When was the last time Miami Hurricanes won a National Championship? Closer look at NCAA record books
The No.10-ranked Miami Hurricanes are generally regarded as one of the most prestigious programs in college football. Recent times have been less nice to them, however, as they failed to reach the College Football Playoff in each of the 10 years of the four-team format.
In fact, they were in the final postseason rankings just twice over that span. Their current top-10 ranking marks the highest they have been ranked this late in a full season - not including the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season - since 2017.
As they look to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time following the field expanding to 12 teams in 2024, take a look at the last time the Hurricanes were able to win the national championship below.
When was the last time the Miami Hurricanes won a National Championship?
The Miami Hurricanes were, arguably, the premier program in college football for a 20-year stretch beginning in the early 1980s and ending in the early 2000s. The program won all five of their claimed titles during that span, the last one coming in 2021. They were also a national finalist five times, including one in 2022.
Miami's first claimed title came in 1983 as it defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers 31-30 in the Orange Bowl. Their next claimed title came four years later as they capped off an undefeated 12-0 season with a 20-14 Orange Bowl victory over the Oklahoma Sooners.
Two years later, they were able to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 33-25 in the Sugar Bowl to win their third and final title in the 1980s. The Hurricanes did not have to wait long for another championship as in 1991 they finished a perfect 12-0 season with a 22-0 shutout victory over the Cornhuskers in the Orange Bowl.
While the years in between were mostly successful by most program standards, they were unable to get over the hump and win the national title again until 2001.
The Miami Hurricanes once again had an undefeated 12-0 campaign, which they capped off with a 37-14 blowout victory over Nebraska, marking the third time they defeated the Cornhuskers in their five national title-winning seasons. It marks the last national title in school history.