University of Michigan Football

National Championships

Determining a college football cational champion has never been an exact science. A variety of organizations and individuals have named national champions over the years, each with its own system for determining who is champion. In many years this has resulted in rival claimants to the title. By the University of Michigan Athletic Department's reckoning, the Wolverines have won or shared eleven national titles based on the awards of the following major selectors:

1901: Michigan and Harvard recognized as National Champions
UM recognized by: Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation
Harvard recognized by; College Football Research Association
Yale recognized by: Parke Davis
1902: Michigan recognized as National Champion
UM recognized by: Billingsley, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis (tie with Yale)
1903: Michigan and Princeton recognized as National Champions
UM recognized by: Billingsley, National Championship Foundation (tie with Princeton)
Princeton recognized by: Helms, Houlgate, Parke Davis, National Championship Foundation
1904: Michigan and Penn recognized as National Champions
UM recognized by: Billingsley, National Championship Foundation (tie with Penn)
Penn recognized by: Helms, Houlgate, Parke Davis, National Championship Foundation (tie)
1918: Michigan and Pittsburgh recognized as National Champions
UM recognized by: Billingsley, National Championship Foundation (tie with Pittsburgh)
Pittsburgh recognized by: Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation (tie)
1923: Michigan and Illinois recognized as National Champions
UM recognized by: Billingsley, National Championship Foundation (tie with Illinois)
California recognized by: Houlgate
Illinois recognized by: Boand, Football Research, Helms, Parke Davis, National Championship Foundation (tie)
1932: Michigan and Southern California recognized as National Champions
UM recognized by: Dickinson, Parke Davis (tie with Colgate and Southern California)
Colgate recognized by Parke Davis (tie)
Southern California recognized by: Billingsley, Boand, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis, (tie), Poling, Williamson
1933: Michigan recognized as National Champion
UM recognized by: Billingsley, Boand, College Football Research Association, Dickinson, Helms, Houlgate, Football Research, National Championship Foundation, Parke Davis (tie with Princeton), Poling
Ohio State recognized by: Dunkel
Princeton recognized by: Parke Davis (tie)
Southern California recognized by: Williamson
1947: Michigan recognized as National Champion
UM recognized by: Associated Press *, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms (tie with Notre Dame), Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling
Notre Dame recognized by: Associated Press Helms (tie), Williamson
*Notre Dame was No. 1 in the final AP poll, but Michigan jumped to No. 1 after an unprecedented post-bowl poll recognized Michigan and Notre Dame as National Champions
1948: Michigan recognized as National Champion
UM recognized by: Associated Press, Berryman, Billingsley, Boand, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, Helms, Houlgate, Litkenhous, National Championship Foundation, Poling, Williamson
1997: Michigan and Nebraska recognized as National Champion
UM recognized by: Associated Press, National Football Foundation, Football Writer's Association
Nebraska recognized by: ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll

The above calculations are based on the 2002 Michigan Football Media Guide. For further information (and sometimes different conclusions) about college football national champions, see the College Football Date Warehouse National Champions site.