The Thunderbirds program has also yielded three Hec Crighton Trophy winners: Jordan Gagner in 1987, Mark Nohra in 1997, and, most recently, Billy Greene in 2011.

Following four straight seasons of playoff drought from 2007 to 2010, UBC finished with a 6–2 record in 2011 earning second place in the Canada West with an appearance in the Hardy Cup.

However, all team accolades would be for naught as an ineligible student-athlete, who played in all eight games, would force UBC to forfeit all six regular season wins as well as its post-season results from that year.

In the 51st Vanier Cup championship, the Thunderbirds narrowly defeated the defending CIS champion Montreal Carabins, by scoring the game's last possession field goal to end the fourth quarter.

The victory was UBC's fourth Vanier Cup overall, tying the Calgary Dinos for the all-time record among CWUAA member universities.

However, the two teams went on to renew the Shrum Bowl game as a one-off exhibition on October 8, 2010, at Thunderbird Stadium playing Canadian rules.