Which college football coach led the Nebraska Cornhuskers to three national championships in the 1990s? Tom Osborne led Nebraska to national titles in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
Osborne became Nebraska's head coach in 1973 after serving as Bob Devaney's offensive coordinator. His teams were built around option football, powerful rushing attacks and disciplined line play. Nebraska's breakthrough came in the 1994 Orange Bowl, where the Cornhuskers defeated Miami 24–17 for Osborne's first consensus national championship.
Nebraska repeated as champion in 1995, finishing 12–0 and overwhelming Florida 62–24 in the Fiesta Bowl. The 1997 team won the Orange Bowl 42–17 against Tennessee, giving Osborne a third title in his final season. He retired after 25 seasons with a 255–49–3 record.
Barry Switzer and Bobby Bowden also won major college championships, but neither coached Nebraska's three 1990s title teams. Nebraska's 1993 season is sometimes mentioned in this era, but the school does not claim that year as a national championship; the recognized titles were 1994, 1995 and 1997.