When was the last time a Big 12 team won a football championship?

Modified Dec 01, 2023 19:41 GMT

The Big 12 is one of the top athletic conferences in the world of college football. The league is one of the Power Five conferences, which collectively represent the five highest-earning and most historically successful Football Bowl Subdivision conferences in college football.

The conference boasts top teams that prime themselves as contenders in every college football season. However, despite having storied programs like Texas and Oklahoma, the Big 12 hasn't had a national champion in football for a while. Let's examine the history of the conference's football championship wins.

When was the last time a Big 12 team won a football championship?

The last time a Big 12 team won the college football national championship was in 2005. That season was when Texas beat USC 41-38 in the BCS title game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for their fourth national title.

A couple of teams from the conference, including Texas, have tried to secure national title success, going all the way to the championship game. However, none has been lucky to secure the victory, extending the league's wait for another national champion.

Oklahoma made the first attempt during the 2008 season. The Sooners reached the BCS National Championship game but lost to Urban Meyer-led Florida at the Dolphins Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The game ended 24-14 in favor of the Gators in front of 78,468 fans.

Texas also attempted to claim another national title during the 2009 season but suffered the same fate as Oklahoma in the previous season. The Longhorns fell to Nick Saban-led Alabama at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena California. Witnessed by a BCS record of 94,906 fans, the Crimson Tide won 37-21.

The 2009 season was the last time a Big 12 team appeared in a national title game in the BCS era. The College Football Playoff succeeded the Bowl Championship Series in 2014, and no Big 12 is yet to make the championship game of the postseason playoff tournament.

Although, Oklahoma has made the College Football Playoff semifinal in recent years, they have not gone beyond that stage. With the impending exit of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, it remains to be seen when the conference will have its next national champion.