Winning a national championship in college football or men’s basketball is one of the hardest achievements in college sports. Doing it in both sports—often against entirely different competitive landscapes, recruiting pipelines, and coaching philosophies—is even rarer.
Since the NCAA men’s basketball tournament expanded in 1976, only three universities have managed to capture both an FBS national football championship and an NCAA men’s basketball championship. Those elite programs are Indiana, Michigan, and Florida.
Below is a closer look at how each school accomplished this rare dual-sport feat.
Indiana Hoosiers
Football National Championship
- 1967 – Indiana finished the season undefeated and was named national champion by multiple selectors.
NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships
- 1976
- 1981
- 1987
Indiana’s basketball dominance under Bob Knight cemented the program as one of the sport’s true blue bloods, highlighted by the legendary 1976 undefeated championship season. While the Hoosiers are best known for basketball, their recognized football national title places them firmly in this exclusive group.
Michigan Wolverines
Football National Championships
- 1997 – Shared national championship (AP Poll)
- 2023 – College Football Playoff National Champion
NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
- 1989
Michigan’s athletic success spans generations. The Wolverines’ 1989 basketball title under Steve Fisher, paired with their football championships—especially the modern-era 2023 CFP title—establish Michigan as one of the most well-rounded athletic departments in college sports.
Florida Gators
Football National Championships
- 1996
- 2006
- 2008
NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships
- 2006
- 2007
Florida is the only school to win both a football national championship and a men’s basketball national championship in the same academic year (2006). Under Urban Meyer in football and Billy Donovan in basketball, the Gators produced one of the most dominant multi-sport runs in modern NCAA history.
Why This Achievement Is So Rare
Several factors make winning championships in both sports extremely difficult:
- Different recruiting pipelines for football and basketball
- Massive financial and operational demands
- Coaching continuity across multiple programs
- Increased parity in modern college athletics
- Expanded playoff and tournament formats
Even traditional powerhouses like Alabama, Duke, Kansas, and Ohio State have yet to win championships in both sports during this era.
Final Takeaway
Since 1976, Indiana, Michigan, and Florida remain the only three schools to win both an FBS national football championship and an NCAA men’s basketball championship. Their achievement reflects rare institutional excellence and sustained success across college athletics’ two biggest stages.