The University of Michigan football program has a long tradition dating back to 1879, the year it began competing in intercollegiate football. However, because of the convoluted way the NCAA has designated its champions throughout its history, the Wolverines have only won nine championships… or thereabouts.
The first thing that is necessary to understand in this sense is that it was until very recently, in 1992, that the NCAA football programs began to organize to compete in a playoff phase from which the champion emerges. However, it is worth noting that this system is not officially recognized by the NCAA.
Before the current system, the NCAA designated the Helms Athletic Foundation (HAF) to select champions retroactively from 1936 back. Subsequently, the National Championship Foundation (NCF) took on the same work, starting in 1976 and back.
Starting in 1979, several organizations – journalism and sports – created their rankings, and the champion was named more or less by a poll or a consensus among those rankings, leading to there often being more than one champion.
It was in the midst of this chaotic system that the Michigan Wolverines won the nine championships that adorn their showcase so far.
How many times has Michigan won a national championship?
In the ranking system, Michigan won the title four consecutive years between 1901 and 1904 and three more in 1918, 1923, and 1933.
Under the poll system, it was named champion in 1948, and in 1997, it received the designation from six organizations, including the AP, FWAA, and NFF. However, 13 other organizations, such as the Coaches Poll, USA Today, and ESPN chose Nebraska.
In 1997, the Wolverines played in the Rose Bowl as the first seed and defeated seventh seed Washington State. At the same time, second-ranked Nebraska and undefeated Big 12 champion beat third-ranked Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.
The 1948 squad was the only Michigan team to be unanimously named champion.
Some stats to understand Monday football tonight
After so much confusion, the Wolverines will finally have a shot at becoming the undisputed champion when they face the Washington Huskies in the CFP National Championship Game on January 8 at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Michigan entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed and beat the fourth-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide 27-20 in the Rose Bowl, while Washington (2) dispatched the Texas Longhorns (3) 37-31 in the Sugar Bowl.
