefeated. This was before the Bowl Championship Series era; and the two teams, hailing from separate conferences, never clashed.
The Coaches Poll declared Nebraska the national champions, while The Associated Press picked Michigan. Since the BCS began the following year — and, of course, the College Football Playoff after that — 1997 featured the last split title in college football. Michigan claimed a title that year, but there are some who believe that claim to be less than legitimate.
Michigan also claimed a title from 1932, with a team that went 8-0 and included future U.S. President Gerald Ford, but the NCAA recognizes USC as the champions from that season. Similarly, in 1947, the AP declared Notre Dame as the top team in the land, so the NCAA recognizes it as such. But a special vote conducted after the Rose Bowl — a 49-0 Michigan win over USC that secured a 10-0 record — picked the Wolverines, so it claimed that championship as well.
Most of Michigan's championships are, in fact, claimed by at least one other team. Before Michigan beat Washington on Monday to win the playoff, 1948 was the last non-shared title for the squad, making this win a very special and historic one.
All in all, Michigan claims 12 national titles, including for 1932, 1948 and 1997 — and, of course, 2023. Interestingly enough, Michigan has also been recognized by certain selectors as national champions seven additional times, but the school declined to claim a title in those particular seasons. Still, by certain measures, those are special seasons in school history, too.
