College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS: Difference between revisions
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The '''NCAA Division I FBS national football championship''' is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection(s) of the best [[college football]] team(s) in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) [[Division I]] [[Division I#Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS). Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A) football is |
The '''NCAA Division I FBS national football championship''' is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection(s) of the best [[college football]] team(s) in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) [[Division I]] [[Division I#Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]] (FBS). Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A) football is the only NCAA sport in which a yearly champion is not determined by an NCAA sanctioned championship event. |
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Because the championship team is not |
Because the championship team is not determined by an NCAA championship or tournament event, it has often been unofficially referred to as a [[mythical national championship]].<ref>http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/8025013</ref><ref>http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-16515-uc-football-in-the-hunt-for-a-big-east-crown-and-bcs-bid.html</ref><ref>[http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=pittyearbooks&cc=pittyearbooks&idno=1939e49702&node=1939e49702%3A20&frm=frameset&view=image&seq=281 The Owl (1939), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, page 276, accessdate=2009-04-01]</ref> Since the NCAA, the sport's governing body, does not determine or declare a national champion in this field, determination of such has often engendered controversy.<ref name="multiplechamps">{{cite journal | url= | title=How many national titles can Alabama really lay claim to? Better yet, why is there more than one answer? (republished with permission from the Birmingham Weekly) | journal=The College Football Historian | publisher=[http://www.secsportsfan.com/college-football-association.html Intercollegiate Football Researchers Association] | editor-first=Tex | editor-last=Noel | first=Matt | last=Hooper | date=2009-10-10 | volume=2 | issue=9 | ISSN=1526-233x | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref> A championship team is independently declared by various individuals and organizations, often referred to as "selectors".<ref name="Mselectors">{{cite book | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf | title=Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book | pages=76-77 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=2009-08 | location=Indianapolis, IN | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref><ref name="CFBDWNationalChampions"/> These choices are often at odds with each other.<ref name="multiplechamps" /> While the NCAA has never officially endorsed an annual championship team, it has documented the choices of several selectors in the ''Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book''.<ref name="full list">{{cite book | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf | title=Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book | pages=76-81 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=2009-08 | location=Indianapolis, IN | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> In addition, various third party analysts have independently published their own lists of what they have determined to be the most legitimate selections for each season. These are also often at odds with each other as well as individual school's claims on national championships, which, for any particular season, may or may not correlate to the selections published elsewhere. |
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Currently, two widely recognized national champions selectors are the [[Associated Press]], which conducts a [[AP Poll|poll of football sportswriters]], and the ''[[USA Today]]'' [[Coaches' Poll]], a poll of [[American Football Coaches Association]] active coaches that is contractually obligated to name the winner of the [[Bowl Championship Series]] [[BCS National Championship Game|championship game]] as its national champion. |
Currently, two widely recognized national champions selectors are the [[Associated Press]], which conducts a [[AP Poll|poll of football sportswriters]], and the ''[[USA Today]]'' [[Coaches' Poll]], a poll of [[American Football Coaches Association]] active coaches that is contractually obligated to name the winner of the [[Bowl Championship Series]] [[BCS National Championship Game|championship game]] as its national champion. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The |
The earliest contemporaneous polls can be traced to [[Casper Whitney]], Charles Patterson and ''[[The Sun (New York)|The Sun]]'' in [[1901 college football season|1901]].<ref name="contemporaneouspoll">{{cite journal | url= http://www.secsportsfan.com/support-files/may_09.pdf | title=Three Actual Polls from the 1901 College Football Season | journal=The College Football Historian | publisher=[http://www.secsportsfan.com/college-football-association.html Intercollegiate Football Researchers Association] | editor-first=Tex | editor-last=Noel | date=2009-05 | volume=2 | issue=4 | ISSN=1526-233x | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref> Thus the concept of polls and national champions predated the mathematical system, but Dickinson's math system was the first to be widely popularized. His system named 10–0 {{cfb link|year=1926|team=Stanford Cardinal|school=Stanford University|title=Stanford}} the national champion of 1926, prior to their tie with [[1926 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama]] in the [[1927 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]]. A curious [[Knute Rockne]], then coach of {{cfb link|year=1926|team=Notre Dame Fighting Irish|school=University of Notre Dame|title=Notre Dame}}, had Dickinson backdate two seasons, which produced {{cfb link|year=1924|team=Notre Dame Fighting Irish|school=University of Notre Dame|title=Notre Dame}} as the [[1924 college football season|1924]] national champion (and [[Dartmouth Big Green football|Dartmouth]] in [[1925 college football season|1925]]). |
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A number of other mathematical systems were born in the 1920s and 1930s and were the only organized methods selecting national champions until the [[Associated Press]] began [[AP Poll|polling]] sportswriters in [[1936 college football season|1936]] to obtain rankings. Alan J. Gould, the creator of the AP poll, named [[1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]], {{cfb link|year=1935|team=Princeton Tigers|school=Princeton University|title=Princeton}}, and {{cfb link|year=1935|team=SMU Mustangs|school=Southern Methodist University|title=SMU}} tri-champions in [[1935 college football season|1935]], and polled writers the following year, which resulted in a national championship for [[1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]. The AP poll was the most sensational and famous selector from its inception until [[1950 college football season|1950]]. |
A number of other mathematical systems were born in the 1920s and 1930s and were the only organized methods selecting national champions until the [[Associated Press]] began [[AP Poll|polling]] sportswriters in [[1936 college football season|1936]] to obtain rankings. Alan J. Gould, the creator of the AP poll, named [[1935 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]], {{cfb link|year=1935|team=Princeton Tigers|school=Princeton University|title=Princeton}}, and {{cfb link|year=1935|team=SMU Mustangs|school=Southern Methodist University|title=SMU}} tri-champions in [[1935 college football season|1935]], and polled writers the following year, which resulted in a national championship for [[1936 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota]]. The AP poll was the most sensational and famous selector from its inception until [[1950 college football season|1950]]. |
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The AP and Coaches' polls remain the major rankings to this day, alongside the [[Bowl Championship Series]], considered the modern math giant. The BCS was the successor of the [[Bowl Alliance]] ([[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]-[[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]), which was itself the successor of the [[Bowl Coalition]] ([[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]–[[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]). Besides the many adjustments it undergoes each season, including a large overhaul following the [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004 season]] that included the replacement of the AP poll with the [[Harris Interactive College Football Poll|Harris poll]], the BCS has remained a mixture of math and polls since its inception in [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]], with the goal of matching the best two teams in the nation in a national championship bowl game which rotated yearly between the [[Sugar Bowl|Sugar]], [[Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]], [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose]], and [[Orange Bowl|Orange]] from [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]] to [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]], and later a standalone game entitled the [[BCS National Championship Game]] ([[2006 NCAA Division I-A football season|2006]]-present). The winner of the BCS Championship Game is awarded the national championship of the Coaches' Poll thus winning the AFCA National Championship Trophy. The BCS winner is also awarded the MacArthur Trophy by the National Football Foundation. Neither the AP Poll, nor other current selectors, have contractual obligations to select the BCS champion as their national champion.<ref name="iwebie.com">[http://www.iwebie.com/bcs-bowl-championship-2009 Bowl Championship Game 2009, accessdate=209-01-30]</ref><ref>[http://www.footballfoundation.com/Macarthurhist.php National Football Foundation: The MacArthur Trophy, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> The BCS has resulted in a number of [[BCS controversies|controversies]], most notably those that followed the [[2003 NCAA Division I-A football season|2003]] season. |
The AP and Coaches' polls remain the major rankings to this day, alongside the [[Bowl Championship Series]], considered the modern math giant. The BCS was the successor of the [[Bowl Alliance]] ([[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]-[[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]), which was itself the successor of the [[Bowl Coalition]] ([[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]–[[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]). Besides the many adjustments it undergoes each season, including a large overhaul following the [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004 season]] that included the replacement of the AP poll with the [[Harris Interactive College Football Poll|Harris poll]], the BCS has remained a mixture of math and polls since its inception in [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]], with the goal of matching the best two teams in the nation in a national championship bowl game which rotated yearly between the [[Sugar Bowl|Sugar]], [[Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]], [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose]], and [[Orange Bowl|Orange]] from [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]] to [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]], and later a standalone game entitled the [[BCS National Championship Game]] ([[2006 NCAA Division I-A football season|2006]]-present). The winner of the BCS Championship Game is awarded the national championship of the Coaches' Poll thus winning the AFCA National Championship Trophy. The BCS winner is also awarded the MacArthur Trophy by the National Football Foundation. Neither the AP Poll, nor other current selectors, have contractual obligations to select the BCS champion as their national champion.<ref name="iwebie.com">[http://www.iwebie.com/bcs-bowl-championship-2009 Bowl Championship Game 2009, accessdate=209-01-30]</ref><ref>[http://www.footballfoundation.com/Macarthurhist.php National Football Foundation: The MacArthur Trophy, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> The BCS has resulted in a number of [[BCS controversies|controversies]], most notably those that followed the [[2003 NCAA Division I-A football season|2003]] season. |
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==National championships in the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book== |
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==Major selectors== |
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The NCAA maintains an official records book of historical statistics and records for Division I football. In the records book, with consultation from various college football historians, it has created and maintains a list of "major selectors" of national championships throughout the history of college football along with their championship picks for each season.<ref name="full list" /> |
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===Major selectors=== |
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A variety of selectors have named national champions throughout the years. They generally can divided into three categories: those determined by mathematical formula, human polls, and historical research. The selectors below are listed in the Official NCAA Records Book as having been deemed to be "major selectors" for which the criteria is that the poll or selector be "national in scope either through distribution in newspaper, television, radio and/or computer online".<ref name="Mselectors" /> The former selectors, deemed instrumental in the sport of college football, and selectors presently included for the calculation of the BCS standing, are listed together.<ref name="BCS selector">{{cite book | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf | title=Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book | pages=76-77, 81 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=2009-08 | location=Indianapolis, IN | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
A variety of selectors have named national champions throughout the years. They generally can divided into three categories: those determined by mathematical formula, human polls, and historical research. The selectors below are listed in the Official NCAA Records Book as having been deemed to be "major selectors" for which the criteria is that the poll or selector be "national in scope either through distribution in newspaper, television, radio and/or computer online".<ref name="Mselectors" /> The former selectors, deemed instrumental in the sport of college football, and selectors presently included for the calculation of the BCS standing, are listed together.<ref name="BCS selector">{{cite book | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf | title=Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book | pages=76-77, 81 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=2009-08 | location=Indianapolis, IN | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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===Math=== |
====Math==== |
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The mathematical system is the oldest systematic selector of college football national champions. Many of the math selectors were created during the "championship rush" of the 1920s and 1930s, beginning with Frank Dickinson's [[Dickinson System|system]], or during the dawn of the [[computer]] age in the 1990s. Selectors are listed below with years selected retroactively in ''italics''.<ref name="champions">http://smokeys-trail.com/NCAA/champions.html</ref><ref name="ncaa history">http://www.ncaa.com/history/football-fbs.html</ref> |
The mathematical system is the oldest systematic selector of college football national champions. Many of the math selectors were created during the "championship rush" of the 1920s and 1930s, beginning with Frank Dickinson's [[Dickinson System|system]], or during the dawn of the [[computer]] age in the 1990s. Selectors are listed below with years selected retroactively in ''italics''.<ref name="champions">http://smokeys-trail.com/NCAA/champions.html</ref><ref name="ncaa history">http://www.ncaa.com/history/football-fbs.html</ref> |
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<nowiki>*</nowiki>The BCS uses both polls and a mathematical system to determine a season ending matchup between its top two ranked teams in the BCS Championship Game. The champion of that game is contractually awarded the Coaches' Poll and National Football Foundation championships. |
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The BCS uses both polls and a mathematical system to determine a season ending matchup between its top two ranked teams in the BCS Championship Game. The champion of that game is contractually awarded the Coaches' Poll and National Football Foundation championships. |
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===Poll=== |
====Poll==== |
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The poll has been the dominant national champion selector since the inception of the [[AP Poll|AP poll]] in [[1936 college football season|1936]]. It is notable that the [[National Football Foundation|NFF]] merged with [[United Press International|UPI]] from [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]]–[[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]] and [[USA Today]] from [[1993 NCAA Division I-A football season|1993]]-[[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]. Selectors are listed below with years selected retroactively in ''italics''. |
The poll has been the dominant national champion selector since the inception of the [[AP Poll|AP poll]] in [[1936 college football season|1936]]. It is notable that the [[National Football Foundation|NFF]] merged with [[United Press International|UPI]] from [[1991 NCAA Division I-A football season|1991]]–[[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]] and [[USA Today]] from [[1993 NCAA Division I-A football season|1993]]-[[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]. Selectors are listed below with years selected retroactively in ''italics''. |
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In addition to these, since 2005 the BCS has commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a poll of former college football players, coaches, and administrators. This human poll is used to help calculate the BCS standings. No final poll is taken after the BCS championship game and no national championship is awarded or named by Harris Interactive.<ref name="harris">[http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/bcspoll.asp Harris Interactive: Bowl Championship Series, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> |
In addition to these, since 2005 the BCS has commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a poll of former college football players, coaches, and administrators. This human poll is used to help calculate the BCS standings. No final poll is taken after the BCS championship game and no national championship is awarded or named by Harris Interactive.<ref name="harris">[http://www.harrisinteractive.com/news/bcspoll.asp Harris Interactive: Bowl Championship Series, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> |
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===Research=== |
====Research==== |
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College football historian [[Parke H. Davis]] is the only selector considered by the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] to have primarily used research in his selections. Davis did all of his work in [[1933 college football season|1933]], naming retroactive national champions for most of the years from [[1869 college football season|1869]]–[[1932 college football season|1932]] and naming [[1933 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] and {{cfb link|year=1933|team=Princeton Tigers|school=Princeton University|title= Princeton}} (his [[alma mater]]) co-champions at the end of the 1933 season. |
College football historian [[Parke H. Davis]] is the only selector considered by the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] to have primarily used research in his selections. Davis did all of his work in [[1933 college football season|1933]], naming retroactive national champions for most of the years from [[1869 college football season|1869]]–[[1932 college football season|1932]] and naming [[1933 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] and {{cfb link|year=1933|team=Princeton Tigers|school=Princeton University|title= Princeton}} (his [[alma mater]]) co-champions at the end of the 1933 season. |
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==Yearly |
===Yearly national championship selections from major selectors=== |
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Below is a list of the national champions of college football from [[1869 college football season|1869]]-present (with the exception of [[1871 college football season|1871]], in which no games were played) deemed to be chosen by "major selectors" as listed in the Official NCAA Division I Records Book.<ref name="full list" /> Many teams did not have coaches as late as [[1899 college football season|1899]]. Champions and selectors are in ''italics'' when retroactive and '''bold''' when "consensus" according to how they are designated in the Official NCAA Records Book. "Consensus" selectors in the Official NCAA Records Book correspond to the period from 1950 to present which began with the introduction of the two poll system upon the appearance of the Coaches Poll in 1950. Selectors used to determine teams listed as "Consensus National Champions" in the NCAA record book include the AP Poll, Coaches' Poll, Football Writers Association of America, and the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf | title=Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book | pages=85 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=2009-08 | location=Indianapolis, IN | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
Below is a list of the national champions of college football from [[1869 college football season|1869]]-present (with the exception of [[1871 college football season|1871]], in which no games were played) deemed to be chosen by "major selectors" as listed in the ''Official NCAA Division I Records Book''.<ref name="full list" /> Many teams did not have coaches as late as [[1899 college football season|1899]]. Champions and selectors are in ''italics'' when retroactive and '''bold''' when "consensus" according to how they are designated in the Official NCAA Records Book. "Consensus" selectors in the Official NCAA Records Book correspond to the period from 1950 to present which began with the introduction of the two poll system upon the appearance of the Coaches Poll in 1950. Selectors used to determine teams listed as "Consensus National Champions" in the NCAA record book include the AP Poll, Coaches' Poll, Football Writers Association of America, and the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf | title=Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book | pages=85 | publisher=The National Collegiate Athletic Association | date=2009-08 | location=Indianapolis, IN | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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The first contemporaneous selection |
The first contemporaneous poll to include teams across the country and selection of a national champions can be traced to [[Casper Whitney]] in [[1901 college football season|1901]].<ref name="contemporaneouspoll" /> The last retroactive selection was made by Clyde Berryman in [[1989 NCAA Division I-A football season|1989]] ([[1989 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]]). The [[Tie (draw)|tie]] was removed from college football in [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]] and the last champion with a tie in its record was {{cfb link|year=1994|team=Florida State Seminoles|school=Florida State University|title=Florida State}} in [[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]]. It is notable that, though [[1947 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] is [[1947 Michigan Wolverines football team#The 1947 National Championship controversy|often credited]] with a national championship in [[1947 college football season|1947]] on the basis of a "free poll" conducted by an AP sportswriter after the [[1948 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]], that poll was unofficial and it is not recognized in the Official NCAA Records Book<ref>http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf</ref>. |
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Please note that the Harris Interactive Poll (2005-present) is contracted by the BCS to help formulate its standings, and although its final ranking which occurs prior to the bowl games is listed in the Official NCAA Record Book, it does not conduct a final poll or award or name a national champion on its own and so has been eliminated from the following table.<ref name="harris"/> |
Please note that the Harris Interactive Poll (2005-present) is contracted by the BCS to help formulate its standings, and although its final ranking which occurs prior to the bowl games is listed in the Official NCAA Record Book, it does not conduct a final poll or award or name a national champion on its own and so has been eliminated from the following table.<ref name="harris"/> |
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<!-- The above table ONLY includes championships from selectors determined to be "Major" in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: see NCAA.org --> |
<!-- The above table ONLY includes championships from selectors determined to be "Major" in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: see NCAA.org --> |
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===Total |
===Total championship selections from major selectors by school=== |
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The |
The national title count listed below is a culmination of all championship awarded since [[1869 college football season|1869]], regardless of consensus or non-consensus status, as listed in the table above according to the selectors deemed to be major as listed in the ''Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book'' (minus the Harris Interactive poll, 2005-present, that is listed but does not conduct a final poll or award a championship).<ref name="full list" /> |
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The totals can be said to be disputed. Individual schools may claim national championships not accounted for by the NCAA Records Book or may not claim national championship selections that do appear in the NCAA Records Book |
The totals can be said to be disputed. Individual schools may claim national championships not accounted for by the NCAA Records Book or may not claim national championship selections that do appear in the NCAA Records Book (see [[NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship#National championship claims by school|National championship claims by school]] below). For an alternative independent view of national championship totals for each team, please see the [[NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship#College Football Data Warehouse recognized national champions|College Football Data Warehouse recognized national champions]] or [[NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship#Poll era (1936-present)|Poll era (1936-present)]] selections in the tables below. |
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<!-- The table below totals championships from the previous table which ONLY includes championships from selectors determined to be "Major" in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: see NCAA.org --> |
<!-- The table below totals championships from the previous table which ONLY includes championships from selectors determined to be "Major" in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: see NCAA.org --> |
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<!-- The table above totals championships from the previous table which ONLY includes championships from selectors determined to be "Major" in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: see NCAA.org --> |
<!-- The table above totals championships from the previous table which ONLY includes championships from selectors determined to be "Major" in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: see NCAA.org --> |
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==National championship claims by school== |
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==College Football Data Warehouse recognized national champions== |
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The following is a table of known schools' claims on national championships at the highest level of play in college football. Several of these schools no longer compete at the highest level, which is currently [[Division I#Football Bowl Subdivision|NCAA Division I FBS]], but nonetheless maintain claims to titles from when they did compete at the highest level. |
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College Football Data Warehouse (CFBDW) is an online resource and database that has collected and researched information on college football and national championship selections. It provides a comprehensive list of national championship selectors<ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/previous_selectors.php College Football Data Warehouse: Previous National Championship Selectors, accessdate=2009-10-30]</ref><ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/current_selectors.php College Football Data Warehouse: Current National Championship Selectors, accessdate=2009-10-30]</ref> and has itself recognized selectors that it has deemed to be the most acceptable throughout history. These include the National Championship Foundation (1869-1882), the [[Helms Athletic Foundation]] (1883-1935), the College Football Researchers Association (1919-1935), the Associated Press Poll (1936-current), and the Coaches Poll (1950-current).<ref name="CFBDWNationalChampions">[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/index.php College Football Data Warehouse: National Championships, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> From its research, it has compiled a list of College Football Data Warehouse Recognized National Championships for each season.<ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/nchamps_year.php College Football Data Warehouse: Recognized National Championships by Year, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> Some years include recognition of multiple teams for a particular season. Please note that the CFBDW list of Recognized Champions does not confer any additional legitimacy to the titles and represents only the singular opinion of College Football Data Warehouse. In this regard, some universities claim championships not recognized by CFBDW or do not claim championships that are recognized by CFBDW. Please consult the individual team articles for possible additional or alternative national championship claims. |
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Because there is no one governing or official body that regulates, recognizes, or awards national championships in college football, and because many independent selectors of championships exist, many of the claims by the schools listed below are shared, contradict each other, or are controversial.<ref name="multiplechamps" /><ref name="full list" /> In addition, because there is no one body overseeing national championships, no standardized requirements exist in order for a school to make a claim on a national championship, as any particular institution is free to make any declaration it deems to be fit. However, all known national championship claims are for seasons in which a National Championship, or share of a championship, was believed to be awarded to that particular school by at least one independent third-party selector.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/year_by_year.php | title=Year By Year Results: All Types of National Championships Included | publisher=College Football Data Warehouse | accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/current_selectors.php | title=Current National Championship Selectors | publisher=College Football Data Warehouse | accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/previous_selectors.php | title=Previous National Championship Selectors | publisher=College Football Data Warehouse | accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{citation | last = Jenkins| first = Dan | title = This Year The Fight Will Be In The Open | journal = Sports Illustrated | date = Sept. 11, 1967 | pages = 30–33 | volume = 27 | issue = 11 | publisher = Time, Inc. | location=Chicago, IL | url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1080269/index.htm | accessdate=2009-04-29 }}</ref> The majority of these claims, but not all, are based on championships awarded from selectors listed as "major" in the ''Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book''.<ref name="Mselectors" /> Not all championships awarded by third party selectors, nor those listed in the Official NCAA Records Book, are necessarily claimed by each school.<ref>The following schools either make no apparent statement or claim regarding national championships, or clearly state no claims on a national championship, despite the listing of a national championship for that school in the [http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf Official NCAA Football Records Book]: [[Arizona State Sun Devils football|Arizona State]], [[Centre Praying Colonels football|Centre]], [[Colgate Raiders football|Colgate]], [[Columbia Lions#Football|Columbia]], [[Detroit Titans|Detroit]], [[Missouri Tigers football|Missouri]], [[Purdue Boilermakers football|Purdue]], [[Rutgers Scarlet Knights football|Rutgers]], [[Washington & Jefferson Presidents football|W&J]], and [[Wisconsin Badgers football|Wisconsin]].</ref> Therefore, these claims represent how each individual school sees their own history on the subject of national championships. |
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===1869-present=== |
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Below is a list of all of the CFBDW recognized national championships from [[1869 college football season|1869]]-present. |
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This table below includes only national championship claims originating from each particular school and therefore represents the point-of-view of each individual institution. Each total number of championships, and the years for which they are claimed, are documented by the particular school on its official website, in its football media guide, or in other official publications or literature (see <b>Source</b>). If a championship is not mentioned by a school for any particular season, regardless of whether it was awarded by a selector or listed in a third-party publication such as the Official NCAA Records Book, it is not considered to be claimed by that institution.<ref>All National Championships listed in the [http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/football_records/DI/2009/2009FBS.pdf Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book], as well as all additional selections compiled at [http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/year_by_year.php College Football Data Warehouse], were checked for claims by the applicable schools. Although every care was taken to be thorough and accurate, it can not be assumed that there are no missing or misrepresented claims due to potential limitations of the available source material for any one institution.</ref> |
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<!-- The table below ONLY contains national championships |
<!-- The table below ONLY contains national championships claimed by individual schools. Do not make unsourced edits to this list. These sources must reference the specific claim by the school, not by a third party awarding the championship. --> |
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%" |
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%" |
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! width="*" | School |
! width="*" | School |
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! width="*" | Championships |
! width="*" | Claimed National Championships |
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! width="*" | Seasons |
! width="*" class="unsortable" | Seasons |
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! width="*" class="unsortable" | Source |
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| [[Princeton Tigers football|Princeton]] || |
| [[Princeton Tigers football|Princeton]] || 28 || 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950 || <ref>{{cite book| url=http://www.goprincetontigers.com//pdf7/135155.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=10600 | last=Sachson | first=Craig | title=2008 Princeton Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=3, 19 | publisher=Princeton University | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Yale Bulldogs football|Yale]] || |
| [[Yale Bulldogs football|Yale]] || 26<sup><sup>a</sup></sup>|| 1872, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1926 || <ref>{{cite book| url=http://static.psbin.com/m/g/ie8kzki1r14x0x/Yale-Football-2009-opt.pdf | last=Conn | first=Steve | title=Yale Football 2009 | year=2009 | pages=67, 106-108 | publisher=Yale University | accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.yalebulldogs.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/championships.html | title=Yale Official Athletic Site - Yale Football Championships | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] || 12 || 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992 || <ref>{{cite book| url= http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/alab/graphics/2008-fball-guide.pdf | last=Purinton | first=Jeff | last2=Maxon | first2=Josh | last3=Walker | first3=Doug | last4=Allen | first4=Barry | last5=Carlton | first5=Steven | title=2008 University of Alabama Football Recruiting and Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=3, 158-166 |publisher=University of Alabama | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] || 12 || 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
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| [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]] || 11 || 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997 || <ref>{{cite book| url= http://www.mgoblue.com/uploadedFiles/Sports/Football/Articles/2000s/2009-2010/fbl-2009-mtw-1.pdf | editor1-last=Ablauf | editor1-first=David| editor2-last=Cossman | editor2-first=Barbara | title=2009 University of Michigan Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=5 |publisher=University of Michigan | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| url= http://www.mgoblue.com/uploadedFiles/Sports/Football/Articles/2000s/2009-2010/fbl-2009-mtw-1.pdf | editor1-last=Ablauf | editor1-first=David| editor2-last=Cossman | editor2-first=Barbara | title=2009 University of Michigan Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=397 |publisher=University of Michigan | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] || 11 || 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992 |
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| [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] || 11 || 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 || <ref>{{cite book| url= http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nd/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/08fbguidethisisnd.pdf | last=Heisler | first=John | last2=Cafarelli | first2=Bernadette| last3=Hardin | first3=Brian | last4=Bertsch | first4=Michael | title=2008 Notre Dame Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=1-2 |publisher=University of Notre Dame | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Harvard Crimson football|Harvard]] || 10 || 1875, 1890, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 |
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| [[USC Trojans football|USC]] || |
| [[USC Trojans football|USC]] || 11 || 1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 || <ref>{{cite book| url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/usc/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/08-usc-mfootbl-mg-part6.pdf | last=USC Sports Information Office | title=2008 USC Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=119-124 | publisher=University of Southern California | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh]] || 9 || 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976 || <ref>{{cite book | editor1-last=Borghetti| editor1-first=E.J.| editor2-last=Nestor| editor2-first=Mendy |editor3-last=Welsh| editor3-first=Celeste | title = 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide | publisher = University of Pittsburgh | date = 2008 | location = Pittsburgh, PA | pages = 16, 156 | url = http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/pitt/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2008FBMediaGuide.pdf}}</ref> |
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| [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]] || 7 || 1901, 1902, 1923, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997 |
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| [[Harvard Crimson football|Harvard]] || 7 || 1890, 1898, 1899, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 || <ref>{{cite book| url=http://www.gocrimson.com/pdf1/134895.pdf?&ATCLID=1549055&SPSID=41065&SPID=3659&DB_OEM_ID=9000| last= Harvard University Office of Athletic Communications | title=2008 Harvard Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages=2, 136-137 | publisher=University of Southern California | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]] || 7 || 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 |
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| [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] || 7 || 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/fls/17300/pdf/fb/guide/08_Spring_p100to129.pdf?SPSID=87751&SPID=10408&DB_OEM_ID=17300 | title=2008 Ohio State Spring Football Media Guide - Record Book | pages = 105-106 | publisher=The Ohio State University | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]] || 6 || 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 |
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| [[Oklahoma Sooners football|Oklahoma]] || 7 || 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.soonersports.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/m-footbl-national-championships.html|title=SoonerSports.com: Oklahoma Sooners Football - National Championships | publisher=University of Oklahoma Department of Intercollegiate Athletics|accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh]] || 6 || 1910, 1916, 1918, 1936, 1937, 1976 |
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| [[Penn Quakers|Pennsylvania]] || 7 || 1894, 1895, 1897, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1924 || <ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf5/630256.pdf?&ATCLID=1573726&SPSID=60663&SPID=537&DB_OEM_ID=1700 | title=2009 Penn Football Media Guide | date=2009-08-01 | pages = 5, 20-21 | first=Eric | last=Dolan | publisher=University of Pennsylvania Office of Athletic Communications | accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami]] || 5 || 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001 |
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| [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan St]] || 6 || 1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966 || <ref>{{cite book| url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/1-24-intro-media.pdf | last1=Lewandowski | first1=John | last2=Phlegar | first2=Ben| title=2007 Michigan State Football Media Guide | year=2007 | pages=13 | publisher=Michigan State University Sports Information Department | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/133-170-spartan-history.pdf | last1=Lewandowski | first1=John | last2=Phlegar | first2=Ben| title=2007 Michigan State Football Media Guide | year=2007 | pages=144 | publisher=Michigan State University Sports Information Department | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] || 5 || 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997 |
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| [[Minnesota Golden Gophers football|Minnesota]] || 6 || 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gophersports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=39277&SPID=3280&DB_OEM_ID=8400&ATCLID=291949|title=GopherSports.com: University of Minnesota Athletics - National Champions | publisher=University of Minnesota Athletics Department |accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] || 5 || 1942, 1954, 1957, 1968, 2002 |
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| [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]] || 6 || 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/tenn/graphics/football/08-media-guide.pdf | editor1-last=Ford| editor1-first=Bud| editor2-last=Painter| editor2-first=John |editor3-last=Williams| editor3-first=Tony | title=2008 University of Tennessee Football Guide | pages = 1, 168-173 | publisher=University of Tennessee Department of Athletics | year=2008 | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/fball-history/fb-history-nationalchamps.html | title=Tennessee Official Athletic Site - Football: National Champions | publisher=University of Tennessee Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Army Black Knights football|Army]] || 4 || 1914, 1944, 1945, 1946 |
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| [[California Golden Bears football|California]] || 5 || 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calbears.com/trads/cal-nat-champs.html#team| title=CalBears.com - Traditions: Cal National Team Champions | publisher= University of California Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> <ref>{{cite book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/cal/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/pdf-28-44FBgd-072008.pdf | editor-last=Benenson | editor-first=Herb | title=2008 California Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages = 36 | publisher=Cal Media Relations Office | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football|Georgia Tech]] || 4 || 1917, 1928, 1952, 1990 |
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| [[Cornell Big Red football|Cornell]] || 5 || 1915, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1939 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://cornellbigred.com/documents/2008/7/8/2008FBGuide.pdf | editor-last=Hartigan | editor-first=Jeremy | title=2008 Cornell Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages = 74, 76 | publisher=Cornell Athletics Communications Office | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] || 4 || 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927 |
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| [[Georgia Bulldogs football|Georgia]]|| 5<sup><sup>b</sup></sup> || 1927, 1942, 1946, 1968, 1980 || <ref name="GeorgiaMNC">{{cite book | url=http://www.georgiadogs.com//pdf4/410939.pdf?&DB_OEM_ID=8800 | title=2009 Georgia Bulldogs Media Guide | year=2009 | pages=190 | publisher=University of Georgia Athletics Department | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref><ref name="GeorgiaYearbyYear">{{cite book | url=http://www.georgiadogs.com//pdf5/643316.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=8800 | title=2009 Georgia Bulldogs Media Guide | year=2009 | pages=159-162 | publisher=University of Georgia Athletics Department | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref> |
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| [[Penn Quakers|Pennsylvania]] || 4 || 1895, 1897, 1904, 1908 |
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| [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] || 5 || 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951 || <ref>{{cite book| url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2007FBGuide-1.pdf | editor-first=Cassie | editor-last=Arner | title=2007 Illinois Football Media Guide | year=2007 | pages=80 | publisher=University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]] || 4 || 1938, 1950, 1951, 1998 |
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| [[Miami Hurricanes football|Miami]] || 5 || 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/trads/mifl-natl-championships.html | title=Miami Official Athletic Site - Traditions: National Championships | publisher=University of Miami Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]] || 4 || 1963, 1969, 1970, 2005 |
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| [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] || 5 || 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=230&SPID=22&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=606981| title=Huskers.com-Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site: Nebraska's Five National Titles | publisher=University of Nebraska Athletic Department | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[California Golden Bears football|California]] || 3 || 1920, 1921, 1922 |
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| [[Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football|Georgia Tech]] || 4 || 1917, 1928, 1952, 1990 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://ramblinwreck.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/titles.html | title=Georgia Tech Official Athletic Site - Football: Titles Won | publisher= Georgia Tech Athletic Department | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[Florida Gators football|Florida]]|| 3 || 1996, 2006, 2008 |
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| [[Texas Longhorns football|Texas]] || 4 || 1963, 1969, 1970, 2005 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/fb-national-champions.html | title=MackBrown-TexasFootball.com: National Champions | publisher= University of Texas Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref> |
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| [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] || 3 || 1958, 2003, 2007 |
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| [[Army Black Knights football|Army]] || 3 || 1944, 1945, 1946 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://issuu.com/armyathletics/docs/2009_armyfootball_mediaguide/32 | last1=Beretta | first1=Bob | last2=Gunning | first2=Brian | title=2009 Army Football Media Guide | year=2009 | pages = 30 | publisher=U.S. Military Academy Office of Athletic Communications | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://issuu.com/armyathletics/docs/2009_armyfootball_mediaguide/136 | last1=Beretta | first1=Bob | last2=Gunning | first2=Brian | title=2009 Army Football Media Guide | year=2009 | pages = 134, 138-140 | publisher=U.S. Military Academy Office of Athletic Communications | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref> |
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| [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan St]] || 3 || 1952, 1965, 1966 |
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| [[Florida Gators football|Florida]]|| 3 || 1996, 2006, 2008 || <ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gatorzone.com/football/history.php | title=GatorZone.com: Gator Football History | publisher= University of Florida Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Cornell Big Red football|Cornell]] || 2 || 1915, 1921 |
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| [[Lafayette Leopards football|Lafayette]]|| 3 || 1896, 1921, 1926 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lafa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2008FB123_150.pdf | last=LaBella | first=Phil | title=2008 Lafayette Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages = 124 | publisher=Lafayette Athletics Communications | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Florida State Seminoles football|FSU]] || 2 || 1993, 1999 |
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| [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] || 3 || 1958, 2003, 2007 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://www.lsusports.net/src/data/lsu/assets/docs/fb/pdf/08guide016-029.pdf?SPSID=27815&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200 | editor-last=Bonnette | editor-first=Michael | title=2008 LSU Football Media Guide | year=2008 | pages = 18-19 | publisher=LSU Sports Information Office | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Georgia Bulldogs football|Georgia]]|| 2 || 1942, 1980 |
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| [[Ole Miss Rebels football|Mississippi]]|| 3 || 1959, 1960, 1962 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.olemisssports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=2600&ATCLID=883744 | title=OleMissSports.com - Official Web Site of University of Mississippi Athletics - Ole Miss Football History | publisher= University of Mississippi Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Maryland Terrapins football|Maryland]]|| 2 || 1951, 1953 |
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| [[SMU Mustangs football|SMU]]|| 3 || 1935, 1981, 1982 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/smu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2009Prospectus.pdf | title=2009 SMU Football Spring Prospectus | year=2009 | pages = 2 | publisher=Southern Methodist University Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/smu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/HistoricalInformation.pdf | title=SMU Football 2005 | year=2005 | pages = 144-146 | publisher=Southern Methodist University Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] || 2 || 1982, 1986 |
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| [[Chicago Maroons football|Chicago]] || 2 || 1905, 1913 || <ref>{{cite web | url=http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/columns/story?columnist=greenberg_jon&id=4585864 | title=Before it was normal | date=2009-10-21 | first=Jon | last=Greenberg | publisher=ESPNChicago.com | accessdate=2009-10-23}}</ref> |
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| [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M]]|| 2 || 1919, 1939 |
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| [[Florida State Seminoles football|FSU]] || 2 || 1993, 1999 || <ref>{{cite book |url=http://issuu.com/flstateseminoles/docs/2008fbmediaguide/6 | title=2008 FSU Football Media Guide | editor-last=Finebloom | editor-first=Elliot | year=2008 | pages = 1, 4-5| publisher=Florida State University Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-17}}</ref> |
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| [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]]|| 1 || 1964 |
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| [[Penn State Nittany Lions football|Penn State]] || 2 || 1982, 1986 || <ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gopsusports.com/trads/national-champions.html | title=Penn State official Athletic Site - Traditions: National Champions | publisher= Pennsylvania State University Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Auburn Tigers football|Auburn]]|| 1 || 1957 |
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| [[TCU Horned Frogs football|TCU]]|| 2 || 1935, 1938 || <ref>{{cite book | url=http://issuu.com/tcu_athletics/docs/09_tcu_fb_mg/163 | publisher=Horned Frogs Athletics Media Relations Office | first=Mark | last=Cohen | title=2009 TCU Football Media & Recruiting Guide | pages=16, 159-160 | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref> |
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| [[BYU Cougars football|BYU]]|| 1 || 1984 |
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| [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]] || 2<sup><sup>c</sup></sup> || 1960, 1991 || <ref name="UWMNCs">{{cite book |url=http://gohuskies.cstv.com/photos/schools/wash/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/10_08FBMG.pdf | last1=Kilwien | first1=Richard | last2=Bechthold | first2=Jeff | last3=Morry | first3=Nicole | last4=Soriano | first4=Jonathan | last5=McLeod | first5=Brianna | title=Washington Huskies Football 2008 | year=2008 | pages = 205-206 | publisher=University of Washington Athletic Communications Office | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Chicago Maroons football#Football|Chicago]]|| 1 || 1905 |
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| [[Arkansas Razorbacks football|Arkansas]]|| 1 || 1964 || <ref>{{cite book | url= http://www.arkansasrazorbacks.com/pdf4/626741.pdf?SPSID=30726&SPID=2419&DB_OEM_ID=6100 | title=University of Arkansas Razorbacks 2009 Football Media Guide | publisher=UA Media Relations Department | editor1-first=Kevin | editor1-last=Trainor | editor2-first=Zack | editor2-last=Higbee | pages=14, 132 | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Clemson Tigers football|Clemson]]|| 1 || 1981 |
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| [[Auburn Tigers football|Auburn]]|| 1 || 1957 || <ref>{{cite web | url= http://auburntigers.cstv.com/trads/aub-trads.html | title=Auburn Tradition | publisher=Auburn Tigers: The Official Website of Auburn Athletics | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]]|| 1 || 1990 |
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| [[Boston College Eagles football|Boston College]] || 1 || 1940 || <ref>{{cite web|url= http://bceagles.cstv.com/genrel/071000aac.html | title=Boston College Official Athletic Site: 1940 Football 'Team of Destiny' - National Champions | publisher= Boston College Athletics Department | accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref> |
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| [[Dartmouth Big Green|Dartmouth]]|| 1 || 1925 |
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| [[BYU Cougars football|BYU]]|| 1 || 1984 || <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.byucougars.com/athletic_department/tradition/national.jsp | title=National Champions | publisher=BYUCougars.com: The Official Site of Brigham Young Athletics | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[Lafayette College#Athletics|Lafayette]]|| 1 || 1896 |
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| [[Clemson Tigers football|Clemson]]|| 1 || 1981 || <ref>{{cite web | url=http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/trads/clem-trads-nationalchamps.html | title=Clemson National Champions | publisher=Clemson Tigers – Official Athletic Site | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[Ole Miss Rebels football|Mississippi]]|| 1 || 1960 |
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| [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]]|| 1 || 1990 ||<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.cubuffs.com/SportSelect.dbml?SPID=255&SPSID=21822&DB_OEM_ID=600 | title=Colorado Football 1990 National Champions | publisher=CUBuffs.com—Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[SMU Mustangs football|SMU]]|| 1 || 1935 |
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| [[Dartmouth Big Green football|Dartmouth]]|| 1 || 1925 || <ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.dartmouthsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=48870&SPID=4719&DB_OEM_ID=11600&ATCLID=584975 | title=A Championship Tradition | publisher=DartmouthSports.com—Official Web Site of Dartmouth Varsity Athletics | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]|| 1 || 1926 |
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| [[Iowa Hawkeyes football|Iowa]] || 1<sup><sup>d</sup></sup> || 1958 ||<ref>{{cite book | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/09-mg-102-117.pdf | title=Iowa Football 2009 Media Guide | page=114 | publisher=University of Iowa Athletic Department | year=2009| editor1-first=Steve | editor2-last=Roe | editor2-first=Theresa | editor2-last=Walenta | accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/iowa/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/supplement-09.pdf | title=2009 Media Fact Book | publisher=Iowa Sports Information | pages=96, 124 | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-18}}</ref> |
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| [[Syracuse Orange football|Syracuse]]|| 1 || 1959 |
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| [[Kentucky Wildcats football|Kentucky]]|| 1 || 1950 ||<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/kty-m-footbl-archive.html | title=Football: History and Tradition | publisher=UKAthletics.com – The Official Site of the Kentucky Wildcats | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kty/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2009_uk_football_media_guide.pdf | title=The 2009 University of Kentucky Football Media Guide | publisher=University of Kentucky Athletics Association | first1=Tony | last1=Neely | first2=Susan | last2=Lax | first3=Deb | last3=Moore | first4=Jeremy | last4=Strachan | first5=DeWayne | last5=Peevy | first6=Steve | last6=Hellyer | first7=Evan | last7=Crane | first8=Maria | last8=Zumdick | first9=Kelly | last9=Bozeman | year=2009| pages=134 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[TCU Horned Frogs football|TCU]]|| 1 || 1938 |
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|- |
|- |
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| [[Maryland Terrapins football|Maryland]]|| 1 || 1953 || <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.umterps.com/genrel/md-national-championships.html | title=Terrapin Team Titles: University of Maryland National Championships | publisher=Maryland Athletics, University of Maryland | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref> |
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| [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] || 1 || 1954 |
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|- |
|- |
||
| [[Navy Midshipmen football|Navy]]|| 1 || 1926 ||<ref>{{cite book | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/navy/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/1-NavyFootball-09.pdf | title=2009 Navy Football Media Guide | year=2009 | first=Scott | last=Strasemeier | editor-first=Stacie | editor-last=Michaud | publisher=Naval Academy Athletic Association | pages=8-9 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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| [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]] || 1 || 1991 |
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|- |
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| [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]]|| 1 || 1926 || <ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.gostanford.com/trads/stan-trads-champs.html| title=Stanford Official Athletic Site - Traditions: Stanford Cardinal Championships | publisher= Stanford University Department of Athletics | accessdate=2009-06-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/stan/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/09FB-history.pdf | title=2009 Stanford Football Media Guide | editor-first=Jim | editor-last=Young | year=2009 | pages = 141, 144 | publisher=Stanford University Athletic Communications and Media Relations Department | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref> |
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|- |
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| [[Syracuse Orange football|Syracuse]]|| 1 || 1959 || <ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.sidearmdmg.com/syracuse/football/ | title=2009 Syracuse University Football Media Guide| editor-first=Sue Cornelius | editor-last=Edson | publisher=Syracuse University Athletic Communications Department | year=2009 | pages=i, 99, 124 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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|- |
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| [[Texas A&M Aggies football|Texas A&M]]|| 1 || 1939 || <ref>{{cite web | url= http://www.aggieathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/championships.html | title=Aggie Football's Championships | publisher=AggieAthletics.com - Official Website of Texas A&M Athletics | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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|- |
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| [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] || 1 || 1954 || <ref>{{cite book | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/09-mg-history.pdf | title=2009 UCLA Football Media Guide | publisher=UCLA Sports Information Office | editor-first=Marc | editor-last=Dellins | year=2009 | pages=147, 154 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> <ref>{{cite book | url= http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/09-mg-general.pdf | title=2009 UCLA Football Media Guide | publisher=UCLA Sports Information Office | editor-first=Marc | editor-last=Dellins | year=2009 | pages=164 | accessdate=2009-10-16}}</ref> |
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|} |
|} |
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<!-- The table above ONLY contains national championships |
<!-- The table above ONLY contains national championships claimed by schools. Do not make unsourced edits to this list. These sources must reference the specific claim by the school, not by a third party awarding the championship. --> |
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<sup><sup>a</sup> In Yale's Media Guide Year-By-Year Results section, the 1887 is listed as National Champs, however this title is not referred to elsewhere and is not included in the list of 26 National Championships that are claimed in the media guide or on Yale's athletic website.</sup><ref>{{cite book| url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/yale/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2006MediaGuidePDF.pdf | last=Conn | first=Steve | title=2006 Yale Football Media Guide | year=2006 | pages=98 | publisher=Yale University | accessdate=2009-06-14}}</ref><br> |
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<sup><sup>b</sup> In an on-line list of the university's national championships, Georgia lists only two for football (1942 and 1980).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.georgiadogs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8800&ATCLID=324061 | title= |
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University of Georgia Championships | publisher=UGA Athletics, University of Georgia | year=2009 | accessdate=2009-10-15}}</ref> However, in Georgia's football media guide, although those years are highlighted as consensus championships, each of the five championships are described separately<ref name="GeorgiaMNC"/> and those seasons are highlighted as national championships in the year-by-year results.<ref name="GeorgiaYearbyYear" /></sup><br> |
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<sup><sup>c</sup> Washington's media guide depicts official recognition for only the 1960 and 1991 National Championships, as depicted on a stadium flag,<ref name="UWMNCs" /> although it lists championships for 1984 and 1990.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wash/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/WASH_FB_Records.pdf | title=Washington Huskies 2009 Football Guide & Record Book | year=2009 | pages=61 | accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref></sup><br> |
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<sup><sup>d</sup> Iowa lists the awarding of the 1958 [[Grantland Rice Award|Grantland Rice National Championship]] in various publications, but does not appear to directly comment on a claim.</sup> |
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==College Football Data Warehouse recognized national champions== |
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===Current FBS schools=== |
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College Football Data Warehouse (CFBDW) is an online resource and database that has collected and researched information on college football and national championship selections. It provides a comprehensive list of national championship selectors<ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/previous_selectors.php College Football Data Warehouse: Previous National Championship Selectors, accessdate=2009-10-30]</ref><ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/current_selectors.php College Football Data Warehouse: Current National Championship Selectors, accessdate=2009-10-30]</ref> and has itself recognized selectors that it has deemed to be the most acceptable throughout history. These include the National Championship Foundation (1869-1882), the [[Helms Athletic Foundation]] (1883-1935), the College Football Researchers Association (1919-1935), the Associated Press Poll (1936-current), and the Coaches Poll (1950-current).<ref name="CFBDWNationalChampions">[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/index.php College Football Data Warehouse: National Championships, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> From its research, it has compiled a list of College Football Data Warehouse Recognized National Championships for each season.<ref>[http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/nchamps_year.php College Football Data Warehouse: Recognized National Championships by Year, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> Some years include recognition of multiple teams for a particular season. Please note that the CFBDW list of Recognized Champions does not confer any additional legitimacy to the titles and represents only the singular opinion of College Football Data Warehouse. In this regard, some universities claim championships not recognized by CFBDW or do not claim championships that are recognized by CFBDW. Please consult the above table of [[NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship#National championship claims by school|National championship claims by school]] or individual team articles and websites for possible additional or alternative national championship claims. |
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Below is a list of all of the CFBDW recognized national championships from [[1869 college football season|1869]]-present. |
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<!-- The table below totals national championships from the previous table which includes only championships recognized by College Football Data Warehouse: www.cdbdatawarehouse.com --> |
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<!-- The table below ONLY contains national championships recognized by College Football Data Warehouse: www.cdbdatawarehouse.com --> |
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%" |
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%" |
||
! width="*" | School |
! width="*" | School |
||
! width="*" | Championships |
! width="*" | Championships |
||
! width="*" | Seasons |
! width="*" | Seasons |
||
|- |
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| [[Princeton Tigers football|Princeton]] || 24 || 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1896, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935 |
|||
|- |
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| [[Yale Bulldogs football|Yale]] || 19 || 1874, 1876, 1877, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1894, 1900, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909 |
|||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] || 12 || 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
| [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] || 12 || 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] || 11 || 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992 |
| [[Alabama Crimson Tide football|Alabama]] || 11 || 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992 |
||
|- |
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| [[Harvard Crimson football|Harvard]] || 10 || 1875, 1890, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 |
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|- |
|- |
||
| [[USC Trojans football|USC]] || 10 || 1928, 1931, 1932, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 |
| [[USC Trojans football|USC]] || 10 || 1928, 1931, 1932, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 |
||
Line 1,116: | Line 1,144: | ||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] || 4 || 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927 |
| [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] || 4 || 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927 |
||
|- |
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| [[Penn Quakers|Pennsylvania]] || 4 || 1895, 1897, 1904, 1908 |
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|- |
|- |
||
| [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]] || 4 || 1938, 1950, 1951, 1998 |
| [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]] || 4 || 1938, 1950, 1951, 1998 |
||
Line 1,128: | Line 1,158: | ||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan St]] || 3 || 1952, 1965, 1966 |
| [[Michigan State Spartans football|Michigan St]] || 3 || 1952, 1965, 1966 |
||
|- |
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| [[Cornell Big Red football|Cornell]] || 2 || 1915, 1921 |
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|- |
|- |
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| [[Florida State Seminoles football|FSU]] || 2 || 1993, 1999 |
| [[Florida State Seminoles football|FSU]] || 2 || 1993, 1999 |
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Line 1,144: | Line 1,176: | ||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[BYU Cougars football|BYU]]|| 1 || 1984 |
| [[BYU Cougars football|BYU]]|| 1 || 1984 |
||
|- |
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| [[Chicago Maroons football#Football|Chicago]]|| 1 || 1905 |
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|- |
|- |
||
| [[Clemson Tigers football|Clemson]]|| 1 || 1981 |
| [[Clemson Tigers football|Clemson]]|| 1 || 1981 |
||
|- |
|- |
||
| [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]]|| 1 || 1990 |
| [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]]|| 1 || 1990 |
||
|- |
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| [[Dartmouth Big Green|Dartmouth]]|| 1 || 1925 |
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|- |
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| [[Lafayette College#Athletics|Lafayette]]|| 1 || 1896 |
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|- |
|- |
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| [[Ole Miss Rebels football|Mississippi]]|| 1 || 1960 |
| [[Ole Miss Rebels football|Mississippi]]|| 1 || 1960 |
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Line 1,163: | Line 1,201: | ||
| [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]] || 1 || 1991 |
| [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]] || 1 || 1991 |
||
|} |
|} |
||
<!-- The table above |
<!-- The table above ONLY contains national championships recognized by College Football Data Warehouse: www.cdbdatawarehouse.com --> |
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==Poll era (1936–present)== |
==Poll era (1936–present)== |
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Line 1,321: | Line 1,359: | ||
==BCS Standings== |
==BCS Standings== |
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The [[Bowl Championship Series]] (BCS) is a selection system designed to give the top two teams in the NCAA Division I-[[Division I#Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]] System (formerly Division I-A) an opportunity to compete in a "national championship game". This championship is intended as a surrogate for a [[playoff]] system since the NCAA does not formally determine a champion in this category.It has been in place since the [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998 season]], but a number of controversial selections have spurred changes in the system that continue into the present. Prior to the [[2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2006]] season eight teams competed in four BCS Bowls. (the [[Orange Bowl|Orange]], [[Sugar Bowl|Sugar]], [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose]], and [[Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]) The BCS replaced the [[Bowl Alliance]] (in place from [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]–[[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]), which itself followed the [[Bowl Coalition]] (in place from [[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]–[[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]].). One of the main differences is that the Rose Bowl participates in the BCS; previously, the Big Ten and Pac-10 champions automatically played in the Rose Bowl regardless of their poll rankings. Now, those teams play in the [[BCS National Championship Game]] if they finish #1 or #2 in the BCS rankings. |
The [[Bowl Championship Series]] (BCS) is a selection system designed to give the top two teams in the NCAA Division I-[[Division I#Football Bowl Subdivision|Football Bowl Subdivision]] System (formerly Division I-A) an opportunity to compete in a "national championship game". This championship is intended as a surrogate for a [[playoff]] system since the NCAA does not formally determine a champion in this category. It has been in place since the [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998 season]], but a number of controversial selections have spurred changes in the system that continue into the present. Prior to the [[2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2006]] season eight teams competed in four BCS Bowls. (the [[Orange Bowl|Orange]], [[Sugar Bowl|Sugar]], [[Rose Bowl (game)|Rose]], and [[Fiesta Bowl|Fiesta]]) The BCS replaced the [[Bowl Alliance]] (in place from [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]–[[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]), which itself followed the [[Bowl Coalition]] (in place from [[1992 NCAA Division I-A football season|1992]]–[[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]].). One of the main differences is that the Rose Bowl participates in the BCS; previously, the Big Ten and Pac-10 champions automatically played in the Rose Bowl regardless of their poll rankings. Now, those teams play in the [[BCS National Championship Game]] if they finish #1 or #2 in the BCS rankings. |
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The BCS currently relies on a combination of the Coaches' and Harris polls and an average of various [[computer]] rankings to determine relative team rankings, and to narrow the field to two teams to play in the BCS National Championship Game held after the other college [[bowl game]]s. The winner of this game is crowned Coaches' Poll national champion winning the AFCA National Championship Trophy and is also awarded the MacArthur Trophy by the National Football Foundation.<ref name="iwebie.com"/><ref>[http://www.footballfoundation.com/Macarthurhist.php National Football Foundation: The MacArthur Trophy, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> |
The BCS currently relies on a combination of the Coaches' and Harris polls and an average of various [[computer]] rankings to determine relative team rankings, and to narrow the field to two teams to play in the BCS National Championship Game held after the other college [[bowl game]]s. The winner of this game is crowned Coaches' Poll national champion winning the AFCA National Championship Trophy and is also awarded the MacArthur Trophy by the National Football Foundation.<ref name="iwebie.com"/><ref>[http://www.footballfoundation.com/Macarthurhist.php National Football Foundation: The MacArthur Trophy, accessdate=2009-01-30]</ref> |
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Line 1,351: | Line 1,389: | ||
*[[NCAA Division III National Football Championship]] |
*[[NCAA Division III National Football Championship]] |
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==Notes and references== |
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==References== |
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*[http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] |
*[http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book] |
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*[http://www.ncaa.com/history/default.aspx?id=91434 FBS History] |
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*MacCambridge, M. (2005) ''ESPN College Football Encyclopedia''. New York: ESPN Books. ISBN 1-4013-3703-1 |
*MacCambridge, M. (2005) ''ESPN College Football Encyclopedia''. New York: ESPN Books. ISBN 1-4013-3703-1 |
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*[http://www.appollarchive.com/ AP Poll Archive] |
*[http://www.appollarchive.com/ AP Poll Archive] |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* [http://www.ncaa.com/home/ National Collegiate Athletic Association] |
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{{College Football National Championship Systems}} |
{{College Football National Championship Systems}} |
Revision as of 22:08, 30 October 2009
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship | |
Current System | BCS (since 1998) |
National Championship Trophies | AFCA (since 1986), AP (since 1936), MacArthur (since 1959), Grantland (since 1954) |
Longest Continuous Selector | Associated Press (1936-present) |
First Season Awarded | 1869 |
Last Completed Season | 2008 |
The NCAA Division I FBS national football championship is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection(s) of the best college football team(s) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Division I FBS (formerly Division I-A) football is the only NCAA sport in which a yearly champion is not determined by an NCAA sanctioned championship event.
Because the championship team is not determined by an NCAA championship or tournament event, it has often been unofficially referred to as a mythical national championship.[1][2][3] Since the NCAA, the sport's governing body, does not determine or declare a national champion in this field, determination of such has often engendered controversy.[4] A championship team is independently declared by various individuals and organizations, often referred to as "selectors".[5][6] These choices are often at odds with each other.[4] While the NCAA has never officially endorsed an annual championship team, it has documented the choices of several selectors in the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book.[7] In addition, various third party analysts have independently published their own lists of what they have determined to be the most legitimate selections for each season. These are also often at odds with each other as well as individual school's claims on national championships, which, for any particular season, may or may not correlate to the selections published elsewhere.
Currently, two widely recognized national champions selectors are the Associated Press, which conducts a poll of football sportswriters, and the USA Today Coaches' Poll, a poll of American Football Coaches Association active coaches that is contractually obligated to name the winner of the Bowl Championship Series championship game as its national champion.
History
The earliest contemporaneous polls can be traced to Casper Whitney, Charles Patterson and The Sun in 1901.[8] Thus the concept of polls and national champions predated the mathematical system, but Dickinson's math system was the first to be widely popularized. His system named 10–0 Stanford the national champion of 1926, prior to their tie with Alabama in the Rose Bowl. A curious Knute Rockne, then coach of Notre Dame, had Dickinson backdate two seasons, which produced Notre Dame as the 1924 national champion (and Dartmouth in 1925).
A number of other mathematical systems were born in the 1920s and 1930s and were the only organized methods selecting national champions until the Associated Press began polling sportswriters in 1936 to obtain rankings. Alan J. Gould, the creator of the AP poll, named Minnesota, Princeton, and SMU tri-champions in 1935, and polled writers the following year, which resulted in a national championship for Minnesota. The AP poll was the most sensational and famous selector from its inception until 1950.
The AP's main competition, United Press, created the first poll of coaches in 1950. For that year and the next three, the AP and UP agreed on the national champion. The first "split" championship occurred in 1954, when the writers selected Ohio State and the coaches chose UCLA. The polls also disagreed in 1957, 1965, 1970, 1973, 1974, and 1978, the latter of which was followed by eleven years of agreement. The coaches poll would stay with United Press (UP) when they merged with International News Service (INS) to form United Press International (UPI) but was acquired by USA Today and CNN in 1991. The poll was in the hands of ESPN from 1997 to 2005 before moving to its present sole ownership by USA Today.
Though some of the math systems selected champions after the bowl games, both of the major polls released their rankings after the end of the regular season until the AP polled writers after the bowls in 1965, resulting in what was perceived at the time as a better championship selection (Alabama) than UPI's (Michigan State). After 1965, the AP voted before the bowls for two years, permanently returning to a post-bowl vote in 1968. The coaches did not vote after the bowls until 1974, in the wake of awarding their 1973 championship to Alabama, who lost to the AP champion, undefeated Notre Dame, in the Sugar Bowl.
The AP and Coaches' polls remain the major rankings to this day, alongside the Bowl Championship Series, considered the modern math giant. The BCS was the successor of the Bowl Alliance (1995-1997), which was itself the successor of the Bowl Coalition (1992–1994). Besides the many adjustments it undergoes each season, including a large overhaul following the 2004 season that included the replacement of the AP poll with the Harris poll, the BCS has remained a mixture of math and polls since its inception in 1998, with the goal of matching the best two teams in the nation in a national championship bowl game which rotated yearly between the Sugar, Fiesta, Rose, and Orange from 1998 to 2005, and later a standalone game entitled the BCS National Championship Game (2006-present). The winner of the BCS Championship Game is awarded the national championship of the Coaches' Poll thus winning the AFCA National Championship Trophy. The BCS winner is also awarded the MacArthur Trophy by the National Football Foundation. Neither the AP Poll, nor other current selectors, have contractual obligations to select the BCS champion as their national champion.[9][10] The BCS has resulted in a number of controversies, most notably those that followed the 2003 season.
National championships in the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book
The NCAA maintains an official records book of historical statistics and records for Division I football. In the records book, with consultation from various college football historians, it has created and maintains a list of "major selectors" of national championships throughout the history of college football along with their championship picks for each season.[7]
Major selectors
A variety of selectors have named national champions throughout the years. They generally can divided into three categories: those determined by mathematical formula, human polls, and historical research. The selectors below are listed in the Official NCAA Records Book as having been deemed to be "major selectors" for which the criteria is that the poll or selector be "national in scope either through distribution in newspaper, television, radio and/or computer online".[5] The former selectors, deemed instrumental in the sport of college football, and selectors presently included for the calculation of the BCS standing, are listed together.[11]
Math
The mathematical system is the oldest systematic selector of college football national champions. Many of the math selectors were created during the "championship rush" of the 1920s and 1930s, beginning with Frank Dickinson's system, or during the dawn of the computer age in the 1990s. Selectors are listed below with years selected retroactively in italics.[12][13]
Selector | Name | Seasons |
---|---|---|
A&H | Anderson & Hester | 1997-present |
AS | Alderson System | 1994-1998 |
B(QPRS) | Berryman (QPRS) | 1940-1989, 1990-present |
BCS | *Bowl Championship Series | 1998-present |
BR | Billingsley Report | 1869-1870, 1872-1969, 1970-present |
BS | Boand System | 1919-1929, 1930-1960 |
CCR | Congrove Computer Rankings | 1993-present |
CM | Colley Matrix | 2001-present |
CW | Casper Whitney | 1905-1907 |
DeS | DeVold System | 1939-1944, 1945-2006 |
DiS | Dickinson System | 1924-1925, 1926-1940 |
DuS | Dunkel System | 1929-present |
ERS | Eck Ratings System | 1987-2005 |
HS | Houlgate System | 1885, 1887-1905, 1907-1926, 1927-1949 |
L | Litkenhous | 1934-1972, 1974, 1978, 1981-1984 |
MCFR | Massey College Football Ratings | 1999-present |
MGR | Matthews Grid Ratings | 1966-1972, 1974-present |
NYT | New York Times | 1979-2004 |
PS | Poling System | 1924-1934, 1935-1955, 1957-1984 |
R(FACT) | Rothman (FACT) | 1968-present |
SR | Sagarin Ratings | 1919-1977, 1978-present |
W | Wolfe | 2001-present |
WS | Williamson System | 1931, 1932-1963 |
*The BCS uses both polls and a mathematical system to determine a season ending matchup between its top two ranked teams in the BCS Championship Game. The champion of that game is contractually awarded the Coaches' Poll and National Football Foundation championships.
Poll
The poll has been the dominant national champion selector since the inception of the AP poll in 1936. It is notable that the NFF merged with UPI from 1991–1992 and USA Today from 1993-1994. Selectors are listed below with years selected retroactively in italics.
For many years, the national champion of various polls were selected prior to the bowl games. The national champion was selected before bowl games as follows: AP (1936-64 and 1966-67), Coaches' Poll (1950-1973), FWAA (1954), and NFF (1959-1970). In all other latter-day polls, champions were selected after bowl games.[14]
In addition, presently the winner of BCS Championship Game is automatically awarded the national championship of the Coaches' Poll and the National Football Foundation.
Selector | Name | Seasons |
---|---|---|
AP | Associated Press | 1936-present |
Coaches' | Coaches' Poll | 1950-present |
CFRA | College Football Researchers Association | 1919-1935, 1936-1981, 1982-1992 |
FN | Football News | 1958-2002 |
FWAA | Football Writers Association of America | 1954-present |
HAF | Helms Athletic Foundation | 1883-1935, 1936-1940, 1941-1982 |
INS | International News Service | 1952-1957 |
NCF | National Championship Foundation | 1869-1870, 1872-1935, 1936-1979, 1980-2000 |
NFF | National Football Foundation | 1959-1990, 1995-present |
SN | Sporting News | 1975-present |
UPI | United Press International | 1950-1990, 1993-1995 |
UPI/NFF | United Press International/National Football Foundation | 1991-1992 |
USAT | USA Today | 2006-present |
USAT/CNN | USA Today/Cable News Network | 1982-1996 |
USAT/ESPN | USA Today/ESPN | 1997-2005 |
USAT/NFF | USA Today/National Football Foundation | 1993-1994 |
In addition to these, since 2005 the BCS has commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a poll of former college football players, coaches, and administrators. This human poll is used to help calculate the BCS standings. No final poll is taken after the BCS championship game and no national championship is awarded or named by Harris Interactive.[15]
Research
College football historian Parke H. Davis is the only selector considered by the NCAA to have primarily used research in his selections. Davis did all of his work in 1933, naming retroactive national champions for most of the years from 1869–1932 and naming Michigan and Princeton (his alma mater) co-champions at the end of the 1933 season.
Selector | Name | Seasons |
---|---|---|
PD | Parke H. Davis | 1869-1870, 1872-1909, 1911-1916, 1919-1932, 1933 |
Yearly national championship selections from major selectors
Below is a list of the national champions of college football from 1869-present (with the exception of 1871, in which no games were played) deemed to be chosen by "major selectors" as listed in the Official NCAA Division I Records Book.[7] Many teams did not have coaches as late as 1899. Champions and selectors are in italics when retroactive and bold when "consensus" according to how they are designated in the Official NCAA Records Book. "Consensus" selectors in the Official NCAA Records Book correspond to the period from 1950 to present which began with the introduction of the two poll system upon the appearance of the Coaches Poll in 1950. Selectors used to determine teams listed as "Consensus National Champions" in the NCAA record book include the AP Poll, Coaches' Poll, Football Writers Association of America, and the National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame.[16]
The first contemporaneous poll to include teams across the country and selection of a national champions can be traced to Casper Whitney in 1901.[8] The last retroactive selection was made by Clyde Berryman in 1989 (Notre Dame). The tie was removed from college football in 1995 and the last champion with a tie in its record was Florida State in 1994. It is notable that, though Michigan is often credited with a national championship in 1947 on the basis of a "free poll" conducted by an AP sportswriter after the Rose Bowl, that poll was unofficial and it is not recognized in the Official NCAA Records Book[17].
Please note that the Harris Interactive Poll (2005-present) is contracted by the BCS to help formulate its standings, and although its final ranking which occurs prior to the bowl games is listed in the Official NCAA Record Book, it does not conduct a final poll or award or name a national champion on its own and so has been eliminated from the following table.[15]
Season | Champion(s) | Record | Coach | Selector(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1869 | Princeton | 1-1 | BR, NCF, PD | |
Rutgers | 1-1 | PD | ||
1870 | Princeton | 1-0 | BR, NCF, PD | |
1871 | None (no games) |
N/A | N/A | |
1872 | Princeton | 1-0 | BR, NCF, PD | |
Yale | 1-0 | PD | ||
1873 | Princeton | 1-0 | BR, NCF, PD | |
1874 | Harvard | 2-1-1 | PD | |
Princeton | 2-0 | BR, PD | ||
Yale | 3-0 | NCF, PD | ||
1875 | Columbia | 3-1-1 | PD | |
Harvard | 4-0 | NCF, PD | ||
Princeton | 2-0 | BR, PD | ||
1876 | Yale | 3-0 | BR, NCF, PD | |
1877 | Princeton | 2-0-1 | BR, PD | |
Yale | 3-0-1 | NCF, PD | ||
1878 | Princeton | 6-0 | BR, NCF, PD | |
1879 | Princeton | 4-0-1 | BR, NCF, PD | |
Yale | 3-0-2 | PD | ||
1880 | Princeton | 4-0-1 | NCF, PD | |
Yale | 4-0-1 | BR, NCF, PD | ||
1881 | Princeton | 7-0-2 | BR, PD | |
Yale | 5-0-1 | NCF, PD | ||
1882 | Yale | 8-0 | BR, NCF, PD | |
1883 | Yale | 9-0 | BR, HAF, NCF, PD | |
1884 | Princeton | 9-0-1 | BR, PD | |
Yale | 8-0-1 | HAF, NCF, PD | ||
1885 | Princeton | 9-0 | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1886 | Princeton | 7-0-1 | BR, PD | |
Yale | 9-0-1 | HAF, NCF, PD | ||
1887 | Yale | 9-0 | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1888 | Yale | 13-0 | Walter Camp | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1889 | Princeton | 10-0 | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1890 | Harvard | 11-0 | George Adams, George Stewart | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1891 | Yale | 13-0 | Walter Camp | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1892 | Yale | 13-0 | Walter Camp | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1893 | Princeton | 11-0 | BR, HAF, HS, NCF | |
Yale | 10-1 | William Rhodes | PD | |
1894 | Pennsylvania | 12-0 | George Washington Woodruff | PD |
Princeton | 8-2 | HS | ||
Yale | 16-0 | William Rhodes | BR, HAF, NCF, PD | |
1895 | Pennsylvania | 14-0 | George Washington Woodruff | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
Yale | 13-0-2 | John Hartwell | PD | |
1896 | Lafayette | 11-0-1 | Parke H. Davis | NCF, PD |
Princeton | 10-0-1 | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | ||
1897 | Pennsylvania | 15-0 | George Washington Woodruff | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
Yale | 9-0-2 | Frank Butterworth | PD | |
1898 | Harvard | 11-0 | William Forbes | BR, HAF, HS, NCF |
Princeton | 11-0-1 | PD | ||
1899 | Harvard | 10-0-1 | Benjamin Dibblee | HAF, HS, NCF |
Princeton | 12-1 | BR, PD | ||
1900 | Yale | 12-0 | Malcolm McBride | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1901 | Harvard | 12-0 | William Reid | BR |
Michigan | 11-0 | Fielding Yost | HAF, HS, NCF | |
Yale | 11-1-1 | George Stillman | PD | |
1902 | Michigan | 11-0 | Fielding Yost | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
Yale | 11-0-1 | Joseph Swan | PD | |
1903 | Michigan | 11-0-1 | Fielding Yost | NCF |
Princeton | 11-0 | Arthur Hillenbrand | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1904 | Michigan | 10-0 | Fielding Yost | NCF |
Minnesota | 13-0 | Henry Williams | BR | |
Pennsylvania | 12-0 | Carl Williams | HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1905 | Chicago | 10-0 | Amos Alonzo Stagg | BR, HAF, HS, NCF |
Yale | 10-0 | John Owsley | CW, PD | |
1906 | Princeton | 9-0-1 | William Roper | HAF, NCF |
Yale | 9-0-1 | Foster Rockwell | BR, CW, PD | |
1907 | Yale | 9-0-1 | William Knox | BR, CW, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1908 | Harvard | 9-0-1 | Percy Haughton | BR |
LSU | 10-0 | Edgar Wingard | NCF | |
Pennsylvania | 11-0-1 | Sol Metzger | HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1909 | Yale | 10-0 | Howard Jones | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
1910 | Harvard | 8-0-1 | Percy Haughton | BR, HAF, HS, NCF |
Pittsburgh | 9-0 | Joseph Thompson | NCF | |
1911 | Penn State | 8-0-1 | Bill Hollenback | NCF |
Princeton | 8-0-2 | William Roper | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1912 | Harvard | 9-0 | Percy Haughton | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
Penn State | 8-0 | Bill Hollenback | NCF | |
1913 | Auburn | 8-0 | Mike Donahue | BR |
Chicago | 7-0 | Amos Alonzo Stagg | PD | |
Harvard | 9-0 | Percy Haughton | HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1914 | Army | 9-0 | Charles Daly | HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
Illinois | 7-0 | Robert Zuppke | PD | |
Texas | 8-0 | Dave Allerdice | BR | |
1915 | Cornell | 9-0 | Albert Sharpe | HAF, HS, NCF, PD |
Oklahoma | 10-0 | Bennie Owen | BR | |
Pittsburgh | 8-0 | Glenn Warner | PD | |
1916 | Army | 9-0 | Charles Daly | PD |
Pittsburgh | 8-0 | Glenn Warner | BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
1917 | Georgia Tech | 9-0 | John Heisman | BR, HAF, HS, NCF |
1918 | Michigan | 5-0 | Fielding Yost | BR, NCF |
Pittsburgh | 4-1 | Glenn Warner | HAF, HS, NCF | |
1919 | Centre | 9-0 | Charley Moran | SR |
Harvard | 9-0-1 | Robert Fisher | CFRA, HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
Illinois | 6-1 | Robert Zuppke | BS, CFRA, PD, SR | |
Notre Dame | 9-0 | Knute Rockne | NCF, PD | |
Texas A&M | 10-0 | Dana Bible | BR, NCF | |
1920 | California | 9-0 | Andy Smith | CFRA, HAF, HS, NCF, SR |
Harvard | 8-0-1 | Robert Fisher | BS | |
Notre Dame | 9-0 | Knute Rockne | BR, PD | |
Princeton | 6-0-1 | William Roper | BS, PD | |
1921 | California | 9-0-1 | Andy Smith | BR, BS, CFRA, SR |
Cornell | 8-0 | Gil Dobie | HAF, HS, NCF, PD | |
Iowa | 7-0 | Howard Jones | PD | |
Lafayette | 9-0 | Jock Sutherland | BS, PD | |
W&J | 10-0-1 | Robert Murphy | BS | |
1922 | California | 9-0 | Andy Smith | BR, HS, NCF, SR |
Cornell | 8-0 | Gil Dobie | HAF, PD | |
Princeton | 8-0 | William Roper | BS, CFRA, NCF, PD, SR | |
1923 | California | 9-0-1 | Andy Smith | HS |
Cornell | 8-0 | Gil Dobie | SR | |
Illinois | 8-0 | Robert Zuppke | BS, CFRA, HAF, NCF, PD, SR | |
Michigan | 8-0 | Fielding Yost | BR, NCF | |
1924 | Notre Dame | 10-0 | Knute Rockne | BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, HAF, HS, NCF, PS, SR |
Pennsylvania | 9-1-1 | Louis Young | PD | |
1925 | Alabama | 10-0 | Wallace Wade | BR, BS, CFRA, HAF, HS, NCF, PS, SR |
Dartmouth | 8-0 | Jesse Hawley | DiS, PD | |
Michigan | 7-1 | Fielding Yost | SR | |
1926 | Alabama | 9-0-1 | Wallace Wade | BR, CFRA, HAF, NCF, PS |
Lafayette | 9-0 | George McCracken | PD | |
Michigan | 7-1 | Fielding Yost | SR | |
Navy | 9-0-1 | Bill Ingram | BS, HS | |
Stanford | 10-0-1 | Glenn Warner | DiS, HAF, NCF, SR | |
1927 | Georgia | 9-1 | George Cecil Woodruff | BS, PS |
Illinois | 7-0-1 | Robert Zuppke | BR, DiS, HAF, NCF, PD | |
Notre Dame | 7-1-1 | Knute Rockne | HS | |
Texas A&M | 8-0-1 | Dana Bible | SR | |
Yale | 7-1 | Thomas Jones | CFRA | |
1928 | Detroit | 9-0 | Gus Dorais | PD |
Georgia Tech | 10-0 | William Alexander | BR, BS, CFRA, HAF, HS, NCF, PD, PS, SR | |
USC | 9-0-1 | Howard Jones | DiS, SR | |
1929 | Notre Dame | 9-0 | Knute Rockne | BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, DuS, HAF, NCF, PS, SR |
Pittsburgh | 9-1 | Jock Sutherland | PD | |
USC | 10-2 | Howard Jones | HS, SR | |
1930 | Alabama | 10-0 | Wallace Wade | CFRA, PD, SR |
Notre Dame | 10-0 | Knute Rockne | BR, BS, DiS, DuS, HAF, HS, NCF, PD, PS | |
1931 | Pittsburgh | 8-1 | Jock Sutherland | PD |
Purdue | 9-1 | Noble Kizer | PD | |
USC | 10-1 | Howard Jones | BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, DuS, HAF, HS, NCF, PS, SR, WS | |
1932 | Colgate | 9-0 | Andrew Kerr | PD |
Michigan | 8-0 | Harry Kipke | DiS, PD, SR | |
USC | 10-0 | Howard Jones | BR, BS, CFRA, DuS, HAF, HS, NCF, PD, PS, SR, WS | |
1933 | Michigan | 7-0-1 | Harry Kipke | BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, HAF, HS, NCF, PD, PS, SR |
Ohio State | 7-1 | Sam Willaman | DuS | |
Princeton | 9-0 | Fritz Crisler | PD | |
USC | 10-1-1 | Howard Jones | WS | |
1934 | Alabama | 10-0 | Frank Thomas | DuS, HS, PS, WS |
Minnesota | 8-0 | Bernie Bierman | BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, HAF, L, NCF, SR | |
1935 | LSU | 9-2 | Bernie Moore | WS |
Minnesota | 8-0 | Bernie Bierman | BR, BS, CFRA, HAF, L, NCF, PS | |
Princeton | 9-0 | Fritz Crisler | DuS | |
SMU | 12-1 | Matty Bell | DiS, HS, SR | |
TCU | 12-1 | Dutch Meyer | WS | |
1936 | LSU | 9-1-1 | Bernie Moore | SR, WS |
Minnesota | 7-1 | Bernie Bierman | AP, BR, DiS, DuS, HAF, L, NCF, PS | |
Pittsburgh | 8-1-1 | Jock Sutherland | BS, CFRA, HS | |
1937 | California | 10-0-1 | Leonard Allison | DuS, HAF |
Pittsburgh | 9-0-1 | Jock Sutherland | AP, BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS | |
1938 | Notre Dame | 8-1 | Elmer Layden | DiS |
TCU | 11-0 | Dutch Meyer | AP, HAF, NCF, WS | |
Tennessee | 11-0 | Robert Neyland | BR, BS, CFRA, DuS, HS, L, PS, SR | |
1939 | Cornell | 8-0 | Carl Snavely | L, SR |
Texas A&M | 11-0 | Homer Norton | AP, BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, NCF, PS, SR, WS | |
USC | 8-0-2 | Howard Jones | DiS | |
1940 | Minnesota | 8-0 | Bernie Bierman | AP, B(QPRS), BS, CFRA, DeS, DiS, HS, L, NCF, SR |
Stanford | 10-0 | Clark Shaughnessy | BR, HAF, PS | |
Tennessee | 10-1 | Robert Neyland | DuS, WS | |
1941 | Alabama | 9-2 | Frank Thomas | HS |
Minnesota | 8-0 | Bernie Bierman | AP, BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, L, NCF, PS, SR | |
Texas | 8-1-1 | Dana Bible | B(QPRS), WS | |
1942 | Georgia | 11-1 | Wally Butts | B(QPRS), BR, DeS, HS, L, PS, SR, WS |
Ohio State | 9-1 | Paul Brown | AP, BS, DuS, CFRA, NCF | |
Wisconsin | 8-1-1 | Harry Stuhldreher | HAF | |
1943 | Notre Dame | 9-1 | Frank Leahy | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS |
1944 | Army | 9-0 | Earl Blaik | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS |
Ohio State | 9-0 | Carroll Widdoes | NCF, SR | |
1945 | Alabama | 10-0 | Frank Thomas | NCF |
Army | 9-0 | Earl Blaik | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS | |
1946 | Army | 9-0-1 | Earl Blaik | BR, BS, CFRA, HAF, HS, PS |
Georgia | 11-0 | Wally Butts | WS | |
Notre Dame | 8-0-1 | Frank Leahy | AP, B(QPRS), BS, DeS, DuS, HAF, L, NCF, PS, SR | |
1947 | Michigan | 10-0 | Fritz Crisler | B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR |
Notre Dame | 9-0 | Frank Leahy | AP, HAF, WS | |
1948 | Michigan | 9-0 | Bennie Oosterbaan | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS |
1949 | Notre Dame | 10-0 | Frank Leahy | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, DeS, DuS, HAF, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS |
Oklahoma | 11-0 | Bud Wilkinson | CFRA | |
1950 | Kentucky | 11-1 | Bear Bryant | SR |
Oklahoma | 10-1 | Bud Wilkinson | AP, B(QPRS), HAF, L, UPI, WS | |
Princeton | 9-0 | Charley Caldwell | BS, PS | |
Tennessee | 11-1 | Robert Neyland | BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, NCF, SR | |
1951 | Georgia Tech | 11-0-1 | Bobby Dodd | B(QPRS), BS |
Illinois | 9-0-1 | Ray Eliot | BS | |
Maryland | 10-0 | Jim Tatum | CFRA, DeS, DuS, NCF, SR | |
Michigan State | 9-0 | Biggie Munn | BR, HAF, PS | |
Tennessee | 10-1 | Robert Neyland | AP, L, UPI, WS | |
1952 | Georgia Tech | 12-0 | Bobby Dodd | B(QPRS), BR, INS, PS, SR |
Michigan State | 9-0 | Biggie Munn | AP, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, HAF, L, NCF, SR, UPI, WS | |
1953 | Maryland | 10-1 | Jim Tatum | AP, INS, UPI |
Notre Dame | 9-0-1 | Frank Leahy | BR, BS, DeS, DuS, HAF, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS | |
Oklahoma | 9-1-1 | Bud Wilkinson | B(QPRS), CFRA | |
1954 | Ohio State | 10-0 | Woody Hayes | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, HAF, INS, NCF, PS, SR, WS |
UCLA | 9-0 | Henry Sanders | CFRA, DuS, FWAA, HAF, L, NCF, UPI | |
1955 | Michigan State | 9-1 | Duffy Daugherty | BS |
Oklahoma | 11-0 | Bud Wilkinson | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FWAA, HAF, INS, L, NCF, PS, SR, UPI, WS | |
1956 | Georgia Tech | 10-1 | Bobby Dodd | B(QPRS), SR |
Iowa | 9-1 | Forest Evashevski | CFRA | |
Oklahoma | 10-0 | Bud Wilkinson | AP, BR, BS, DeS, DuS, FWAA, HAF, INS, L, NCF, SR, UPI, WS | |
Tennessee | 10-1 | Bowden Wyatt | SR | |
1957 | Auburn | 10-0 | Ralph Jordan | AP, BR, CFRA, HAF, NCF, PS, SR, WS |
Michigan State | 8-1 | Duffy Daugherty | DuS | |
Ohio State | 9-1 | Woody Hayes | BS, DeS, FWAA, INS, L, UPI | |
Oklahoma | 10-1 | Bud Wilkinson | B(QPRS) | |
1958 | Iowa | 8-1-1 | Forest Evashevski | FWAA |
LSU | 11-0 | Paul Dietzel | AP, B(QPRS), BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, HAF, L, NCF, PS, SR, UPI, WS | |
1959 | Ole Miss | 10-1 | Johnny Vaught | B(QPRS), DuS, SR |
Syracuse | 11-0 | Ben Schwartzwalder | AP, BR, BS, CFRA, DeS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, NCF, NFF, PS, SR, UPI, WS | |
1960 | Iowa | 8-1 | Forest Evashevski | B(QPRS), BS, L, SR |
Minnesota | 8-2 | Murray Warmath | AP, FN, NFF, UPI | |
Ole Miss | 10-0-1 | Johnny Vaught | BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FWAA, NCF, WS | |
Missouri | 10-1 | Dan Devine | PS | |
Washington | 10-1 | Jim Owens | HAF | |
1961 | Alabama | 11-0 | Bear Bryant | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, HAF, L, NCF, NFF, SR, UPI, WS |
Ohio State | 8-0-1 | Woody Hayes | FWAA, PS | |
1962 | LSU | 9-1-1 | Charles McClendon | B(QPRS) |
Ole Miss | 10-0 | Johnny Vaught | BR, L, SR | |
USC | 11-0 | John McKay | AP, B(QPRS), CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, UPI, WS | |
1963 | Texas | 11-0 | Darrell Royal | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, NCF, NFF, PS, SR, UPI, WS |
1964 | Alabama | 10-1 | Bear Bryant | AP, B(QPRS), L, UPI |
Arkansas | 11-0 | Frank Broyles | BR, CFRA, FWAA, HAF, NCF, PS, SR | |
Michigan | 9-1 | Bump Elliott | DuS | |
Notre Dame | 9-1 | Ara Parseghian | DeS, FN, NFF | |
1965 | Alabama | 9-1-1 | Bear Bryant | AP, CFRA, FWAA, NCF |
Michigan State | 10-1 | Duffy Daugherty | B(QPRS), BR, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, NFF, PS, SR, UPI | |
1966 | Alabama | 11-0 | Bear Bryant | B(QPRS), SR |
Michigan State | 9-0-1 | Duffy Daugherty | CFRA, HAF, NFF, PS | |
Notre Dame | 9-0-1 | Ara Parseghian | AP, BR, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, SR, UPI | |
1967 | Notre Dame | 8-2 | Ara Parseghian | DuS |
Oklahoma | 10-1 | Chuck Fairbanks | PS | |
Tennessee | 9-2 | Doug Dickey | L | |
USC | 10-1 | John McKay | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, FN, FWAA, HAF, MGR, NCF, NFF, SR, UPI | |
1968 | Georgia | 8-1-2 | Vince Dooley | L |
Ohio State | 10-0 | Woody Hayes | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SR, UPI | |
Texas | 9-1-1 | Darrell Royal | DeS, MGR, SR | |
1969 | Ohio State | 8-1 | Woody Hayes | MGR |
Penn State | 11-0 | Joe Paterno | R(FACT), SR | |
Texas | 11-0 | Darrell Royal | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SR, UPI | |
1970 | Arizona State | 11-0 | Frank Kush | PS |
Nebraska | 11-0-1 | Bob Devaney | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, R(FACT), SR | |
Notre Dame | 10-1 | Ara Parseghian | MGR, R(FACT), SR | |
Ohio State | 9-1 | Woody Hayes | NFF | |
Texas | 10-1 | Darrell Royal | B(QPRS), L, NFF, R(FACT), UPI | |
1971 | Nebraska | 13-0 | Bob Devaney | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SR, UPI |
1972 | USC | 12-0 | John McKay | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SR, UPI |
1973 | Alabama | 11-1 | Bear Bryant | B(QPRS), UPI |
Michigan | 10-0-1 | Bo Schembechler | NCF, PS | |
Notre Dame | 11-0 | Ara Parseghian | AP, BR, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF | |
Ohio State | 10-0-1 | Woody Hayes | NCF, PS, R(FACT), SR | |
Oklahoma | 10-0-1 | Barry Switzer | CFRA, DeS, DuS, SR | |
1974 | Ohio State | 10-2 | Woody Hayes | MGR |
Oklahoma | 11-0 | Barry Switzer | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, HAF, L, NCF, PS, R(FACT), SR | |
USC | 10-1-1 | John McKay | FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, UPI | |
1975 | Alabama | 11-1 | Bear Bryant | MGR |
Arizona State | 12-0 | Frank Kush | NCF, SN | |
Ohio State | 11-1 | Woody Hayes | B(QPRS), HAF, MGR, PS, R(FACT) | |
Oklahoma | 11-1 | Barry Switzer | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SR, UPI | |
1976 | Pittsburgh | 12-0 | Johnny Majors | AP, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI |
USC | 11-1 | John Robinson | B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, MGR | |
1977 | Alabama | 11-1 | Bear Bryant | CFRA |
Arkansas | 11-1 | Lou Holtz | R(FACT) | |
Notre Dame | 11-1 | Dan Devine | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI | |
Texas | 11-1 | Fred Akers | B(QPRS), R(FACT), SR | |
1978 | Alabama | 11-1 | Bear Bryant | AP, CFRA, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, R(FACT) |
Oklahoma | 11-1 | Barry Switzer | DeS, DuS, HAF, L, MGR, PS, R(FACT), SR | |
USC | 12-1 | John Robinson | B(QPRS), BR, FN, HAF, NCF, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI | |
1979 | Alabama | 12-0 | Bear Bryant | AP, B(QPRS), BR, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI |
USC | 11-0-1 | John Robinson | CFRA | |
1980 | Florida State | 10-2 | Bobby Bowden | R(FACT) |
Georgia | 12-0 | Vince Dooley | AP, B(QPRS), BR, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI | |
Nebraska | 10-2 | Tom Osborne | R(FACT) | |
Oklahoma | 10-2 | Barry Switzer | DuS, MGR | |
Pittsburgh | 11-1 | Jackie Sherrill | CFRA, DeS, NYT, R(FACT), SR | |
1981 | Clemson | 12-0 | Danny Ford | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI |
Nebraska | 9-3 | Tom Osborne | NCF | |
Penn State | 10-2 | Joe Paterno | DuS | |
Pittsburgh | 11-1 | Jackie Sherrill | NCF | |
SMU | 10-1 | Ron Meyer | NCF | |
Texas | 10-1-1 | Fred Akers | NCF | |
1982 | Nebraska | 12-1 | Tom Osborne | B(QPRS) |
Penn State | 11-1 | Joe Paterno | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN | |
SMU | 11-0-1 | Bobby Collins | HAF | |
1983 | Auburn | 11-1 | Pat Dye | BR, CFRA, NYT, R(FACT), SR |
Miami | 11-1 | Howard Schnellenberger | AP, DuS, FN, FWAA, NCF, NFF, SN, UPI, USAT/CNN | |
Nebraska | 12-1 | Tom Osborne | B(QPRS), DeS, L, MGR, PS, R(FACT), SR | |
1984 | BYU | 13-0 | LaVell Edwards | AP, BR, CFRA, FWAA, NCF, NFF, PS, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN |
Florida | 9-1-1 | Galen Hall | DeS, DuS, MGR, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR | |
Nebraska | 10-2 | Tom Osborne | L | |
Washington | 11-1 | Don James | B(QPRS), FN, NCF | |
1985 | Florida | 9-1-1 | Galen Hall | SR |
Michigan | 10-1-1 | Bo Schembechler | MGR | |
Oklahoma | 11-1 | Barry Switzer | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, UPI, USAT/CNN | |
1986 | Miami | 11-1 | Jimmy Johnson | R(FACT) |
Oklahoma | 11-1 | Barry Switzer | B(QPRS), CFRA, DeS, DuS, NYT, SR | |
Penn State | 12-0 | Joe Paterno | AP, BR, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN | |
1987 | Florida State | 11-1 | Bobby Bowden | B(QPRS) |
Miami | 12-0 | Jimmy Johnson | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN | |
1988 | Miami | 11-1 | Jimmy Johnson | B(QPRS) |
Notre Dame | 12-0 | Lou Holtz | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN | |
1989 | Miami | 11-1 | Dennis Erickson | AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, UPI, USAT/CNN |
Notre Dame | 12-1 | Lou Holtz | B(QPRS), ERS, R(FACT), SR | |
1990 | Colorado | 11-1-1 | Bill McCartney | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SN, USAT/CNN |
Georgia Tech | 11-0-1 | Bobby Ross | DuS, NCF, R(FACT), SR, UPI | |
Miami | 10-2 | Dennis Erickson | ERS, NYT, R(FACT), SR | |
Washington | 10-2 | Don James | R(FACT) | |
1991 | Miami | 12-0 | Dennis Erickson | AP, BR, CFRA, ERS, NCF, NYT, SN, SR |
Washington | 12-0 | Don James | B(QPRS), DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, R(FACT), SR, UPI/NFF, USAT/CNN | |
1992 | Alabama | 13-0 | Gene Stallings | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI/NFF, USAT/CNN |
Florida State | 11-1 | Bobby Bowden | SR | |
1993 | Auburn | 11-0 | Terry Bowden | NCF |
Florida State | 12-1 | Bobby Bowden | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN, USAT/NFF | |
Nebraska | 11-1 | Tom Osborne | NCF | |
Notre Dame | 11-1 | Lou Holtz | MGR, NCF | |
1994 | Florida State | 10-1-1 | Bobby Bowden | DuS |
Nebraska | 13-0 | Tom Osborne | AP, AS, B(QPRS), BR, FN, FWAA, NCF, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN, USAT/NFF | |
Penn State | 12-0 | Joe Paterno | CCR, DeS, ERS, MGR, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SR | |
1995 | Nebraska | 12-0 | Tom Osborne | AP, AS, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN |
1996 | Florida | 12-1 | Steve Spurrier | AP, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/CNN |
Florida State | 11-1 | Bobby Bowden | AS | |
1997 | Michigan | 12-0 | Lloyd Carr | AP, FN, FWAA, NCF, NFF, SN |
Nebraska | 13-0 | Tom Osborne | A&H, AS, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, MGR, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SR, USAT/ESPN | |
1998 | Tennessee | 13-0 | Phillip Fulmer | A&H, AP, AS, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, USAT/ESPN |
1999 | Florida State | 12-0 | Bobby Bowden | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN |
2000 | Miami | 11-1 | Butch Davis | NYT |
Oklahoma | 13-0 | Bob Stoops | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN | |
2001 | Miami | 12-0 | Larry Coker | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W |
2002 | Ohio State | 14-0 | Jim Tressel | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W |
USC | 11-2 | Pete Carroll | DuS, MGR, SR | |
2003 | LSU | 13-1 | Nick Saban | A&H, BCS, BR, CM, DeS, DuS, MCFR, NFF, R(FACT), SR, USAT/ESPN, W |
Oklahoma | 12-2 | Bob Stoops | B(QPRS) | |
USC | 12-1 | Pete Carroll | AP, CCR, ERS, FWAA, MGR, NYT, SN | |
2004 | USC | 13-0 | Pete Carroll | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, DuS, ERS, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W |
2005 | Texas | 13-0 | Mack Brown | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, DuS, ERS, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W |
2006 | Florida | 13-1 | Urban Meyer | A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DuS, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT, W |
2007 | LSU | 12-2 | Les Miles | AP, BCS, CCR, FWAA, NFF, USAT |
Missouri | 12-2 | Gary Pinkel | A&H | |
USC | 11-2 | Pete Carroll | DuS | |
2008 | Florida | 13-1 | Urban Meyer | AP, BCS, BR, CCR, SR, CM, OS, R(FACT), FWAA, NFF, USAT |
Utah | 13-0 | Kyle Whittingham | A&H, MCFR, W |
Total championship selections from major selectors by school
The national title count listed below is a culmination of all championship awarded since 1869, regardless of consensus or non-consensus status, as listed in the table above according to the selectors deemed to be major as listed in the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book (minus the Harris Interactive poll, 2005-present, that is listed but does not conduct a final poll or award a championship).[7]
The totals can be said to be disputed. Individual schools may claim national championships not accounted for by the NCAA Records Book or may not claim national championship selections that do appear in the NCAA Records Book (see National championship claims by school below). For an alternative independent view of national championship totals for each team, please see the College Football Data Warehouse recognized national champions or Poll era (1936-present) selections in the tables below.
School | Championships |
---|---|
Princeton | 28 |
Yale | 27 |
Michigan | 22 |
Notre Dame | 21 |
Oklahoma | 17 |
USC | 17 |
Alabama | 16 |
Ohio State | 13 |
Harvard | 12 |
Nebraska | 11 |
Pittsburgh | 11 |
Miami | 9 |
Texas | 9 |
Florida State | 7 |
LSU | 7 |
Minnesota | 7 |
Penn State | 7 |
Tennessee | 7 |
Georgia Tech | 6 |
Michigan State | 6 |
Pennsylvania | 6 |
Army | 5 |
Florida | 5 |
Georgia | 5 |
California | 5 |
Cornell | 5 |
Illinois | 5 |
Auburn | 4 |
Iowa | 4 |
Washington | 4 |
Lafayette | 3 |
Mississippi | 3 |
SMU | 3 |
Texas A&M | 3 |
Arkansas | 2 |
Arizona State | 2 |
Chicago | 2 |
Maryland | 2 |
Missouri | 2 |
Stanford | 2 |
TCU | 2 |
BYU | 1 |
Centre | 1 |
Clemson | 1 |
Colgate | 1 |
Colorado | 1 |
Columbia | 1 |
Dartmouth | 1 |
Detroit | 1 |
Kentucky | 1 |
Navy | 1 |
Purdue | 1 |
Rutgers | 1 |
Syracuse | 1 |
UCLA | 1 |
Utah | 1 |
Wisconsin | 1 |
W&J | 1 |
National championship claims by school
The following is a table of known schools' claims on national championships at the highest level of play in college football. Several of these schools no longer compete at the highest level, which is currently NCAA Division I FBS, but nonetheless maintain claims to titles from when they did compete at the highest level.
Because there is no one governing or official body that regulates, recognizes, or awards national championships in college football, and because many independent selectors of championships exist, many of the claims by the schools listed below are shared, contradict each other, or are controversial.[4][7] In addition, because there is no one body overseeing national championships, no standardized requirements exist in order for a school to make a claim on a national championship, as any particular institution is free to make any declaration it deems to be fit. However, all known national championship claims are for seasons in which a National Championship, or share of a championship, was believed to be awarded to that particular school by at least one independent third-party selector.[18][19][20][21] The majority of these claims, but not all, are based on championships awarded from selectors listed as "major" in the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book.[5] Not all championships awarded by third party selectors, nor those listed in the Official NCAA Records Book, are necessarily claimed by each school.[22] Therefore, these claims represent how each individual school sees their own history on the subject of national championships.
This table below includes only national championship claims originating from each particular school and therefore represents the point-of-view of each individual institution. Each total number of championships, and the years for which they are claimed, are documented by the particular school on its official website, in its football media guide, or in other official publications or literature (see Source). If a championship is not mentioned by a school for any particular season, regardless of whether it was awarded by a selector or listed in a third-party publication such as the Official NCAA Records Book, it is not considered to be claimed by that institution.[23]
School | Claimed National Championships | Seasons | Source |
---|---|---|---|
Princeton | 28 | 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950 | [24] |
Yale | 26a | 1872, 1874, 1876, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909, 1926 | [25][26] |
Alabama | 12 | 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992 | [27] |
Michigan | 11 | 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997 | [28][29] |
Notre Dame | 11 | 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 | [30] |
USC | 11 | 1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 | [31] |
Pittsburgh | 9 | 1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976 | [32] |
Harvard | 7 | 1890, 1898, 1899, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 | [33] |
Ohio State | 7 | 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002 | [34] |
Oklahoma | 7 | 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 | [35] |
Pennsylvania | 7 | 1894, 1895, 1897, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1924 | [36] |
Michigan St | 6 | 1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966 | [37][38] |
Minnesota | 6 | 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 | [39] |
Tennessee | 6 | 1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998 | [40][41] |
California | 5 | 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1937 | [42] [43] |
Cornell | 5 | 1915, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1939 | [44] |
Georgia | 5b | 1927, 1942, 1946, 1968, 1980 | [45][46] |
Illinois | 5 | 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951 | [47] |
Miami | 5 | 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001 | [48] |
Nebraska | 5 | 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997 | [49] |
Georgia Tech | 4 | 1917, 1928, 1952, 1990 | [50] |
Texas | 4 | 1963, 1969, 1970, 2005 | [51] |
Army | 3 | 1944, 1945, 1946 | [52][53] |
Florida | 3 | 1996, 2006, 2008 | [54] |
Lafayette | 3 | 1896, 1921, 1926 | [55] |
LSU | 3 | 1958, 2003, 2007 | [56] |
Mississippi | 3 | 1959, 1960, 1962 | [57] |
SMU | 3 | 1935, 1981, 1982 | [58][59] |
Chicago | 2 | 1905, 1913 | [60] |
FSU | 2 | 1993, 1999 | [61] |
Penn State | 2 | 1982, 1986 | [62] |
TCU | 2 | 1935, 1938 | [63] |
Washington | 2c | 1960, 1991 | [64] |
Arkansas | 1 | 1964 | [65] |
Auburn | 1 | 1957 | [66] |
Boston College | 1 | 1940 | [67] |
BYU | 1 | 1984 | [68] |
Clemson | 1 | 1981 | [69] |
Colorado | 1 | 1990 | [70] |
Dartmouth | 1 | 1925 | [71] |
Iowa | 1d | 1958 | [72][73] |
Kentucky | 1 | 1950 | [74][75] |
Maryland | 1 | 1953 | [76] |
Navy | 1 | 1926 | [77] |
Stanford | 1 | 1926 | [78][79] |
Syracuse | 1 | 1959 | [80] |
Texas A&M | 1 | 1939 | [81] |
UCLA | 1 | 1954 | [82] [83] |
a In Yale's Media Guide Year-By-Year Results section, the 1887 is listed as National Champs, however this title is not referred to elsewhere and is not included in the list of 26 National Championships that are claimed in the media guide or on Yale's athletic website.[84]
b In an on-line list of the university's national championships, Georgia lists only two for football (1942 and 1980).[85] However, in Georgia's football media guide, although those years are highlighted as consensus championships, each of the five championships are described separately[45] and those seasons are highlighted as national championships in the year-by-year results.[46]
c Washington's media guide depicts official recognition for only the 1960 and 1991 National Championships, as depicted on a stadium flag,[64] although it lists championships for 1984 and 1990.[86]
d Iowa lists the awarding of the 1958 Grantland Rice National Championship in various publications, but does not appear to directly comment on a claim.
College Football Data Warehouse recognized national champions
College Football Data Warehouse (CFBDW) is an online resource and database that has collected and researched information on college football and national championship selections. It provides a comprehensive list of national championship selectors[87][88] and has itself recognized selectors that it has deemed to be the most acceptable throughout history. These include the National Championship Foundation (1869-1882), the Helms Athletic Foundation (1883-1935), the College Football Researchers Association (1919-1935), the Associated Press Poll (1936-current), and the Coaches Poll (1950-current).[6] From its research, it has compiled a list of College Football Data Warehouse Recognized National Championships for each season.[89] Some years include recognition of multiple teams for a particular season. Please note that the CFBDW list of Recognized Champions does not confer any additional legitimacy to the titles and represents only the singular opinion of College Football Data Warehouse. In this regard, some universities claim championships not recognized by CFBDW or do not claim championships that are recognized by CFBDW. Please consult the above table of National championship claims by school or individual team articles and websites for possible additional or alternative national championship claims.
Below is a list of all of the CFBDW recognized national championships from 1869-present.
School | Championships | Seasons |
---|---|---|
Princeton | 24 | 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1896, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935 |
Yale | 19 | 1874, 1876, 1877, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1894, 1900, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909 |
Notre Dame | 12 | 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
Alabama | 11 | 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992 |
Harvard | 10 | 1875, 1890, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919 |
USC | 10 | 1928, 1931, 1932, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004 |
Michigan | 7 | 1901, 1902, 1923, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997 |
Oklahoma | 7 | 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 |
Minnesota | 6 | 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 |
Pittsburgh | 6 | 1910, 1916, 1918, 1936, 1937, 1976 |
Miami | 5 | 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001 |
Nebraska | 5 | 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997 |
Ohio State | 5 | 1942, 1954, 1957, 1968, 2002 |
Army | 4 | 1914, 1944, 1945, 1946 |
Georgia Tech | 4 | 1917, 1928, 1952, 1990 |
Illinois | 4 | 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927 |
Pennsylvania | 4 | 1895, 1897, 1904, 1908 |
Tennessee | 4 | 1938, 1950, 1951, 1998 |
Texas | 4 | 1963, 1969, 1970, 2005 |
California | 3 | 1920, 1921, 1922 |
Florida | 3 | 1996, 2006, 2008 |
LSU | 3 | 1958, 2003, 2007 |
Michigan St | 3 | 1952, 1965, 1966 |
Cornell | 2 | 1915, 1921 |
FSU | 2 | 1993, 1999 |
Georgia | 2 | 1942, 1980 |
Maryland | 2 | 1951, 1953 |
Penn State | 2 | 1982, 1986 |
Texas A&M | 2 | 1919, 1939 |
Arkansas | 1 | 1964 |
Auburn | 1 | 1957 |
BYU | 1 | 1984 |
Chicago | 1 | 1905 |
Clemson | 1 | 1981 |
Colorado | 1 | 1990 |
Dartmouth | 1 | 1925 |
Lafayette | 1 | 1896 |
Mississippi | 1 | 1960 |
SMU | 1 | 1935 |
Stanford | 1 | 1926 |
Syracuse | 1 | 1959 |
TCU | 1 | 1938 |
UCLA | 1 | 1954 |
Washington | 1 | 1991 |
Poll era (1936–present)
The polling system first gained widespread consistency with the introduction of the AP poll in 1936, followed by the Coaches' Poll in 1950. National championships are often popularly considered to be "consensus" when both of these polls are in agreement with their national championship selections, although other selectors exist and do make alternative selections. A more modern incarnation, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), is a consortium of college football conferences that uses a combination of various computer rankings and human polls to mathematically determine a post-season matchup between the two top teams as determined by its formula. The USA Today Coaches' Poll is contractually obligated to name the BCS champion as its national champion.
AP Poll
The AP college football poll has a long history. The news media began running their own polls of sports writers to determine who was, by popular opinion, the best football team in the country at the end of the season. One of the earliest such polls was the AP College Football Poll, first run in 1934 (compiled and organized by Charles Woodroof, former SEC Assistant Director of Media Relations) and then continuously from 1936. Due to the long-standing historical ties between individual college football conferences and high-paying bowl games like the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl, the NCAA has never held a tournament or championship game to determine the champion of what is now the highest division, NCAA Division I, Football Bowl Subdivision (the Division I, Football Championship Subdivision and lower divisions do hold championship tournaments). As a result, the public and the media began to take the leading vote-getter in the final AP Poll as the national champion for that season.
While the AP Poll currently lists the Top 25 teams in the nation, from 1936 to 1961 the wire service only ranked 20 teams. And from 1962 to 1967 only 10 teams were recognized. From 1968 to 1988, the AP again resumed its Top 20 before expanding to 25 teams in 1989.
Until the 1968 college football season, the final AP poll of the season was released following the end of the regular season, with the exception of the 1965 season. In 1964, Alabama was named the national champion in the final AP Poll following the completion of the regular season, but lost in the Orange Bowl to Texas, leaving Arkansas as the only undefeated, untied team after the Razorbacks defeated Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl. In 1965, the AP's decision to wait to crown its champion paid off, as top-ranked Michigan State lost to UCLA in the Rose Bowl, number two Arkansas lost to LSU in the Cotton Bowl, and fourth-ranked Alabama defeated third-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl, vaulting the Crimson Tide to the top of the AP's final poll (Michigan State was named national champion in the final United Press International poll of coaches, which did not conduct a post-bowl poll).At the end of the 1947 season, the AP released an unofficial post-bowl poll which differed from the regular season final poll. (The AP national championship had been awarded before bowl games were played.)
Beginning in the 1968 season, a post bowl game poll was released and the AP championship reflected the bowl game results. The UPI did not follow suit with the coaches' poll until the 1974 season.
UPI / USA Today Coaches' Poll
The United Press International (UPI) Poll ran from 1950-1995, and was largely replaced by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll in 1996, although the two polls ran simultaneously from 1982-1995. The National Champion from both of these polls was frequently the same champion from the AP Poll, although not always. The USA Today Coaches' Poll is now under contractual obligation for their National Champion to be the winner of the BCS National Championship game.
National Poll Championships (1936–present)
The following table contains the National Championships that have been recognized by the AP, Coaches' Poll, or BCS champion which is automatically awarded the Coaches' Poll championship. Of the current 120 (As of 2009[update]) Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS, formerly I-A Division) schools, only 30 have won at least a share of a national title. Of these 30 teams, only 18 teams have won multiple titles. Of the 18 teams, only seven have won five or more national titles: Notre Dame, Alabama, Oklahoma, USC, Nebraska, Miami, and Ohio State.
The years listed below in the table indicate Associated Press (AP) awarded titles, unless otherwise identified as awarded by United Press International (UPI), USA Today Coaches (USAT), or Bowl Championship Series (BCS, formerly Bowl Alliance or Bowl Coalition) which is automatically awarded the USAToday Coaches' Poll championship.
School | Championships | Seasons |
---|---|---|
Notre Dame | 8 | 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
USC | 7 | 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974 (UPI), 1978 (UPI), 2003 (AP), 2004 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Oklahoma | 7 | 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Alabama | 7 | 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973 (UPI), 1978, 1979, 1992 |
Ohio State | 5 | 1942, 1954, 1957 (UPI), 1968, 2002 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Nebraska | 5 | 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997 (USAT) |
Miami | 5 | 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Texas | 4 | 1963, 1969, 1970 (UPI), 2005 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Minnesota | 4 | 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 |
LSU | 3 | 1958, 2003 (BCS/USAT), 2007 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Florida | 3 | 1996, 2006 (BCS/AP/USAT), 2008 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Florida State | 2 | 1993, 1999 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Tennessee | 2 | 1951, 1998 (BCS/AP/USAT) |
Michigan | 2 | 1948, 1997 (AP) |
Penn State | 2 | 1982, 1986 |
Pittsburgh | 2 | 1937, 1976 |
Michigan State | 2 | 1952, 1965 (UPI) |
Army | 2 | 1944, 1945 |
Colorado | 1 | 1990 |
Georgia Tech | 1 | 1990 (UPI) |
BYU | 1 | 1984 |
Clemson | 1 | 1981 |
Georgia | 1 | 1980 |
Auburn | 1 | 1957 |
UCLA | 1 | 1954 (UPI) |
Maryland | 1 | 1953 |
Syracuse | 1 | 1959 |
Texas A&M | 1 | 1939 |
TCU | 1 | 1938 |
Washington | 1 | 1991 |
National Poll Championships by Conference Membership at the time (1936-present)
Conference | Years | Championships | Schools |
---|---|---|---|
Independents | 1869-present | 18 | Notre Dame (8), Miami (3), Army (2), Pittsburgh (2), Penn State (2), Syracuse (1) |
SEC | 1933-present | 17 | Alabama (7), LSU (3), Florida (3), Tennessee (2), Georgia (1), Auburn (1) |
Big Ten | 1896-present | 13 | Ohio State (5), Minnesota (4), Michigan (2), Michigan State (2) |
Big Eight | 1907-19951 | 11 | Oklahoma (6), Nebraska (4), Colorado (1) |
Pac-10 | 1959-present | 9 | USC (7), Washington (1), UCLA (1) |
ACC | 1953-present | 5 | Florida State (2), Georgia Tech (1), Clemson (1), Maryland (1) |
SWC | 1914-19952 | 5 | Texas (3), Texas A&M (1), TCU (1) |
Big 12 | 1996-present | 3 | Oklahoma (1), Nebraska (1), Texas (1) |
Big East | 1991-present | 2 | Miami (2) |
WAC | 1962-present | 1 | BYU (1) |
1 The Big Eight ceased to exist in 1996 when all of its members and four teams from the SWC joined to form the Big Twelve
2 The SWC dissolved in 1996 when all of its teams accepted invitations to join other conferences
National Poll Championships by Current Conference Membership (1936-present)
Conference | Championships | Schools |
---|---|---|
Big 12 | 18 | Oklahoma (7)1, Nebraska (5)2, Texas (4)3, Colorado (1)4, Texas A&M (1)5 |
SEC | 17 | Alabama (7), LSU (3), Florida (3), Tennessee (2), Georgia (1), Auburn (1) |
Big Ten | 15 | Ohio State (5), Minnesota (4), Michigan (2), Michigan State (2), Penn State (2)6 |
Independents | 10 | Notre Dame (8), Army (2) |
ACC | 10 | Miami (5)7, Florida State (2), Georgia Tech (1), Clemson (1), Maryland (1) |
Pac-10 | 9 | USC (7), Washington (1), UCLA (1) |
Big East | 3 | Pittsburgh (2)8, Syracuse (1)9 |
Mountain West | 2 | TCU (1)10, BYU (1)11 |
1 Six were won when Oklahoma was part of the Big Eight Conference
2 Four were won when Nebraska was part of the Big Eight Conference
3 Three were won while Texas was part of the Southwest Conference
4 Was won when Colorado was part of the Big Eight Conference
5 Was won when Texas A&M was part of the Southwest Conference
6 Both were won while Penn State was independent
7 Three were won while Miami was an independent and two while part of the Big East Conference
8 Both were won while Pitt was an independent
9 Was won while Syracuse was an independent
10 Were won while TCU was a member of the Southwest Conference
11 Was won while BYU was a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC)
BCS Standings
The Bowl Championship Series (BCS) is a selection system designed to give the top two teams in the NCAA Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision System (formerly Division I-A) an opportunity to compete in a "national championship game". This championship is intended as a surrogate for a playoff system since the NCAA does not formally determine a champion in this category. It has been in place since the 1998 season, but a number of controversial selections have spurred changes in the system that continue into the present. Prior to the 2006 season eight teams competed in four BCS Bowls. (the Orange, Sugar, Rose, and Fiesta) The BCS replaced the Bowl Alliance (in place from 1995–1997), which itself followed the Bowl Coalition (in place from 1992–1994.). One of the main differences is that the Rose Bowl participates in the BCS; previously, the Big Ten and Pac-10 champions automatically played in the Rose Bowl regardless of their poll rankings. Now, those teams play in the BCS National Championship Game if they finish #1 or #2 in the BCS rankings.
The BCS currently relies on a combination of the Coaches' and Harris polls and an average of various computer rankings to determine relative team rankings, and to narrow the field to two teams to play in the BCS National Championship Game held after the other college bowl games. The winner of this game is crowned Coaches' Poll national champion winning the AFCA National Championship Trophy and is also awarded the MacArthur Trophy by the National Football Foundation.[9][90]
BCS National Champions by Conference (1998–present)
Conference | Championships | Schools | BCS Championship Game Record |
---|---|---|---|
SEC | 5 | Tennessee (1998), LSU (2003, 2007), Florida (2006, 2008) | 5-0 (1.000) |
Big 12 | 2 | Oklahoma (2000), Texas (2005) | 2-4 (0.333) |
Pac-10 | 1 | USC (2004) | 1-1 (0.500) |
Big Ten | 1 | Ohio State (2002) | 1-2 (0.333) |
ACC | 1 | Florida State (1999) | 1-2 (0.333)[91] (2-4 current alignment) |
Big East | 1 | Miami (2001) | 1-2 (0.333)[91] (0-0 current alignment) |
See also
- NCAA Division I Football Championship
- NCAA Division II National Football Championship
- NCAA Division III National Football Championship
Notes and references
- 2007 NCAA Division I Football Records Book
- MacCambridge, M. (2005) ESPN College Football Encyclopedia. New York: ESPN Books. ISBN 1-4013-3703-1
- AP Poll Archive
- ^ http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/8025013
- ^ http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-16515-uc-football-in-the-hunt-for-a-big-east-crown-and-bcs-bid.html
- ^ The Owl (1939), University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, page 276, accessdate=2009-04-01
- ^ a b c Hooper, Matt (2009-10-10). Noel, Tex (ed.). "How many national titles can Alabama really lay claim to? Better yet, why is there more than one answer? (republished with permission from the Birmingham Weekly)". The College Football Historian. 2 (9). Intercollegiate Football Researchers Association. ISSN 1526-233x.
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- ^ a b c Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009-08. pp. 76–77. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
{{cite book}}
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(help) - ^ a b College Football Data Warehouse: National Championships, accessdate=2009-01-30
- ^ a b c d e Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009-08. pp. 76–81. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
{{cite book}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ a b Noel, Tex, ed. (2009-05). "Three Actual Polls from the 1901 College Football Season" (PDF). The College Football Historian. 2 (4). Intercollegiate Football Researchers Association. ISSN 1526-233x. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
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- ^ a b Bowl Championship Game 2009, accessdate=209-01-30
- ^ National Football Foundation: The MacArthur Trophy, accessdate=2009-01-30
- ^ Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009-08. pp. 76–77, 81. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
{{cite book}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ http://smokeys-trail.com/NCAA/champions.html
- ^ http://www.ncaa.com/history/football-fbs.html
- ^ Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009-08. p. 78. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
{{cite book}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ a b Harris Interactive: Bowl Championship Series, accessdate=2009-01-30
- ^ Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis, IN: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2009-08. p. 85. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
{{cite book}}
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(help) - ^ http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/football/football_records_book/2007/2007_d1_football_records_book.pdf
- ^ "Year By Year Results: All Types of National Championships Included". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
- ^ "Current National Championship Selectors". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
- ^ "Previous National Championship Selectors". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
- ^ Jenkins, Dan (Sept. 11, 1967), "This Year The Fight Will Be In The Open", Sports Illustrated, 27 (11), Chicago, IL: Time, Inc.: 30–33, retrieved 2009-04-29
{{citation}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ The following schools either make no apparent statement or claim regarding national championships, or clearly state no claims on a national championship, despite the listing of a national championship for that school in the Official NCAA Football Records Book: Arizona State, Centre, Colgate, Columbia, Detroit, Missouri, Purdue, Rutgers, W&J, and Wisconsin.
- ^ All National Championships listed in the Official NCAA Division I Football Records Book, as well as all additional selections compiled at College Football Data Warehouse, were checked for claims by the applicable schools. Although every care was taken to be thorough and accurate, it can not be assumed that there are no missing or misrepresented claims due to potential limitations of the available source material for any one institution.
- ^ Sachson, Craig (2008). 2008 Princeton Football Media Guide (PDF). Princeton University. pp. 3, 19. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Conn, Steve (2009). Yale Football 2009 (PDF). Yale University. pp. 67, 106–108. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ "Yale Official Athletic Site - Yale Football Championships". Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Purinton, Jeff; Maxon, Josh; Walker, Doug; Allen, Barry; Carlton, Steven (2008). 2008 University of Alabama Football Recruiting and Media Guide (PDF). University of Alabama. pp. 3, 158–166. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Ablauf, David; Cossman, Barbara, eds. (2008). 2009 University of Michigan Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Michigan. p. 5. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Ablauf, David; Cossman, Barbara, eds. (2008). 2009 University of Michigan Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Michigan. p. 397. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Heisler, John; Cafarelli, Bernadette; Hardin, Brian; Bertsch, Michael (2008). 2008 Notre Dame Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Notre Dame. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ USC Sports Information Office (2008). 2008 USC Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Southern California. pp. 119–124. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Borghetti, E.J.; Nestor, Mendy; Welsh, Celeste, eds. (2008). 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh. pp. 16, 156.
- ^ Harvard University Office of Athletic Communications (2008). 2008 Harvard Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Southern California. pp. 2, 136–137. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ 2008 Ohio State Spring Football Media Guide - Record Book (PDF). The Ohio State University. pp. 105–106. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "SoonerSports.com: Oklahoma Sooners Football - National Championships". University of Oklahoma Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Dolan, Eric (2009-08-01). 2009 Penn Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Pennsylvania Office of Athletic Communications. pp. 5, 20–21. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ Lewandowski, John; Phlegar, Ben (2007). 2007 Michigan State Football Media Guide (PDF). Michigan State University Sports Information Department. p. 13. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Lewandowski, John; Phlegar, Ben (2007). 2007 Michigan State Football Media Guide (PDF). Michigan State University Sports Information Department. p. 144. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "GopherSports.com: University of Minnesota Athletics - National Champions". University of Minnesota Athletics Department. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Ford, Bud; Painter, John; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). 2008 University of Tennessee Football Guide (PDF). University of Tennessee Department of Athletics. pp. 1, 168–173. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Tennessee Official Athletic Site - Football: National Champions". University of Tennessee Department of Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "CalBears.com - Traditions: Cal National Team Champions". University of California Department of Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Benenson, Herb, ed. (2008). 2008 California Football Media Guide (PDF). Cal Media Relations Office. p. 36. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ Hartigan, Jeremy, ed. (2008). 2008 Cornell Football Media Guide (PDF). Cornell Athletics Communications Office. pp. 74, 76. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b 2009 Georgia Bulldogs Media Guide (PDF). University of Georgia Athletics Department. 2009. p. 190. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ a b 2009 Georgia Bulldogs Media Guide (PDF). University of Georgia Athletics Department. 2009. pp. 159–162. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ Arner, Cassie, ed. (2007). 2007 Illinois Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. p. 80. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Miami Official Athletic Site - Traditions: National Championships". University of Miami Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Huskers.com-Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site: Nebraska's Five National Titles". University of Nebraska Athletic Department. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "Georgia Tech Official Athletic Site - Football: Titles Won". Georgia Tech Athletic Department. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "MackBrown-TexasFootball.com: National Champions". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ Beretta, Bob; Gunning, Brian (2009). 2009 Army Football Media Guide. U.S. Military Academy Office of Athletic Communications. p. 30. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ Beretta, Bob; Gunning, Brian (2009). 2009 Army Football Media Guide. U.S. Military Academy Office of Athletic Communications. pp. 134, 138–140. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ "GatorZone.com: Gator Football History". University of Florida Department of Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ LaBella, Phil (2008). 2008 Lafayette Football Media Guide (PDF). Lafayette Athletics Communications. p. 124. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ Bonnette, Michael, ed. (2008). 2008 LSU Football Media Guide (PDF). LSU Sports Information Office. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ "OleMissSports.com - Official Web Site of University of Mississippi Athletics - Ole Miss Football History". University of Mississippi Department of Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ 2009 SMU Football Spring Prospectus (PDF). Southern Methodist University Department of Athletics. 2009. p. 2. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ SMU Football 2005 (PDF). Southern Methodist University Department of Athletics. 2005. pp. 144–146. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ Greenberg, Jon (2009-10-21). "Before it was normal". ESPNChicago.com. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
- ^ Finebloom, Elliot, ed. (2008). 2008 FSU Football Media Guide. Florida State University Department of Athletics. pp. 1, 4–5. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
- ^ "Penn State official Athletic Site - Traditions: National Champions". Pennsylvania State University Department of Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ Cohen, Mark (2009). 2009 TCU Football Media & Recruiting Guide. Horned Frogs Athletics Media Relations Office. pp. 16, 159–160. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ a b Kilwien, Richard; Bechthold, Jeff; Morry, Nicole; Soriano, Jonathan; McLeod, Brianna (2008). Washington Huskies Football 2008 (PDF). University of Washington Athletic Communications Office. pp. 205–206. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ Trainor, Kevin; Higbee, Zack, eds. (2009). University of Arkansas Razorbacks 2009 Football Media Guide (PDF). UA Media Relations Department. pp. 14, 132. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ "Auburn Tradition". Auburn Tigers: The Official Website of Auburn Athletics. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Boston College Official Athletic Site: 1940 Football 'Team of Destiny' - National Champions". Boston College Athletics Department. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ "National Champions". BYUCougars.com: The Official Site of Brigham Young Athletics. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Clemson National Champions". Clemson Tigers – Official Athletic Site. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Colorado Football 1990 National Champions". CUBuffs.com—Official Athletics Web site of the University of Colorado. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "A Championship Tradition". DartmouthSports.com—Official Web Site of Dartmouth Varsity Athletics. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Walenta, Theresa, ed. (2009). Iowa Football 2009 Media Guide (PDF). University of Iowa Athletic Department. p. 114. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
{{cite book}}
:|editor1-first=
missing|editor1-last=
(help) - ^ 2009 Media Fact Book (PDF). Iowa Sports Information. 2009. pp. 96, 124. Retrieved 2009-10-18.
- ^ "Football: History and Tradition". UKAthletics.com – The Official Site of the Kentucky Wildcats. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Neely, Tony; Lax, Susan; Moore, Deb; Strachan, Jeremy; Peevy, DeWayne; Hellyer, Steve; Crane, Evan; Zumdick, Maria; Bozeman, Kelly (2009). The 2009 University of Kentucky Football Media Guide (PDF). University of Kentucky Athletics Association. p. 134. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Terrapin Team Titles: University of Maryland National Championships". Maryland Athletics, University of Maryland. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ Strasemeier, Scott (2009). Michaud, Stacie (ed.). 2009 Navy Football Media Guide (PDF). Naval Academy Athletic Association. pp. 8–9. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Stanford Official Athletic Site - Traditions: Stanford Cardinal Championships". Stanford University Department of Athletics. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ Young, Jim, ed. (2009). 2009 Stanford Football Media Guide (PDF). Stanford University Athletic Communications and Media Relations Department. pp. 141, 144. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ Edson, Sue Cornelius, ed. (2009). 2009 Syracuse University Football Media Guide. Syracuse University Athletic Communications Department. pp. i, 99, 124. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ "Aggie Football's Championships". AggieAthletics.com - Official Website of Texas A&M Athletics. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Dellins, Marc, ed. (2009). 2009 UCLA Football Media Guide (PDF). UCLA Sports Information Office. pp. 147, 154. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Dellins, Marc, ed. (2009). 2009 UCLA Football Media Guide (PDF). UCLA Sports Information Office. p. 164. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- ^ Conn, Steve (2006). 2006 Yale Football Media Guide (PDF). Yale University. p. 98. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
- ^ "University of Georgia Championships". UGA Athletics, University of Georgia. 2009. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
- ^ Washington Huskies 2009 Football Guide & Record Book (PDF). 2009. p. 61. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse: Previous National Championship Selectors, accessdate=2009-10-30
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse: Current National Championship Selectors, accessdate=2009-10-30
- ^ College Football Data Warehouse: Recognized National Championships by Year, accessdate=2009-01-30
- ^ National Football Foundation: The MacArthur Trophy, accessdate=2009-01-30
- ^ a b It should be noted that both Virginia Tech and Miami had their BCS Championship game appearances while in the Big East, and have since moved to the ACC (in 2004).