Big Ten History Vault

Has Wisconsin won a national championship?

Key takeaways

  • Wisconsin Badgers football has not won a national championship.
  • Across the Big Ten, Michigan (12), USC (11), Ohio State (9), Minnesota (7), Michigan State (6), Illinois (5), Nebraska (5), Penn State (2), Washington (2), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Maryland (1), Rutgers (1), UCLA (1) have claimed national titles.
  • All-time record in our game log (1892-2026): 750-529-52.
0 National titles
750-529-52 Record 1892-2026
19 of 35 Bowl / playoff wins
1901 (9-0) Best season

Wisconsin postseason, 1892-2026

Wisconsin Badgers postseason results by season
SeasonRecordPostseason
20237-6Lost ReliaQuest Bowl
20227-6Won Guaranteed Rate Bowl
20219-4Won SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
20204-3Won Duke's Mayo Bowl
201910-4Lost ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
20188-5Won NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL
201713-1Won Bowl game
201611-3Won GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL CLASSIC
201510-3Won NATIONAL FUNDING HOLIDAY BOWL
201411-3Won OUTBACK BOWL
20139-4Lost CAPITAL ONE BOWL
20128-6Lost ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO
201111-3Lost ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO
201011-2Lost ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY VIZIO
200910-3Won Bowl game
20087-6Lost Bowl game
20079-4Lost Bowl game
200612-1Won CAPITAL ONE BOWL AT ORLANDO FL
200510-3Won Capital One Bowl
20049-3Lost OUTBACK BOWL
20037-6Lost Bowl game
20028-6Won Bowl game
20009-4Won Bowl game
199910-2Won Bowl game
199811-1Won Bowl game
19978-5Lost Bowl game
19968-5Won Bowl game
19947-4-1Won Bowl game
199310-1-1Won Bowl game
19847-4-1Lost Bowl game
19827-5Won Bowl game
19817-5Lost Bowl game
19628-2Lost Bowl game
19597-3Lost Bowl game
19526-3-1Lost Bowl game

Source: CollegeFootballData game results via the CFB Data Hub.

National titles across the Big Ten

Big Ten national championships by program
TeamTitlesLast title
Michigan Wolverines 12 2023
USC Trojans 11 2004
Ohio State Buckeyes 9 2024
Minnesota Golden Gophers 7 1960
Michigan State Spartans 6 1966
Illinois Fighting Illini 5 1951
Nebraska Cornhuskers 5 1997
Penn State Nittany Lions 2 1986
Washington Huskies 2 1991
Indiana Hoosiers 1 2025
Iowa Hawkeyes 1 1958
Maryland Terrapins 1 1953
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 1 1869
UCLA Bruins 1 1954
Northwestern Wildcats 0 None yet
Oregon Ducks 0 None yet
Purdue Boilermakers 0 None yet
Wisconsin Badgers this page 0 None yet

Current Big Ten members, claimed national championships.

Where Wisconsin sits in the Big Ten

Current Big Ten programs have claimed 64 national titles between them: 12 for Michigan, 11 for USC, nine for Ohio State, seven for Minnesota, six for Michigan State, five for Illinois, five for Nebraska, two for Penn State, two for Washington, one for Indiana, one for Iowa, one for Maryland, one for Rutgers and one for UCLA. The other four programs are still chasing a first. See how this season is shaping up on the Big Ten standings, or browse every season on the Wisconsin record by year page.

Editorial note

College football crowned national champions by polls and selectors before the BCS (1998) and the College Football Playoff (2014). The titles here are the ones each program claims in its own record book.

Wisconsin Badgers football has not won a national championship.

About the author and reviewer

Written by

The BIG10.CO Desk

Conference Newsroom · Independent Big Ten coverage since 2026

The house desk of BIG10.CO - independent researchers tracking every Big Ten game, stat and storyline.

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Frequently asked questions

Has Wisconsin ever won a national championship?

Wisconsin Badgers football has not won a national championship.

Which Big Ten teams have won national championships?

Michigan (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997, 2023), USC (1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004), Ohio State (1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014, 2024), Minnesota (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960), Michigan State (1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966), Illinois (1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951), Nebraska (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997), Penn State (1982, 1986), Washington (1960, 1991), Indiana (2025), Iowa (1958), Maryland (1953), Rutgers (1869), UCLA (1954).