College Football National Champions
The sport of football (American football) first catapulted to popularity as a collegiate sport. For a great deal of its history, college football was more popular than professional football. Only after World War II did professional football eclipse college football in popularity. In spite of that, college football still remains an immensely popular sport.
NCAA Football National Champions
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Football is organized into four divisions:
- NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I A)
- NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I AA)
- NCAA Division II
- NCAA Division III
Football is the only NCAA sport where there are two levels of Division I play.
NCAA Bowl Championship Subdivision / NCAA Division I A
The NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision is also the only level of NCAA sports where the national champion is not determined by a championship tournament. Various national polls have been used to crown the football national champion for what is now the Football Bowl Subdivision. It is only since 1998 that something approximating a championship tournament, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), has existed. Even with the BCS, sometimes dual national champions are crowned (as was the case in 2003). Over the years national champions have been crowned as follows:
- 1998 - present: BCS
- 1950 - 1997, 2003: Consensus National Champion (various football polls)
- 1936 - 1949: Associated Press (AP)
- 1869 - 1935: Retroactive Poll Champions
NCAA Football Championship Subdivision / NCAA Division I AA
The second level of division I football, the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), has been crowning a national champion through a tournament process since 1978.
NCAA Football Division II National Championship / Division III National Championship
Both Divisions II and III of NCAA football have also been crowning national champions through a tournament process since 1973.
All NCAA Football Champions
| Year | NCAA Div I BCS | NCAA Div I FCS | NCAA Div. II | NCAA Div. III |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1869 | Princeton | |||
| 1870 | Princeton | |||
| 1871 | None selected | |||
| 1872 | Princeton | |||
| 1873 | Princeton | |||
| 1874 | Yale | |||
| 1875 | Harvard | |||
| 1876 | Yale | |||
| 1877 | Yale | |||
| 1878 | Princeton | |||
| 1879 | Princeton | |||
| 1880 | Princeton, Yale | |||
| 1881 | Yale | |||
| 1882 | Yale | |||
| 1883 | Yale | |||
| 1884 | Yale | |||
| 1885 | Princeton | |||
| 1886 | Yale | |||
| 1887 | Yale | |||
| 1888 | Yale | |||
| 1889 | Princeton | |||
| 1890 | Harvard | |||
| 1891 | Yale | |||
| 1892 | Yale | |||
| 1893 | Princeton | |||
| 1894 | Yale | |||
| 1895 | Pennsylvania | |||
| 1896 | Lafayette, Princeton | |||
| 1897 | Pennsylvania | |||
| 1898 | Harvard | |||
| 1899 | Harvard | |||
| 1900 | Yale | |||
| 1901 | Michigan | |||
| 1902 | Michigan | |||
| 1903 | Michigan, Princeton | |||
| 1904 | Michigan, Pennsylvania | |||
| 1905 | Chicago | |||
| 1906 | Princeton | |||
| 1907 | Yale | |||
| 1908 | LSU, Pennsylvania | |||
| 1909 | Yale | |||
| 1910 | Harvard, Pittsburgh | |||
| 1911 | Penn St., Princeton | |||
| 1912 | Harvard, Penn St. | |||
| 1913 | Harvard | |||
| 1914 | Army | |||
| 1915 | Cornell | |||
| 1916 | Pittsburgh | |||
| 1917 | Georgia Tech. | |||
| 1918 | Michigan, Pittsburgh | |||
| 1919 | Harvard, Illinois, Notre Dame, Texas A&M | |||
| 1920 | California | |||
| 1921 | California, Cornell | |||
| 1922 | California, Cornell, Princeton | |||
| 1923 | Illinois, Michigan | |||
| 1924 | Notre Dame | |||
| 1925 | Alabama | |||
| 1926 | Alabama, Stanford | |||
| 1927 | Illinois, Yale | |||
| 1928 | Georgia Tech. | |||
| 1929 | Notre Dame | |||
| 1930 | Alabama, Notre Dame | |||
| 1931 | Southern California | |||
| 1932 | Southern California | |||
| 1933 | Michigan | |||
| 1934 | Minnesota | |||
| 1935 | Minnesota | |||
| 1937 | Pittsburgh | |||
| 1938 | Texas Christian | |||
| 1939 | Texas A&M | |||
| 1940 | Minnesota | |||
| 1941 | Minnesota | |||
| 1942 | Ohio St. | |||
| 1943 | Notre Dame | |||
| 1944 | Army | |||
| 1945 | Army | |||
| 1946 | Notre Dame | |||
| 1947 | Notre Dame | |||
| 1948 | Michigan | |||
| 1949 | Notre Dame | |||
| 1950 | Oklahoma | |||
| 1951 | Tennessee | |||
| 1952 | Michigan St. | |||
| 1953 | Maryland | |||
| 1954 | UCLA, Ohio St. | |||
| 1955 | Oklahoma | |||
| 1956 | Oklahoma | |||
| 1957 | Ohio St., Auburn | |||
| 1958 | LSU, Iowa | |||
| 1959 | Syracuse | |||
| 1960 | Minnesota, Mississippi | |||
| 1961 | Alabama, Ohio St. | |||
| 1962 | Southern California | |||
| 1963 | Texas | |||
| 1964 | Alabama, Arkansas, Notre Dame | |||
| 1965 | Michigan St., Alabama | |||
| 1966 | Notre Dame, Michigan St. | |||
| 1967 | Southern California | |||
| 1968 | Ohio St. | |||
| 1969 | Texas | |||
| 1970 | Nebraska, Texas, Ohio St. | |||
| 1971 | Nebraska | |||
| 1972 | Southern California | |||
| 1973 | Notre Dame, Alabama | Louisiana Tech | Wittenberg | |
| 1974 | Southern California, Oklahoma | Central Mich. | Central (Iowa) | |
| 1975 | Oklahoma | Northern Mich. | Wittenberg | |
| 1976 | Pittsburgh | Montana St. | St. John’s (Minn.) | |
| 1977 | Notre Dame | Lehigh | Widener | |
| 1978 | Alabama, Southern California | Florida A&M | Eastern Ill. | Baldwin-Wallace |
| 1979 | Alabama | Eastern Ky. | Delaware | Ithaca |
| 1980 | Georgia | Boise St. | Cal Poly | Dayton |
| 1981 | Clemson | Idaho St. | Texas St. | Widener |
| 1982 | Penn St. | Eastern Ky. | Texas St. | West Georgia |
| 1983 | Miami (Fla.) | Southern Ill. | North Dakota St. | Augustana (Ill.) |
| 1984 | Brigham Young | Montana St. | Troy St. | Augustana (Ill.) |
| 1985 | Oklahoma | Ga. Southern | North Dakota St. | Augustana (Ill.) |
| 1986 | Penn St. | Ga. Southern | North Dakota St. | Augustana (Ill.) |
| 1987 | Miami (Fla.) | La.-Monroe | Troy St. | Wagner |
| 1988 | Notre Dame | Furman | North Dakota St. | Ithaca |
| 1989 | Miami (Fla.) | Ga. Southern | Mississippi Col.* | Dayton |
| 1990 | Colorado, Georgia Tech | Ga. Southern | North Dakota St. | Allegheny |
| 1991 | Washington, Miami (Fla.) | Youngstown St. | Pittsburg St. | Ithaca |
| 1992 | Alabama | Marshall | Jacksonville St. | Wis.-La Crosse |
| 1993 | Florida St. | Youngstown St. | North Ala. | Mount Union |
| 1994 | Nebraska | Youngstown St. | North Ala. | Albion |
| 1995 | Nebraska | Montana | North Ala. | Wis.-La Crosse |
| 1996 | Florida | Marshall | Northern Colo. | Mount Union |
| 1997 | Michigan, Nebraska | Youngstown St. | Northern Colo. | Mount Union |
| 1998 | Tennessee | Massachusetts | Northwest Mo. St. | Mount Union |
| 1999 | Florida State | Ga. Southern | Northwest Mo. St. | Pacific Lutheran |
| 2000 | Oklahoma | Ga. Southern | Delta St. | Mount Union |
| 2001 | Miami (Fla.) | Montana | North Dakota | Mount Union |
| 2002 | Ohio State | Western Ky. | Grand Valley St. | Mount Union |
| 2003 | Louisiana State (BCS) / USC (consensus national champion) | Delaware | Grand Valley St. | St. John’s (Minn.) |
| 2004 | Southern California | James Madison | Valdosta St. | Linfield |
| 2005 | Texas | Appalachian State | Grand Valley St. | Mount Union |
| 2006 | Florida | Appalachian State | Grand Valley St. | Mount Union |
| 2007 | TBD | Appalachian State | Valdosta State | Mount Union |
NAIA Football National Champions
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) also crowns a national champion for smaller colleges. It has, over time, been organized into two football divisions (1970-1996), but is currently organized in a single football division. The NAIA uses a championship tournament process to crown a national champion and has been crowning a champion since 1956.
All NAIA Football National Champions
| Year | NAIA Div I | NAIA Div II |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Montana State / St. Joseph's (Ind.) (tie) | |
| 1957 | Pittsburg State (Kan.) | |
| 1958 | Northeastern State (Okla.) | |
| 1959 | Texas A&I | |
| 1960 | Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.) | |
| 1961 | Pittsburg State (Kan.) | |
| 1962 | Central State (Okla.) | |
| 1963 | St. John's (Minn.) | |
| 1964 | Concordia (Minn.) / Sam Houston State (Texas) (tie) | |
| 1965 | St. John's (Minn.) | |
| 1966 | Waynesburg (Pa.) | |
| 1967 | Fairmont State (W.Va.) | |
| 1968 | Troy State (Ala.) | |
| 1969 | Texas A&I | |
| 1970 | Texas A&I | Westminster (Pa.) |
| 1971 | Livingston (Ala.) | California Lutheran |
| 1972 | East Texas State | Missouri Southern |
| 1973 | Abilene Christian (Texas) | Northwestern (Iowa) |
| 1974 | Texas A&I | Texas Lutheran |
| 1975 | Texas A&I | Texas Lutheran |
| 1976 | Texas A&I | Westminster (Pa.) |
| 1977 | Abilene Christian (Texas) | Westminster (Pa.) |
| 1978 | Angelo State (Texas) | Concordia (Minn.) |
| 1979 | Texas A&I | Findlay (Ohio) |
| 1980 | Elon (N.C.) | Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
| 1981 | Elon (N.C.) | Austin College (Texas) / Concordia (Minn.) |
| 1982 | Central State (Okla.) | Linfield (Ore.) |
| 1983 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | Northwestern (Iowa) |
| 1984 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) / Central Arkansas (tie) | Linfield (Ore.) |
| 1985 | Hillsdale (Mich.) / Central Arkansas (tie) | Wisconsin-La Crosse |
| 1986 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | Linfield (Ore.) |
| 1987 | Cameron (Okla.) | Pacific Lutheran (Wash. )/ Vacant * (tie) |
| 1988 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | Westminster (Pa.) |
| 1989 | Carson-Newman (Tenn.) | Westminster (Pa.) |
| 1990 | Central State (Ohio) | Omaha, Neb. Peru State (Neb.) |
| 1991 | Central Arkansas | Georgetown (Ky.) |
| 1992 | N.C. Central State (Ohio) | Findlay (Ohio) |
| 1993 | East Central (Okla.) | Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) |
| 1994 | Northeastern State (Okla.) | Westminster (Pa.) |
| 1995 | Central State (Ohio) | Central Washington / Findlay (Ohio) (tie) |
| 1996 | Southwestern Oklahoma | Sioux Falls (S.D.) |
| 1997 | Findlay (Ohio) | |
| 1998 | Azusa Pacific (Calif.) | |
| 1999 | Northwestern Oklahoma State | |
| 2000 | Georgetown (Ky.) | |
| 2001 | Georgetown (Ky.) | |
| 2002 | Carroll (Mont.) | |
| 2003 | Carroll (Mont.) | |
| 2004 | Carroll (Mont.) | |
| 2005 | Carroll (Mont.) | |
| 2006 | Sioux Falls (S.D.) | |
| 2007 | Carroll (Mont.) | |
Contact • Home • Legal • Privacy • RSS
Subscribe to NuttyAboutSports.com Articles by Email • Subscribe to NuttyAboutSports BLOG by Email
Copyright © 2006-2008 WorldReach Marketing. All Rights Reserved.
