History of Miami football championships: How many national titles have the Hurricanes won? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Miami coach Mario Cristobal is on the record as saying he doesn’t like hearing any of “The U Is Back” talk because he isn’t looking to recreate what the program once had.
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“Well, we don’t want to go back. We want to go forward,” he said early in the 2025 season.
Cristobal is content to write his own script for this chapter of Miami football, but there is no doubt the ultimate goal is going where some of the iconic Hurricanes teams of the past went and winning national championships.
Here’s a look back at Miami’s national title history and the last time the ‘Canes were champions.
MORE: Why ‘the U’ may finally be back
Miami football championship history
Has Miami ever won a national championship?
Miami has claimed five national championships in its history: 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001.
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While Auburn and Washington have national title claims in 1983 and 1991, respectively, the Hurricanes were the consensus national champion among the major polls in 1983 and were champions according to the AP Poll in 1991.
The Hurricanes’ run in the 1980s and early 1990s lives in university lore. After overcoming an early loss and winning their last 11 games to capture a title under Howard Schnellenberger in 1983, Miami went 79-8 between 1985-92, winning one national title under Jimmy Johnson and two under Dennis Erickson.
In 2001, Miami returned to glory with an undefeated championship under Larry Coker.
When was Miami’s last national championship?
Miami’s last national championship came in 2001, when they used what they believed was a snub from the BCS championship game in 2000 as motivation.
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After Butch Davis left to coach the Cleveland Browns, Coker ascended from the offensive coordinator role and took over a Hurricanes program loaded with talent. He simply didn’t lose in year one, with Ken Dorsey, Clinton Portis, Andre Johnson, Jeremy Shockey, Ed Reed, Jonathan Vilma and Antrel Rolle among the stars on the team.
Miami made easy work of Nebraska in the Rose Bowl, winning 37-14 and bringing a national championship back to South Florida for the first time in a decade.
When was Miami’s last College Football Playoff appearance?
Miami never reached the College Football Playoff before 2025. The Hurricanes did not make the four-team playoff in any of its 10 seasons, and they fell just short of the first expanded 12-team playoff in 2024.
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The Hurricanes took full advantage of their first playoff bid by upsetting both Texas A&M and Ohio State in the opening two rounds.
MORE:Revisiting 2003 BCS title game between Miami, Ohio State
Best seasons in Miami history
Here are the 10 best seasons in Miami history, by winning percentage:
|
Season |
Record |
Pct. |
Coach |
|
2001 |
12-0 |
1.000 |
Larry Coker |
|
1991 |
12-0 |
1.000 |
Dennis Erickson |
|
1987 |
12-0 |
1.000 |
Jimmy Johnson |
|
2002 |
12-1 |
.923 |
Larry Coker |
|
2000 |
11-1 |
.917 |
Butch Davis |
|
1992 |
11-1 |
.917 |
Dennis Erickson |
|
1989 |
11-1 |
.917 |
Dennis Erickson |
|
1988 |
11-1 |
.917 |
Jimmy Johnson |
|
1986 |
11-1 |
.917 |
Jimmy Johnson |
|
1983 |
11-1 |
.917 |
Howard Schnellenberger |
