Who Has the Most National Championships in College Football?
Contributing Writer
Higher Education Research Analyst
Contributing Writer
Higher Education Research Analyst
Data Summary
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Since college football's inception, Yale has gained the most national titles (18). However, within the AP Poll Era, Alabama is considered the top winner with 13 titles.[1] -
Alabama has won just under half of the last 14 national titles, winning in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020.Note Reference [1] -
Michigan won the most recent title in January 2024, defeating Washington.Note Reference [1] -
Since 1936, 33 different universities have brought home a national championship in football.Note Reference [1]
In 1869, across the span of eight days, two football games were played between Princeton and Rutgers, marking the first-ever college football season.[2]
More than 150 years later, college football is one of the most popular sports to watch in the U.S.
However, naming a Division I national champ is complicated. It's easy for fans to get trapped in long-winded disagreements over who has the most wins. Here is what we know.
Most College Football Championships
When it comes to counting the number of national championships, there are several ways to look at it. But, for the most part, college football fans consider two main classifications: most national championships collected since the sport's inception and most championships since 1936, or the AP Poll era.
Since the Beginning
- Yale University has received the most national titles in all of college football history, winning 18 since their first in 1874. Their most recent win was nearly a century ago in 1927.[3]
- Out of the top 10 college football teams with the most national championships, three are Ivy League members.Note Reference [3]
- The top 10 teams account for 71% of all national titles won in college football.Note Reference [3]
- Since 1869, only 47 different teams have been crowned as national champions.Note Reference [3]
From 1936 On
Many college football fans consider the start of the AP Poll era to be the true beginning of college football.
- Since the AP Poll made its debut, Alabama has won the most national championships, with 13 titles.Note Reference [1]
- Alabama has won just under half of the last 13 national titles, winning in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020.Note Reference [1]
- The top five winners have accounted for 44 titles, which is half of all titles received since 1936.Note Reference [1]
Other Universities Who Have Won A Championship Since 1936
Beyond the top recipients, plenty of other programs have won a national title.
| Two-Time College Football Champions | One-Time College Football Champions |
|---|---|
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Did You Know...
Believe it or not, college football did not always end in a postseason.
Between 1936 and 1950, national champions were decided by the Associated Press (AP) Poll, which ranked the top 25 teams from a collection of votes by sports journalists and editors.Note Reference [2]
In 1950, a separate ranking system was developed by all head coaches in the NCAA, known as the Coaches Poll. In 1954, the two polls split for the first time: AP selected Ohio State as the national champion, while the Coaches Poll decided on UCLA.Note Reference [2]
Hence, the fan frustration. In 1998 two teams faced off in a championship match for the first time. Known as the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), it relied on rankings from both AP and Coaches Polls.Note Reference [2]
This methodology lasted until 2014, when the outcry for a multi-team playoff series grew to offset flaws in the ranking systems. Since then, the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee hand-selects four teams to compete for the title and a slew of other teams to compete in Bowl games.Note Reference [2]
