Complete List of College Football National Championship Teams

There are many polls and organizations that select college football's national championship team each year. Due to differing opinions, the final NCAA champion is sometimes not unanimously agreed upon. In 1981, with the most ever, six different teams claimed a national title.

Historical Dilemma

In the very first season of college football's existence, in 1869, pollsters split the national title between Rutgers and Princeton, even though Rutgers beat Princeton earlier that year. Controversies about the college football national championship have lingered ever since.

Comprehensive List of National Championship Teams

What follows is a comprehensive list of all the national championship teams, according to the NCAA. Listed alongside the champions are the polls or nominating bodies that awarded the title. Not all national championships are created equal. For instance, the Associated Press nominating body carries more weight than the New York Times nominating body, which was a selector from 1979 to 2004. The AP began its selection of national champions in 1936.

An *asterisk denotes the consensus national champion, that is, fans would most recognize that team as the national title holder. Even the consensus title is somewhat confusing, as some seasons ended with multiple consensus national champions.

2010s

Year	College	Nominating Body
2016	*Clemson Alabama	AP, FW, NFF, USA/Amway CCR, CM
2015	Alabama	AP, FW, NFF, USA/Amway
2014	Ohio State	College Football Playoff
2013	Florida State	BCS
2012	Alabama	BCS
2011	Alabama	BCS
2010	Auburn	BCS

2000s

Year	College	Nominating Body
2009	Alabama	BCS
2008	Florida	BCS
2007	LSU	BCS
2006	Florida	BCS
2005	Texas	BCS
2004	USC/Vacated	AP, FW (USC was later stripped of title due to player controversy)
2003	*LSU *USC Oklahoma	BCS, FACT, NFF, Seattle Times, USA/ESPN AP, NYT Berryman
2002	*Ohio State USC	AP, BCS, FACT, FW, NFF, NYT, USA/ESPN Dunkel, Matthews, Sagarin
2001	Miami (Fla.)	BCS
2000	Oklahoma	BCS

1990s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1999	Florida State	BCS
1998	*Tennessee Ohio State	Sagarin BCS, AP, NYT, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, USA/ESPN
1997	*Michigan *Nebraska	AP, FW, NCF, NFF FACT, NCF, NYT, USA/ESPN
1996	*Florida Florida State	AP, FACT, FW, NFF, USA/CNN Alderson
1995	Nebraska	NCF
1994	*Nebraska Florida State Penn State	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, UPI, USA/CNN, USA/NFF Dunkel FACT< NCF, NYT
1993	*Florida State Auburn Nebraska Notre Dame	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NYT, UPI, USA/CNN, USA/CNN NCF NCF NCF
1992	*Alabama Florida State	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NYT, UPI/NFF, USA/CNN Sagarin
1991	*Miami (Fla.) *Washington	AP, NCF, NYT, FACT, FW, NCF, UPI/NFF, USA/CNN
1990	*Colorado *Georgia Tech Miami (Fla.) Washington	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, USA/CNN FACT, NCF, UPI FACT, NYT FACT

1980s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1989	*Miami (Fla.) Notre Dame	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI, USA/CNN FACT
1988	*Notre Dame Miami (Fla.)	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI, USA/CNN Berryman
1987	*Miami (Fla.) Florida State	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI, USA/CNN Berryman, Sagarin
1986	*Penn State Miami (Fla.) Oklahoma	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI, USA/CNN FACT Berryman, NYT, Sagarin
1985	*Oklahoma Michigan	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI, USA/CNN Matthews, Sagarin
1984	*Brigham Young Florida Nebraska Washington	AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI, USA/CNN FACT, NYT, Sagarin Litkenhous NCF
1983	*Miami (Fla.) Auburn Nebraska	AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI, USA/CNN FACT, NYT Berryman, FACT, Sagarin
1982	*Penn State Nebraska Southern Methodist	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI, USA/CNN Berryman Helms
1981	*Clemson Nebraska Penn State Pittsburgh Texas Southern Methodist	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI NCF Dunkel NCF NCF NCF
1980	*Georgia Florida State Nebraska Oklahoma Pittsburgh	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI FACT FACT, Sagarin Billingsley, Dunkel, Matthews FACT, NYT

1970s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1979	*Alabama USC	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, NYT, UPI Football Research
1978	*Alabama *USC Oklahoma	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF FACT, NCF, UPI FACT, Sagarin
1977	*Notre Dame Alabama Arkansas Texas	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Football Research FACT Berryman, FACT
1976	*Pittsburgh USC	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Berryman, Billingsley, Devold, Dunkel, Matthews
1975	*Oklahoma Alabama Arizona State Ohio State	AP, FACT, NCF, NFF, UPI Matthews NCF FACT
1974	*Oklahoma *USC Ohio State	AP, FACT, NCF FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Matthews
1973	*Alabama *Notre Dame Michigan Ohio State Oklahoma	Berryman, UPI AP, FW, NCF, NFF NCF FACT, NCF Billingsley, Sagarin
1972	USC	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI
1971	Nebraska	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI
1970	*Nebraska *Texas Arizona State Notre Dame Ohio State	AP, FACT, FW, NCF FACT, NFF, UPI Poling FACT, Matthews NFF

1960s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1969	*Texas Ohio State Penn State	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Matthews FACT
1968	*Ohio State Georgia Texas	AP, FACT, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Litkenhous DeVold, Matthews, Sagarin
1967	*USC Notre Dame Oklahoma Tennessee	AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Dunkel Poling Litkenhous
1966	*Michigan State *Notre Dame Alabama	Football Research, Helms, NFF, Poling AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Berryman
1965	*Alabama *Michigan State	AP, FW, NCF FW, NFF, UPI
1964	*Alabama *Arkansas Michigan Notre Dame	AP, UPI FW, NCF Dunkel NFF
1963	Texas	AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI
1962	*USC Alabama LSU Mississippi	AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Billingsley Berryman Litkenhous
1961	*Alabama *Ohio State	AP, NCF, NFF, UPI FW, Poling
1960	*Minnesota *Mississippi Iowa Missouri Washington	AP, NFF, UPI FW, NCF Berryman, Boand, Litkenhous, Sagarin Poling Helms

1950s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1959	*Syracuse Mississippi	AP, FW, NCF, NFF, UPI Berryman, Billingsley, Dunkel, Sagarin
1958	*LSU *Iowa	AP, NCF, UPI FW
1957	*Auburn *Ohio State Michigan State Oklahoma	AP, NCF FW, UPI Billingsley, Dunkel, Sagarin Berryman
1956	*Oklahoma Georgia Tech Iowa Tennessee	AP, FW, NCF, UPI Berryman Football Research Sagarin
1955	*Oklahoma Michigan State	AP, BFW, NFC, UPI Boand
1954	*Ohio State *UCLA	AP, NCF FW, NCF, UPI
1953	*Maryland Notre Dame Oklahoma	AP, UPI NCF Berryman, Football Research
1952	*Michigan State Georgia Tech	AP, NCF, UPI Berryman, INS, Poling
1951	*Tennessee Georgia Tech Illinois Maryland Michigan State	AP, UPI Berryman, Boand Boand DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, NCF, Sagarin Billingsley, Helms, Poling
1950	*Oklahoma Kentucky Princeton Tennessee	AP, UPI Sagarin Boand, Poling Billingsley, DeVold, Dunkel, Football Research, NCF

1940s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1949	*Notre Dame Oklahoma	AP, NCF Football Research
1948	Michigan	AP, NCF
1947	*Notre Dame Michigan	AP Football Research
1946	*Notre Dame Army Georgia	AP, NCF Football Research Williamson
1945	*Army Alabama	AP, Football Research, NCF NCF
1944	*Army Ohio State	AP, NCF NCF
1943	Notre Dame	AP, NCF
1942	*Ohio State Georgia Wisconsin	AP, Football Research, NCF Berryman, DeVold, Houlgate, Litkenhous, Poling, Williamson Helms
1941	*Minnesota Alabama Texas	AP, NCF Houlgate Berryman, Williamson
1940	*Minnesota Stanford Tennessee	AP, NCF Helms, Poling Dunkel, Williamson

1930s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1939	*Texas A&M Cornell USC	AP, NCF Billingsley, Litkenhous Dickinson
1938	*TCU Notre Dame Tennessee	AP, NCF Dickinson Football Research
1937	*Pittsburgh California	AP, Football Research, NCF Dunkel, Helms
1936	*Minnesota LSU Pittsburgh	AP, NCF Williamson Boand, Football Research, Houlgate
1935	*Minnesota LSU Princeton Southern Methodist TCU	Football Research, NCF Williamson Dunkel Dickinson, Houlgate Williamson
1934	*Minnesota Alabama	Football Research, NCF Dunkel, Houlgate, Poling, Williamson
1933	*Michigan Ohio State Princeton USC	Football Research, NCF Dunkel Parke Davis Williamson
1932	*USC Colgate Michigan	Football Research, NCF Parke Davis Dickinson, Parke Davis
1931	*USC Pittsburgh Purdue	Football Research, NCF Parke Davis Parke Davis
1930	*Alabama *Notre Dame	Football Research, Parke Davis NCF

1920s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1929	*Notre Dame Pittsburgh USC	Football Research, NCF Parke Davis Houlgate
1928	*Georgia Tech Detroit USC	Football Research, NCF Parke Davis Dickinson
1927	*Illinois *Yale Georgia	NCF Football Research Boand, Poling
1926	*Alabama *Stanford Lafayette Navy	Football Research, NCF NCF Parke Davis Boand, Houlgate
1925	*Alabama Dartmouth	Football Research, NCF Dickinson, Parke Davis
1924	*Notre Dame Pennsylvania	Football Research, NCF Parke Davis
1923	*Illinois California Michigan	Football Research, NCF Houlgate NCF
1922	*California *Cornell *Princeton Iowa	NCF, Houlgate Helms, Parke Davis Boand, Football Research, NCF, Parke Davis Billingsley
1921	*California *Cornell Iowa Lafayette Washington & Jefferson	Boand, Football Research NCF Billingsley, Parke Davis Boand, Parke Davis Boand
1920	*California Harvard Notre Dame Princeton	Billingsley, Football Research, NCF Boand Parke Davis Boand, Parke Davis

1910s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1919	*Harvard *Illinois *Notre Dame *Texas A&M	Football Research, NCF Billingsley, Boand, Football Research, Parke Davis NCF, Parke Davis NCF
1918	*Michigan *Pittsburgh	Billingsley, NCF Helms, Houlgate, NCF
1917	Georgia Tech	NCF
1916	*Pittsburgh Army	NCF Parke Davis
1915	*Cornell Nebraska Pittsburgh	NCF Billingsley Parke Davis
1914	*Army Illinois Texas	NCF Parke Davis Billingsley
1913	*Harvard Auburn Chicago	NCF Billingsley Parke Davis
1912	*Harvard *Penn State	NCF NCF
1911	*Penn State *Princeton Vanderbilt	NCF NCF Billingsley
1910	*Harvard *Pittsburgh Michigan	NCF NCF Billingsley

1900s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1909	Yale	NCF
1908	*LSU *Pennsylvania	NCF NCF
1907	*Yale Pennsylvania	NCF Billingsley
1906	*Princeton Vanderbilt Yale	NCF Billingsley Parke Davis
1905	*Chicago Yale	NCF Parke Davis
1904	*Michigan *Pennsylvania	NCF NCF
1903	*Michigan *Princeton	NCF NCF
1902	*Michigan Yale	NCF Parke Davis
1901	*Michigan Harvard Yale	NCF Billingsley Parke Davis
1900	Yale	NCF

1890s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1899	*Harvard Princeton	NCF Parke Davis
1898	*Harvard Princeton	NCF Parke Davis
1897	*Pennsylvania Yale	NCF Parke Davis
1896	*Lafayette *Princeton	NCF Parke Davis
1895	*Pennsylvania Yale	NCF Parke Davis
1894	*Yale Pennsylvania Princeton	NCF Parke Davis Houlgate
1893	*Princeton Yale	NCF Parke Davis
1892	Yale	NCF
1891	Yale	NCF
1890	Harvard	NCF

1880s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1889	Princeton	NCF
1888	Yale	NCF
1887	Yale	NCF
1886	*Yale Princeton	NCF Parke Davis
1885	Princeton	NCF
1884	*Princeton Yale	Parke Davis NCF
1883	Yale	NCF
1882	Yale	NCF
1881	*Yale Princeton	NCF Billingsley, Parke Davis
1880	*Princeton *Yale	NCF NCF

1870s

Year	College	Nominating Body
1879	*Princeton Yale	NCF Parke Davis
1878	Princeton	NCF
1877	*Yale Princeton	NCF Parke Davis
1876	Yale	NCF
1875	*Harvard Colgate Princeton	NCF Parke Davis Billingsley, Parke Davis
1874	*Yale Harvard Princeton	NCF Parke Davis Billingsley, Parke Davis
1873	Princeton	NFC
1872	Princeton	NFC
1871	None
1870	Princeton	NFC
1869	*Princeton Rutgers	NFC Parke Davis