COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORDS
Champions| Season | Champion | Coach | Record | Bowl / Voted #1 By |
| 2018 | Clemson | Dabo Swinney | 15-0-0 | won CFP Championship |
| 2017 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 13-1-0 | won CFP Championship |
| 2016 | Clemson | Dabo Swinney | 14-1-0 | won CFP Championship |
| 2015 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 14-1-0 | won CFP Championship |
| 2014 | Ohio State | Urban Meyer | 14-1-0 | won CFP Championship |
| 2013 | Florida State | Jimbo Fisher | 14-0-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2012 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 13-1-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2011 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 12-1-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2010 | Auburn | Gene Chizik | 14-0-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2009 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 14-0-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2008 | Florida | Urban Meyer | 13-1-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2007 | Louisiana State | Les Miles | 12-2-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2006 | Florida | Urban Meyer | 13-1-0 | won BCS Championship |
| 2005 | Texas | Mack Brown | 13-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 2004 | USC | Pete Carroll | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/USA)** |
| 2003 | USC | Pete Carroll | 12-1-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP) |
| 2003 | Louisiana State | Nick Saban | 13-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl (USA) |
| 2002 | Ohio State | Jim Tressel | 14-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 2001 | Miami FL | Larry Coker | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 2000 | Oklahoma | Bob Stoops | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1999 | Florida State | Bobby Bowden | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1998 | Tennessee | Phillip Fulmer | 13-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1997 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (USA) |
| 1997 | Michigan | Lloyd Carr | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP) |
| 1996 | Florida | Steve Spurrier | 12-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1995 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne | 12-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1994 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1993 | Florida State | Bobby Bowden | 12-1-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1992 | Alabama | Gene Stallings | 13-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/USA) |
| 1991 | Miami FL | Dennis Erickson | 12-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP) |
| 1991 | Washington | Don James | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (USA) |
| 1990 | Colorado | Bill McCartney | 11-1-1 | won Orange Bowl (AP) |
| 1990 | Georgia Tech | Bobby Ross | 11-0-1 | won Citrus Bowl (UPI) |
| 1989 | Miami FL | Dennis Erickson | 11-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1988 | Notre Dame | Lou Holtz | 12-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1987 | Miami FL | Jimmy Johnson | 12-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1986 | Penn State | Joe Paterno | 12-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1985 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer | 11-1-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1984 | Brigham Young | LaVell Edwards | 13-0-0 | won Holiday Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1983 | Miami FL | Howard Schnellenberger | 11-1-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1982 | Penn State | Joe Paterno | 11-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1981 | Clemson | Danny Ford | 12-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1980 | Georgia | Vince Dooley | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1979 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1978 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 11-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP) |
| 1978 | USC | John Robinson | 12-1-0 | won Rose Bowl (UPI) |
| 1977 | Notre Dame | Dan Devine | 11-1-0 | won Cotton Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1976 | Pittsburgh | Johnny Majors | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1975 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer | 11-1-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1974 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer | 11-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1974 | USC | John McKay | 10-1-1 | won Rose Bowl (UPI) |
| 1973 | Notre Dame | Ara Parseghian | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP) |
| 1973 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 11-1-0 | lost Sugar Bowl (UPI) |
| 1972 | USC | John McKay | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1971 | Nebraska | Bob Devaney | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1970 | Nebraska | Bob Devaney | 11-0-1 | won Orange Bowl (AP) |
| 1970 | Texas | Darrell Royal | 10-1-0 | lost Cotton Bowl (UPI) |
| 1969 | Texas | Darrell Royal | 11-0-0 | won Cotton Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1968 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1967 | USC | John McKay | 10-1-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1966 | Notre Dame | Ara Parseghian | 9-0-1 | no bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1965 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 9-1-1 | won Orange Bowl (AP) |
| 1965 | Michigan State | Duffy Daughtery | 10-1-0 | lost Rose Bowl (UPI) |
| 1964 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 10-1-0 | lost Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1963 | Texas | Darrell Royal | 11-0-0 | won Cotton Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1962 | USC | John McKay | 11-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1961 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1960 | Minnesota | Murray Warmath | 8-2-0 | lost Rose Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1959 | Syracuse | Ben Schwartzwalder | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1958 | LSU | Paul Dietzel | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1957 | Auburn | Shug Jordan | 10-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1957 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes | 9-1-0 | won Rose Bowl (UPI) |
| 1956 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson | 10-0-0 | no bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1955 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson | 11-0-0 | won Orange Bowl (AP/UPI) |
| 1954 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP) |
| 1954 | UCLA | Red Sanders | 9-0-0 | no bowl (UPI) |
| 1953 | Maryland | Jim Tatum | 10-1-0 | lost Orange Bowl (AP) |
| 1952 | Michigan State | Biggie Munn | 9-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1951 | Tennessee | Bob Neyland | 10-1-0 | lost Sugar Bowl (AP) |
| 1950 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson | 10-1-0 | lost Sugar Bowl (AP) |
| 1949 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy | 10-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1948 | Michigan | Bennie Oosterbaan | 9-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1947 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy | 9-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1947 | Michigan | Fritz Crisler | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (AP) |
| *1946 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy | 8-0-1 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1945 | Army | Red Blaik | 9-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1944 | Army | Red Blaik | 9-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1943 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy | 9-1-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1942 | Ohio State | Paul Brown | 9-1-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1941 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman | 8-0-0 | no bowl (AP) |
| 1940 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman | 8-0-0 | no bowl (AP/DS) |
| 1939 | Texas A&M | Homer Norton | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP) |
| 1939 | USC | Howard Jones | 8-0-2 | won Rose Bowl (DS) |
| 1938 | Texas Christian | Dutch Meyer | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl (AP) |
| 1938 | Notre Dame | Elmer Layden | 8-1-0 | no bowl (DS) |
| 1937 | Pittsburgh | Jock Sutherland | 9-0-1 | no bowl (AP/DS) |
| 1936 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman | 7-1-0 | no bowl (AP/DS) |
| 1935 | Southern Methodist | Matty Bell | 12-1-0 | lost Rose Bowl (DS) |
| 1935 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman | 8-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1934 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman | 8-0-0 | no bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1933 | Michigan | Harry Kipke | 7-0-1 | no bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1932 | Michigan | Harry Kipke | 8-0-0 | no bowl (DS) |
| 1932 | USC | Howard Jones | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1931 | USC | Howard Jones | 10-1-0 | won Rose Bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1930 | Notre Dame | Knute Rockne | 10-0-0 | no bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1929 | Notre Dame | Knute Rockne | 9-0-0 | no bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1928 | USC | Howard Jones | 9-0-1 | no bowl (DS) |
| 1928 | Georgia Tech | Bill Alexander | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1927 | Illinois | Bob Zuppke | 7-0-1 | no bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1926 | Stanford | Pop Warner | 10-0-1 | tied Rose Bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1926 | Alabama | Wallace Wade | 9-0-1 | tied Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1925 | Dartmouth | Jesse Hawley | 8-0-0 | no bowl (DS) |
| 1925 | Alabama | Wallace Wade | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1924 | Notre Dame | Knute Rockne | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (DS/HAF) |
| 1923 | Illinois | Bob Zuppke | 8-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1922 | Cornell | Gil Dobie | 8-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1921 | Cornell | Gil Dobie | 8-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1920 | California | Andy Smith | 9-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1919 | Harvard | Bob Fisher | 9-0-1 | won Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1918 | Pittsburgh | Pop Warner | 4-1-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1917 | Georgia Tech | John Heisman | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1916 | Pittsburgh | Pop Warner | 8-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1915 | Cornell | Al Sharpe | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1914 | Army | Charley Daly | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1913 | Harvard | Percy Houghton | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1912 | Harvard | Percy Houghton | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1911 | Princeton | Bill Roper | 8-0-2 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1910 | Harvard | Percy Houghton | 8-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1909 | Yale | Howard Jones | 10-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1908 | Pennsylvania | Sol Metzger | 11-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1907 | Yale | Bill Knox | 9-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1906 | Princeton | Bill Roper | 9-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1905 | Chicago | Amos Alonzo Stagg | 11-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1904 | Pennsylvania | Carl Williams | 12-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1903 | Princeton | Art Hillenbrand | 11-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1902 | Michigan | Fielding Yost | 11-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1901 | Michigan | Fielding Yost | 11-0-0 | won Rose Bowl (HAF) |
| 1900 | Yale | Malcolm McBride | 12-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1899 | Harvard | Benjamin H. Dibblee | 10-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1898 | Harvard | W. Cameron Forbes | 11-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1897 | Pennsylvania | George Woodruff | 15-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1896 | Princeton | Garrett Cochran | 10-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1895 | Pennsylvania | George Woodruff | 14-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1894 | Yale | William C. Rhodes | 16-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1893 | Princeton | Tom Trenchard (Capt.) | 11-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1892 | Yale | Walter Camp | 13-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1891 | Yale | Walter Camp | 13-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1890 | Harvard | G. Stewart & G. Adams | 11-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1889 | Princeton | Edgar Poe (Capt.) | 10-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1888 | Yale | Walter Camp | 13-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1887 | Yale | Harry W. Beecher (Capt.) | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1886 | Yale | Robert N. Corwin (Capt.) | 9-0-1 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1885 | Princeton | Chas. DeCamp (Capt.) | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1884 | Yale | Eugene L. Richards (Capt.) | 9-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
| 1883 | Yale | Ray Tompkins (Capt.) | 8-0-0 | no bowl (HAF) |
key AP Associated Press BCS Bowl Championship Series CFP College Football Playoff DS Dickinson System HAF Helms Athletic Foundation UPI United Press International USA USA Today *selected as AP champion on a second vote after Rose Bowl **vacated as a result of NCAA sanctions
