UW Football National Championships
Washington officially claims two national championships in football: 1960 and 1991.
In 1991, Washington finished 12-0, as did Miami (Fla.). Washington earned the No. 1 position in the USA Today/CNN coaches' poll (along with several other rankings), while Miami was No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll. Both teams have always claimed the national championship that season.
On Sept. 29, 2007, in a ceremony at a game vs. USC, Washington made an official claim to the 1960 national championship, and has named it (along with 1991) as a "National Championship" on the facade inside Husky Stadium. In 1960, Minnesota finished No. 1 in both the final AP and final coaches' polls, but in that era, the final polls were produced before the bowl games, and not updated afterwards. That season, the Huskies finished the regular season 9-1, 4-0 in the AAWU, earning the conference's berth in the Rose Bowl. On Jan. 1, 1961, the Huskies beat No. 1 Minnesota, 17-7, in Pasadena. The Helms Foundation awarded the 1960 national title to Washington, while both Minnesota and Ole Miss each claim the national title that season based on other polls and rankings.
In addition to those two seasons, Washington has been recognized as a national champion by at least one poll or ranking in two other seasons: 1984 and 1990. However, neither of those two years' championships are officially claimed by the UW.
Here is a list of all of the polls or rankings that have deemed the UW a national champion in football:
1960 Helms Foundation
1984 Football News; Berryman; National Championship Foundation*
1990 FACT*
1991 USA Today/CNN; UPI/National Football FoundatIon; Football Writers; Sports Illustrated; Berryman; Billingsley; DeVold, Dunkel; FACT*; FB News; Matthews; National Championship Foundation*; Sagarin
*Selected multiple national champions
In 1991, Washington finished 12-0, as did Miami (Fla.). Washington earned the No. 1 position in the USA Today/CNN coaches' poll (along with several other rankings), while Miami was No. 1 in the final Associated Press poll. Both teams have always claimed the national championship that season.
On Sept. 29, 2007, in a ceremony at a game vs. USC, Washington made an official claim to the 1960 national championship, and has named it (along with 1991) as a "National Championship" on the facade inside Husky Stadium. In 1960, Minnesota finished No. 1 in both the final AP and final coaches' polls, but in that era, the final polls were produced before the bowl games, and not updated afterwards. That season, the Huskies finished the regular season 9-1, 4-0 in the AAWU, earning the conference's berth in the Rose Bowl. On Jan. 1, 1961, the Huskies beat No. 1 Minnesota, 17-7, in Pasadena. The Helms Foundation awarded the 1960 national title to Washington, while both Minnesota and Ole Miss each claim the national title that season based on other polls and rankings.
In addition to those two seasons, Washington has been recognized as a national champion by at least one poll or ranking in two other seasons: 1984 and 1990. However, neither of those two years' championships are officially claimed by the UW.
Here is a list of all of the polls or rankings that have deemed the UW a national champion in football:
1960 Helms Foundation
1984 Football News; Berryman; National Championship Foundation*
1990 FACT*
1991 USA Today/CNN; UPI/National Football FoundatIon; Football Writers; Sports Illustrated; Berryman; Billingsley; DeVold, Dunkel; FACT*; FB News; Matthews; National Championship Foundation*; Sagarin
*Selected multiple national champions
