Washington Huskies are back as National Championship contenders again. They will go to war against the Michigan Wolverines on 8th January 2024 for the title. Throughout the years there has been confusion about how many titles Washington won, mostly due to lack of structure and a single governing body of college football.
The question of whether Washington has ever won a national championship is surprisingly complex, and we are here to offer you some simple explanations.
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How Many Titles Have Washington Huskies Won?
Washington Huskies are the undisputed national champions of the 1960 and 1991 seasons, and they have also claimed as such. However, their 1960 title is a recent addition to their trophy cabinet, as they were finally recognized as national champions only in 2007.
However, there have been many instances of splits and multiple teams claiming the title throughout the 20th century. This is due to various selectors picking different teams as national champions in different conferences. Let’s take a look at some of those instances Huskies have had:
| Year | Undefeated | Record | Selectors | Notes |
| 1991 | Yes | 12-0 | Coaches Poll | Undisputed national championship |
| 1990 | No | 10-2 | Football Writers Association of America | Not widely recognized |
| 1984 | No | 11-1 | National Football Foundation | Not widely recognized |
| 1960 | No | 10-1 | Helms Athletic Foundation | AP and UPI polls awarded the title to Minnesota before bowl game |
| 1910 | Yes | 6-0 | Bill Libby (writer) | Limited schedule, no consensus recognition |
A Closer Look At Disputed And Unclaimed Titles
Let’s take a closer look at the 1910, 1984, and 1990 seasons and see what happened and why they are disputed titles that Huskies haven’t claimed.
1910– During that season, Washington had a record of 6-0, outsourcing and defeating 5 of their 6 opponents including rivals like Idaho which propelled sports writer, Bill Libby, to select them as “national champions” in his book of Champions of College Football.
1984– The Huskies stormed through the regular season, earning the #1 ranking in the polls. However, a controversial defeat to BYU in the Holiday Bowl tarnished their perfect record. Despite their loss, the Berryman System the Football News and NCF polls awarded Washington the national championship title. The school hasn’t claimed this championship.
1990– Despite having an undefeated regular season, the Huskies lost to Miami in the Orange Bowl. However, the Football Writers Association of America, impressed by the team’s overall performance, recognized them as national champions, sharing the honor with Colorado, Georgia Tech, and Miami, but the school has refused to claim the co-national title of 1990.
Notable Players And Coaches From the Championship Era
The University of Washington Huskies has claimed two national championships in football: 1960 and 1991. Let’s take a look at some notable coaches and players from both championship teams:
1960– Under the leadership of coach Jim Owens, a college football hall of famer, the Huskies had a record of 10-1, and went on to defeat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl with the help of Bob Schloredt (QB Washington) and George Fleming (HB Washington) awarded the Rose Bowl MVP.
1991– Coach Don James led the Huskies to a 12-0 record and the national championship which they split with Miami. The MVP of that title run was Mario Bailey (offense)
and Steve Emtman (defense). That season the Huskies also ran over the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl with the final score of 34-14.
Conclusion
While there have been some controversies in the past regarding the true national champions. The advent of CFP (college football playoff) has put an end to that.
We will know for sure on 8th January 2024, who are the real and only National Champions of the 2024 season. Though Washington may not have as extensive a Championship pedigree as Michigan, they sure look like champions this season. Stay tuned on the 8th to find out who the real champs are.
