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Has North Carolina won a national championship?
Key takeaways
- North Carolina Tar Heels football has not won a national championship.
- Across the ACC, Pittsburgh (9), California (5), Miami (5), Georgia Tech (4), Clemson (3), Florida State (3), SMU (3), Stanford (2), Syracuse (1) have claimed national titles.
- All-time record in our game log (1893-2026): 697-564-48.
0 National titles
697-564-48 Record 1893-2026
15 of 39 Bowl / playoff wins
1997 (11-1) Best season
North Carolina postseason, 1893-2026
| Season | Record | Postseason |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 6-7 | Lost Wasabi Fenway Bowl |
| 2023 | 8-5 | Lost Duke's Mayo Bowl |
| 2022 | 9-5 | Lost San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl |
| 2021 | 6-7 | Lost Duke's Mayo Bowl |
| 2020 | 8-4 | Lost Capital One Orange Bowl |
| 2019 | 7-6 | Won MILITARY BOWL PRESENTED BY NORTHROP GRUMMAN |
| 2016 | 8-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2015 | 11-3 | Lost RUSSELL ATHLETIC BOWL |
| 2014 | 6-7 | Lost QUICK LANE BOWL |
| 2013 | 7-6 | Won BELK BOWL |
| 2011 | 7-6 | Lost AdvoCare V100 INDEPENDENCE BOWL |
| 2010 | 8-5 | Won FRANKLIN AMERICAN MORTGAGE MUSIC CITY BOWL |
| 2009 | 8-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2008 | 8-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2004 | 6-6 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2001 | 8-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 1998 | 7-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 1997 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1996 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1995 | 7-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 1994 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1993 | 10-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1992 | 9-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1986 | 7-4-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1983 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1982 | 8-4 | Won Bowl game |
| 1981 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1980 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1979 | 8-3-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1977 | 8-3-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1976 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1974 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1972 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1971 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1970 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1963 | 9-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1949 | 7-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1948 | 9-1-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1946 | 8-2-1 | Lost Bowl game |
Source: CollegeFootballData game results via the CFB Data Hub.
National titles across the ACC
| Team | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|
 Pittsburgh Panthers | 9 | 1976 |
 California Golden Bears | 5 | 1937 |
 Miami Hurricanes | 5 | 2001 |
 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | 4 | 1990 |
 Clemson Tigers | 3 | 2018 |
 Florida State Seminoles | 3 | 2013 |
 SMU Mustangs | 3 | 1982 |
 Stanford Cardinal | 2 | 1940 |
 Syracuse Orange | 1 | 1959 |
 Boston College Eagles | 0 | None yet |
 Duke Blue Devils | 0 | None yet |
 Louisville Cardinals | 0 | None yet |
 NC State Wolfpack | 0 | None yet |
 North Carolina Tar Heels this page | 0 | None yet |
 Virginia Cavaliers | 0 | None yet |
 Virginia Tech Hokies | 0 | None yet |
 Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 0 | None yet |
Current ACC members, claimed national championships.
Where North Carolina sits in the ACC
Current ACC programs have claimed 35 national titles between them: nine for Pittsburgh, five for California, five for Miami, four for Georgia Tech, three for Clemson, three for Florida State, three for SMU, two for Stanford and one for Syracuse. The other eight programs are still chasing a first. See how this season is shaping up on the ACC standings, or browse every season on the North Carolina 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.
North Carolina Tar Heels football has not won a national championship.
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Frequently asked questions
Has North Carolina ever won a national championship?
North Carolina Tar Heels football has not won a national championship.
Which ACC teams have won national championships?
Pittsburgh (1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976), California (1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937), Miami (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001), Georgia Tech (1917, 1928, 1952, 1990), Clemson (1981, 2016, 2018), Florida State (1993, 1999, 2013), SMU (1935, 1981, 1982), Stanford (1926, 1940), Syracuse (1959).