Michigan Football has 6 unclaimed National Championships

Everyone knows Michigan has 11 national championships. But we have 6 more that we left on the table and have not claimed.

National championships in FBS are very difficult to explain sometimes because of the long history of them being mythical. I'd argue they're still mythical in present-day football as we just replaced the unbiased BCS computers with old people who are biased. There have been around 40 different selectors throughout the history of college football. Polls, computer rankings, math systems. 

Alabama's 17 national titles claim is highly criticized. The most dubious of their claims is 1941; a year where they went 9-2, lost 2 SEC games and finished #20 in the AP Poll. The only system that selected them was the Houlgate System, and yet Alabama claims it. Minnesota went 8-0 and was selected by the AP Poll in 1941.

They aren't the only ones who do it. Ohio State claims 1970 where they went 9-1 and lost in the Rose Bowl, only selected by the NFF while AP Champion Nebraska went 10-0-1 in 1970. There are dozens of others.

With all the talk of the CFP creating "undisputed" champions, lo and behold we had a split championship in 2017. Laugh all you want but UCF was selected by Colley Matrix--an official selector--and they of course claimed the title. Fodder in the moment but will people care or mention that in 50 years? I don't hear anyone saying that about OSU or Alabama unless they really know their history. The media certainly doesn't mention those things when talking about Alabama's 17 national championships. 

Teams are even retroactively claiming national championships. USC claimed 1939 in 2004. Texas A&M added 1919 & 1927 upon joining the SEC. Minnesota claimed 1904 in 2013. Auburn claimed 1913, 1983 and 1993 (11-0 but ineligible due to NCAA sanctions that year) a few years ago.

This post isn't trying to sell you that Michigan should claim their unclaimed titles. It's August and it's sharing some history to get people's thoughts.

1910: 3-0-3, Independent
Selector(s): Eckersall
Other teams that claim 1910: Harvard (8-0-1)
Other teams selected but don't claim: Pittsburgh (9-0-0)

The ties probably leap off the page. Back in the early 1900s there typically was an Eastern champion selected usually from the Ivy League and a Western champion. Independent Michigan defeated Big Ten champion Minnesota in the season finale and Walter Eckersall of the Chicago Tribune opined that Michigan was the true champion of the West in 1910.

1925: 7-1 (5-1), Western Conference Champions
Selector(s): Sagarin Ratings
Other teams that claim 1925: Alabama (10-0-0), Dartmouth (8-0-0)

Despite the Point-a-Minute teams of the turn of the century, Fielding Yost called the 1925 Wolverines his best ever. Michigan was a machine, outscoring opponents 227-3. The 3 resulted in the only loss of the season.

Michigan faced Northwestern in a muddy pit of a field in a driving rainstorm at Soldier Field in Chicago. Northwestern punted on their first play from scrimmage and it was muffed by Benny Friedman and recovered by the Wildcats. NU kicked a FG to go up 3-0. In the 3rd quarter, Michigan's fierce defense pinned NU at their own 1 yd line. Rather than risk giving up a TD on a short field, Northwestern took an intentional safety. Back in those days the team that gave up the 2 points got to keep the ball. Northwestern used that rule to their advantage and escaped with a 3-2 win. 

1926: 7-1 (5-0), Western Conference Champions
Selector(s): Sagarin Ratings
Other teams that claim 1926: Alabama (9-0-1), Lafayette (9-0), Navy (9-0-1), Stanford (10-0-1)

Michigan's only loss of 1926 was to powerhouse Navy in Baltimore. The Benny to Bennie combination lit it up for the majority of the season as Michigan outscored opponents 191-38. Michigan closed out the season against their secondary rival Ohio State and their main rival Minnesota, winning both by 1 point margins. Ohio State blew a 10-0 lead at home and nearly salvaged a tie but missed the PAT as Michigan prevailed 17-16. In the final game of Fielding H. Yost's legendary career, Minnesota struck first, scoring a TD first but missed the PAT. Later on in the game the Gophers fumbled and it was returned 58 yards by Bennie Oosterbaan for a TD. Benny Friedman's PAT drop-kick was good and Michigan won 7-6.

1964: 9-1 (6-1) Big Ten Champions, Rose Bowl Champions
Selector(s): Dunkel
Other teams that claim 1964: Alabama (10-1-0), Arkansas (11-0-0)
Other teams selected but don't claim: Notre Dame (9-1-0)

This was the 2011 season of the dark ages of the 50's and 60's. Michigan rose from its slumber and won the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1950. The only blemish on the record that season came at home against Purdue who was led by QB Bob Griese. In a back and forth contest, Purdue held a 21-14 lead in the 4th quarter until Michigan QB Bob Timberlake broke away for a 54 yard TD scramble. Head coach Bump Elliott opted to go for the win instead of the tie and Michigan's conversion attempt was stopped short of the goal line. Purdue held on for a 21-20 upset win of the #5 Wolverines.

1964 was the last time Michigan defeated both MSU and OSU on the road in the same season. MSU was in their golden age in the 1960s so the 17-10 win over them in a Top-10 showdown was extremely impressive. The Wolverines won the Big Ten Championship in Columbus with a 10-0 shutout win over #7 Ohio State. It was a cakewalk in Pasadena as #4 Michigan mauled #8 Oregon State 34-7. 

1973: 10-0-1 (7-0-1) Big Ten Champions
Selector(s): National Championship Foundation, Poling System
Other teams that claim 1973: Alabama (11-1-0), Notre Dame (11-0-0)
Other teams selected but don't claim: Ohio State (10-0-1), Oklahoma (10-0-1)

You probably know the story of this team. If you don't, it was arguably Bo Schembechler's best team. Mike Lantry missed the game-winning FG against #1 Ohio State at The Big House and the game ended in a 10-10 tie. Big Ten ADs had a vote on who would go to the Rose Bowl and they voted for OSU despite Michigan outplaying OSU. Woody Hayes was even stunned and expected Michigan to get to go to Pasadena. This opened the door for the Big Ten to allow teams to accept bowl invites outside of the Rose Bowl, but it came at the expense of the 1973 Wolverines. Alabama and Notre Dame both claim 1973 despite Notre Dame beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. I did a comparison of 1973 Michigan and Notre Dame on here years ago. 

1985: 10-1-1 (6-1-1) Fiesta Bowl Champions
Selector(s): Matthews Grid Ratings
Other teams that claim 1985: Oklahoma (11-1-0)
Other teams selected but don't claim: Florida (9-1-1)

This is also arguably Bo's greatest team. The 1985 defense was one of the greatest in Michigan history. The offense was pretty good as well led by QB Jim Harbaugh, Michigan started 1985 unranked after a disaster 6-6 season in 1984. The Wolverines pummeled 3 straight ranked opponents to open 1985 and reached #2 in the AP Poll before traveling to #1 Iowa. The Hawkeyes kicked four FGs and escaped with a 12-10 victory. Oklahoma also lost to unranked Miami though so the door was left open. The game that likely cost the 1985 team a large chunk of national championship selections was a 3-3 tie at Illinois. Illinois nearly won the game on a last second FG, but the ball was tipped at the line and bounced off the crossbar which resulted in the tie. Michigan won their final 4 games of 1985 including a 27-17 triumph over #12 Ohio State and a 27-23 comeback victory over #8 Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl.