When was the last time Michigan won a national championship? Exploring the history and tradition of Wolverines football

The Michigan Wolverines are one game away from national championship glory. The Jim Harbaugh-coached team have not been this close to the ultimate prize in college football for years.

During the Wolverines' last appearance in the college football playoff just a year ago, an upsetting loss to TCU ended their national championship dream.

Not deterred by the loss, the team rallied for yet another campaign and has bested every opponent this season. The Wolverines achieved this feat despite the absence of the head coach in multiple games due to a suspension.

Even as they go into Monday's national championship game, Harbaugh's future with the Wolverines remains in doubt. A win against the Washington Huskies would at least be a befitting farewell for the head coach, if he does indeed move away.

Ahead of the much-anticipated game, we take a quick dive into Michigan's national championship history.

When was the last time Michigan won a national championship?

There are two likely answers to this question, depending on which angle one looks at it. First, one must understand that before the advent of the Bowl Championship Series and the CFP, national championships were decided by designated selectors.

That is, based on each team's performance for the season, certain bodies chose a national champion.

This was the existing system in 1997 when Michigan last claimed a national championship. The Wolverines finished the season undefeated and played in the Rose Bowl. However, despite ranking No. 1 in the AP Poll, 13 of the 19 major selectors in the coaches' poll picked Nebraska ahead of the Wolverines as the national champions.

2023 CFP National Championship

So, we may say the Wolverines last won a national championship in 1997. However, since the title is disputed, some may find the claim unacceptable.

Therefore, for our answer, we go back in time to the year 1948. Again, it was an undefeated season for the Wolverines who beat USC 49-0 to claim the Rose Bowl. And unlike their 1997 title which is disputed, the Wolverines were unanimously selected as the national champions.

From the foregoing, one can already see that depending on who you ask, the answer to when Michigan last won the national championship varies. If you ask a fan of the Wolverines, you can guess how they'll answer. And if you ask some of their rivals, again, you can guess what answer you'll get.

However, that answer may be about to become unanimous, depending on the result of Monday's game against Washington. The Wolverines are the favorites to win the game and claim the title. But upsets do happen, and the Huskies are the ultimate underdogs.