COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECORDS
Champions
| Season | Date | Champion | Coach | Record | Result (voted #1 by) | |
| 2024 | Jan. 20, 2025 | Ohio State | 14-2-0 | Ryan Day | won CFP Championship, Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 23 | |
| 2023 | Jan. 8, 2024 | Michigan | 15-0-0 | Jim Harbaugh | won CFP Championship, Michigan 34, Washington 13 | |
| 2022 | Jan. 9, 2023 | Georgia | Kirby Smart | 15-0-0 | won CFP Championship, 65-7 vs Texas Christian | |
| 2021 | Jan. 10, 2022 | Georgia | Kirby Smart | 13-1-0 | won CFP Championship, 33-18 vs Alabama | |
| 2020 | Jan. 11, 2021 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 13-0-0 | won CFP Championship, 52-24 vs Ohio State | |
| 2019 | Jan. 13, 2020 | Louisiana State | Ed Orgeron | 15-0-0 | won CFP Championship, 42-25 vs Clemson | |
| 2018 | Jan. 7, 2019 | Clemson | Dabo Swinney | 15-0-0 | won CFP Championship, 56-44 vs Alabama | |
| 2017 | Jan. 8, 2018 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 13-1-0 | won CFP Championship, 26-23 vs Georgia | |
| 2016 | Jan. 9, 2017 | Clemson | Dabo Swinney | 14-1-0 | won CFP Championship, 35-31 vs Alabama | |
| 2015 | Jan. 11, 2016 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 14-1-0 | won CFP Championship, 45-40 vs Clemson | |
| 2014 | Jan. 12, 2015 | Ohio State | Urban Meyer | 14-1-0 | won CFP Championship, 42-20 vs Oregon | |
| 2013 | Jan. 16, 2014 | Florida State | Jimbo Fisher | 14-0-0 | won BCS Championship, 34-31 vs Auburn | |
| 2012 | Jan. 7, 2013 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 13-1-0 | won BCS Championship, 42-14 vs Notre Dame | |
| 2011 | Jan. 9, 2012 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 12-1-0 | won BCS Championship, 21-0 vs Louisiana State | |
| 2010 | Jan. 10, 2011 | Auburn | Gene Chizik | 14-0-0 | won BCS Championship, 22-19 vs Oregon | |
| 2009 | Jan. 7, 2010 | Alabama | Nick Saban | 14-0-0 | won BCS Championship, 37-21 vs Texas | |
| 2008 | Jan. 8, 2009 | Florida | Urban Meyer | 13-1-0 | won BCS Championship, 24-14 vs Oklahoma | |
| 2007 | Jan. 7, 2008 | Louisiana State | Les Miles | 12-2-0 | won BCS Championship, 38-24 vs Ohio State | |
| 2006 | Jan. 8, 2007 | Florida | Urban Meyer | 13-1-0 | won BCS Championship, 41-14 vs Ohio State | |
| 2005 | Jan. 4, 2006 | Texas | Mack Brown | 13-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 41-38 vs Southern Cal (AP/USA) | |
| 2004 | Jan. 4, 2005 | Southern Cal | Pete Carroll | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 55-19 vs Oklahoma (AP/USA)** | |
| 2003 | Jan. 1, 2004 | Southern Cal | Pete Carroll | 12-1-0 | won Rose Bowl, 28-14 vs Michigan (AP) | |
| 2003 | Jan. 4, 2004 | Louisiana State | Nick Saban | 13-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 21-14 vs Oklahoma (USA) | |
| 2002 | Jan. 3, 2003 | Ohio State | Jim Tressel | 14-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl, 31-24 vs Ohio State (AP/USA) | |
| 2001 | Jan. 3, 2002 | Miami FL | Larry Coker | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 37-14 vs Nebraska (AP/USA) | |
| 2000 | Jan. 3, 2001 | Oklahoma | Bob Stoops | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 13-2 vs Florida State (AP/USA) | |
| 1999 | Jan. 4, 2000 | Florida State | Bobby Bowden | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 46-29 vs Virginia Tech (AP/USA) | |
| 1998 | Jan. 4, 1999 | Tennessee | Phillip Fulmer | 13-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl, 23-16 vs Florida State (AP/USA) | |
| 1997 | Jan. 2, 1998 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 42-17 vs Tennessee (USA) | |
| 1997 | Jan. 1, 1998 | Michigan | Lloyd Carr | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 21-16 vs Washington State (AP) | |
| 1996 | Jan. 2, 1997 | Florida | Steve Spurrier | 12-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 52-20 vs Florida State (AP/USA) | |
| 1995 | Jan. 2, 1996 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne | 12-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl, 62-24 vs Florida (AP/USA) | |
| 1994 | Jan. 1, 1995 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 24-17 vs Miami (AP/USA) | |
| 1993 | Jan. 1, 1994 | Florida State | Bobby Bowden | 12-1-0 | won Orange Bowl, 18-16 vs Nebraska (AP/USA) | |
| 1992 | Jan. 1, 1993 | Alabama | Gene Stallings | 13-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 34-13 vs Miami (AP/USA) | |
| 1991 | Jan. 1, 1992 | Miami FL | Dennis Erickson | 12-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 22-0 vs Nebraska (AP) | |
| 1991 | Jan. 1, 1992 | Washington | Don James | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 34-14 vs Michigan (USA) | |
| 1990 | Jan. 1, 1991 | Colorado | Bill McCartney | 11-1-1 | won Orange Bowl, 10-9 vs Notre Dame (AP) | |
| 1990 | Jan. 1, 1991 | Georgia Tech | Bobby Ross | 11-0-1 | won Citrus Bowl, 45-21 vs Nebraska (UPI) | |
| 1989 | Jan. 1, 1990 | Miami FL | Dennis Erickson | 11-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 33-25 vs Alabama (AP/UPI) | |
| 1988 | Jan. 2, 1989 | Notre Dame | Lou Holtz | 12-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl, 34-21 vs West Virginia (AP/UPI) | |
| 1987 | Jan. 1, 1988 | Miami FL | Jimmy Johnson | 12-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 20-14 vs Oklahoma (AP/UPI) | |
| 1986 | Jan. 2, 1987 | Penn State | Joe Paterno | 12-0-0 | won Fiesta Bowl, 14-10 vs Miami (AP/UPI) | |
| 1985 | Jan. 1, 1986 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer | 11-1-0 | won Orange Bowl, 25-10 vs Penn State (AP/UPI) | |
| 1984 | Dec. 21, 1984 | Brigham Young | LaVell Edwards | 13-0-0 | won Holiday Bowl, 24-17 vs Michigan (AP/UPI) | |
| 1983 | Jan. 2, 1984 | Miami FL | Howard Schnellenberger | 11-1-0 | won Orange Bowl, 31-30 vs Nebraska (AP/UPI) | |
| 1982 | Jan. 1, 1983 | Penn State | Joe Paterno | 11-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 27-23 vs Georgia (AP/UPI) | |
| 1981 | Jan. 1, 1982 | Clemson | Danny Ford | 12-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 22-15 vs Nebraska (AP/UPI) | |
| 1980 | Jan. 1, 1981 | Georgia | Vince Dooley | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 17-10 vs Notre Dame (AP/UPI) | |
| 1979 | Jan. 1, 1980 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 24-9 vs Arkansas (AP/UPI) | |
| 1978 | Jan. 1, 1979 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 11-1-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 47-7 vs Penn State (AP) | |
| 1978 | Jan. 1, 1979 | Southern Cal | John Robinson | 12-1-0 | won Rose Bowl, 17-10 vs Michigan (UPI) | |
| 1977 | Jan. 2, 1978 | Notre Dame | Dan Devine | 11-1-0 | won Cotton Bowl, 38-10 vs Texas (AP/UPI) | |
| 1976 | Jan. 1, 1977 | Pittsburgh | Johnny Majors | 12-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 27-3 vs Georgia (AP/UPI) | |
| 1975 | Jan. 1, 1976 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer | 11-1-0 | won Orange Bowl, 14-6 va Michigan (AP/UPI) | |
| 1974 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer | 11-0-0 | no bowl (AP) | ||
| 1974 | Jan. 1, 1975 | Southern Cal | John McKay | 10-1-1 | won Rose Bowl, 18-17 vs Ohio State (UPI) | |
| 1973 | Dec. 31, 1973 | Notre Dame | Ara Parseghian | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 24-23 vs Alabama (AP) | |
| 1973 | Dec. 31, 1973 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 11-1-0 | lost Sugar Bowl, 23-24 vs Notre Dame (UPI) | |
| 1972 | Jan. 1, 1973 | Southern Cal | John McKay | 12-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 42-17 vs Ohio State (AP/UPI) | |
| 1971 | Jan. 1, 1972 | Nebraska | Bob Devaney | 13-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 38-6 vs Alabama (AP/UPI) | |
| 1970 | Jan. 1, 1971 | Nebraska | Bob Devaney | 11-0-1 | won Orange Bowl, 17-12 vs Louisiana State (AP) | |
| 1970 | Jan. 1, 1971 | Texas | Darrell Royal | 10-1-0 | lost Cotton Bowl, 11-24 vs Notre Dame (UPI) | |
| 1969 | Jan. 1, 1970 | Texas | Darrell Royal | 11-0-0 | won Cotton Bowl, 21-17 vs Notre Dame (AP/UPI) | |
| 1968 | Jan. 1, 1969 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 27-16 vs Southern Cal (AP/UPI) | |
| 1967 | Jan. 1, 1968 | Southern Cal | John McKay | 10-1-0 | won Rose Bowl, 14-3 vs Indiana (AP/UPI) | |
| 1966 | Notre Dame | Ara Parseghian | 9-0-1 | no bowl (AP/UPI) | ||
| 1965 | Jan. 1, 1966 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 9-1-1 | won Orange Bowl, 39-28 vs Nebraska (AP) | |
| 1965 | Jan. 1, 1966 | Michigan State | Duffy Daughtery | 10-1-0 | lost Rose Bowl, 12-14 vs UCLA (UPI) | |
| 1964 | Jan. 1, 1965 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 10-1-0 | lost Orange Bowl, 17-21 vs Texas (AP/UPI) | |
| 1963 | Jan. 1, 1964 | Texas | Darrell Royal | 11-0-0 | won Cotton Bowl, 28-6 vs Navy (AP/UPI) | |
| 1962 | Jan. 1, 1963 | Southern Cal | John McKay | 11-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 42-37 vs Wisconsin (AP/UPI) | |
| 1961 | Jan. 1, 1962 | Alabama | Paul "Bear" Bryant | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 10-3 vs Arkansas (AP/UPI) | |
| 1960 | Jan. 2, 1961 | Minnesota | Murray Warmath | 8-2-0 | lost Rose Bowl, 7-17 vs Washington (AP/UPI) | |
| 1959 | Jan. 1, 1960 | Syracuse | Ben Schwartzwalder | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 23-14 vs Texas (AP/UPI) | |
| 1958 | Jan. 1, 1959 | Louisiana State | Paul Dietzel | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 7-0 vs Clemson (AP/UPI) | |
| 1957 | Auburn | Shug Jordan | 10-0-0 | no bowl (AP) | ||
| 1957 | Jan. 1, 1958 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes | 9-1-0 | won Rose Bowl, 10-7 vs Oregon (UPI) | |
| 1956 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson | 10-0-0 | no bowl (AP/UPI) | ||
| 1955 | Jan. 2, 1956 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson | 11-0-0 | won Orange Bowl, 20-6 vs Maryland (AP/UPI) | |
| 1954 | Jan. 1, 1955 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 20-7 vs Southern Cal (AP) | |
| 1954 | UCLA | Red Sanders | 9-0-0 | no bowl (UPI) | ||
| 1953 | Jan. 1, 1954 | Maryland | Jim Tatum | 10-1-0 | lost Orange Bowl, 0-7 vs Oklahoma (AP) | |
| 1952 | Michigan State | Biggie Munn | 9-0-0 | no bowl (AP) | ||
| 1951 | Jan. 1, 1952 | Tennessee | Bob Neyland | 10-1-0 | lost Sugar Bowl, 13-28 vs Maryland (AP) | |
| 1950 | Jan. 1, 1951 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson | 10-1-0 | lost Sugar Bowl, 7-13 vs Kentucky (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 | Jan. 1, 1948 | Michigan | Fritz Crisler | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 49-0 vs Southern Cal (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 | Jan. 1, 1940 | Texas A&M | Homer Norton | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 14-13 vs Tulane (AP) | |
| 1939 | Jan. 1, 1940 | Southern Cal | Howard Jones | 8-0-2 | won Rose Bowl, 14-0 vs Tennessee (DS) | |
| 1938 | Jan. 2, 1939 | Texas Christian | Dutch Meyer | 11-0-0 | won Sugar Bowl, 15-7 vs Carnegie Tech (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 | Jan. 1, 1936 | Southern Methodist | Matty Bell | 12-1-0 | lost Rose Bowl, 0-7 vs Stanford (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 | Jan. 2, 1933 | Southern Cal | Howard Jones | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 35-0 vs Pittsburgh (HAF) | |
| 1931 | Jan. 1, 1932 | Southern Cal | Howard Jones | 10-1-0 | won Rose Bowl, 21-14 vs Tulane (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 | Southern Cal | Howard Jones | 9-0-1 | no bowl (DS) | ||
| 1928 | Jan. 1, 1929 | Georgia Tech | Bill Alexander | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 8-7 vs California (HAF) | |
| 1927 | Illinois | Bob Zuppke | 7-0-1 | no bowl (DS/HAF) | ||
| 1926 | Jan. 1, 1927 | Stanford | Pop Warner | 10-0-1 | tied Rose Bowl, 7-7 vs Alabama (DS/HAF) | |
| 1926 | Jan. 1, 1927 | Alabama | Wallace Wade | 9-0-1 | tied Rose Bowl, 7-7 vs Stanford (HAF) | |
| 1925 | Dartmouth | Jesse Hawley | 8-0-0 | no bowl (DS) | ||
| 1925 | Jan. 1, 1926 | Alabama | Wallace Wade | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 20-19 vs Washington (HAF) | |
| 1924 | Jan. 1, 1925 | Notre Dame | Knute Rockne | 10-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 27-10 vs Stanford (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 | Jan. 1, 1921 | California | Andy Smith | 9-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 28-0 vs Ohio State (HAF) | |
| 1919 | Jan. 1, 1973 | Harvard | Bob Fisher | 9-0-1 | won Rose Bowl, 7-6 vs Oregon (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 | Jan. 1, 1902 | Michigan | Fielding Yost | 11-0-0 | won Rose Bowl, 49-0 vs Stanford (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 and 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