Written by
The BIG12.CO Desk
Conference Newsroom · Independent Big 12 coverage since 2026
The house desk of BIG12.CO - independent researchers tracking every Big 12 game, stat and storyline.
Big 12 History Vault
How many national championships has Colorado won?
Key takeaways
- Colorado Buffaloes football has won 1 national championship: 1990.
- Title seasons: 1990.
- Across the Big 12, TCU (2), BYU (1), Colorado (1), Oklahoma State (1), UCF (1) have claimed national titles.
- All-time record in our game log (1902-2026): 684-533-35.
1 National titles
684-533-35 Record 1902-2026
11 of 30 Bowl / playoff wins
1923 (9-0) Best season
36
seasons since Colorado's last national championship 1990 national championship - Finished No. 1 in the AP poll after beating Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl.
Every national title, year by year
| Year | Title | The season |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1990 national championship | Finished No. 1 in the AP poll after beating Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl. |
Claimed national championships, per the program's own record book.
Colorado postseason, 1902-2026
| Season | Record | Postseason |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9-4 | Lost Valero Alamo Bowl |
| 2020 | 4-2 | Lost Valero Alamo Bowl |
| 2016 | 10-4 | Lost VALERO ALAMO BOWL |
| 2007 | 6-7 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2005 | 7-6 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2004 | 8-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 2002 | 9-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2001 | 10-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1999 | 7-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 1998 | 8-4 | Won Bowl game |
| 1996 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1995 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1994 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1993 | 8-3-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1992 | 9-2-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1991 | 8-3-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1989 | 11-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1988 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1986 | 6-6 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1985 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1976 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1975 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1972 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1971 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1970 | 6-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1969 | 8-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1967 | 9-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1961 | 9-2 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1956 | 8-2-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1937 | 8-1 | Lost Bowl game |
Source: CollegeFootballData game results via the CFB Data Hub.
National titles across the Big 12
| Team | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|
 TCU Horned Frogs | 2 | 1938 |
 BYU Cougars | 1 | 1984 |
 Colorado Buffaloes this page | 1 | 1990 |
 Oklahoma State Cowboys | 1 | 1945 |
 UCF Knights | 1 | 2017 |
 Arizona Wildcats | 0 | None yet |
 Arizona State Sun Devils | 0 | None yet |
 Baylor Bears | 0 | None yet |
 Cincinnati Bearcats | 0 | None yet |
 Houston Cougars | 0 | None yet |
 Iowa State Cyclones | 0 | None yet |
 Kansas Jayhawks | 0 | None yet |
 Kansas State Wildcats | 0 | None yet |
 Texas Tech Red Raiders | 0 | None yet |
 Utah Utes | 0 | None yet |
 West Virginia Mountaineers | 0 | None yet |
Current Big 12 members, claimed national championships.
Where Colorado sits in the Big 12
Current Big 12 programs have claimed six national titles between them: two for TCU, one for BYU, one for Colorado, one for Oklahoma State and one for UCF. The other 11 programs are still chasing a first. See how this season is shaping up on the Big 12 standings, or browse every season on the Colorado 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.
Colorado Buffaloes football has won 1 national championship: 1990.
About the author and reviewer
Fact-checked by
BIG12.CO Coverage Review
Fact & Data Review · Primary-source verification
Every stat and historical claim on data pages is checked against official box scores and the live feed before publication.
Independence: BIG12.CO was not paid by any school, network or sportsbook for this page. Corrections are logged in our editorial policy.
The Big 12 Report
One conference, in your inbox every Tuesday.
Standings, the title race and one opinion on the Big 12. No filler.
Frequently asked questions
How many national championships has Colorado won?
1. 1990 national championship.
When did Colorado win its first national championship?
In 1990. Finished No. 1 in the AP poll after beating Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl.
When did Colorado last win a national championship?
In 1990. Finished No. 1 in the AP poll after beating Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl.