National Champions
| 2019 |
LSU |
LSU |
AP |
College Football Playoff |
| 2018 |
Clemson |
Clemson |
AP |
College Football Playoff |
| 2017 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
College Football Playoff |
| 2016 |
Clemson |
Clemson |
AP |
College Football Playoff |
| 2015 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
College Football Playoff |
| 2014 |
Ohio State |
Ohio State |
AP |
College Football Playoff |
| 2013 |
Florida State |
Florida State |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2012 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2011 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2010 |
Auburn |
Auburn |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2009 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2008 |
Florida |
Florida |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2007 |
LSU |
LSU |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2006 |
Florida |
Florida |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2005 |
Texas |
Texas |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2004 |
USC |
vacated |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2003 |
USC |
LSU |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2002 |
Ohio State |
Ohio State |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2001 |
Miami |
Miami |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 2000 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 1999 |
Florida State |
Florida State |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 1998 |
Tennessee |
Tennessee |
AP |
Bowl Championship Series |
| 1997 |
Michigan |
Nebraska |
AP |
Bowl Alliance |
| 1996 |
Florida |
Florida |
AP |
Bowl Alliance |
| 1995 |
Nebraska |
Nebraska |
AP |
Bowl Alliance |
| 1994 |
Nebraska |
Nebraska |
AP |
Bowl Coalition |
| 1993 |
Florida State |
Florida State |
AP |
Bowl Coalition |
| 1992 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
Bowl Coalition |
| 1991 |
Miami |
Washington |
AP |
USA Today/CNN |
| 1990 |
Colorado |
Georgia Tech |
AP |
UPI |
| 1989 |
Miami |
Miami |
AP |
UPI |
| 1988 |
Notre Dame |
Notre Dame |
AP |
UPI |
| 1987 |
Miami |
Miami |
AP |
UPI |
| 1986 |
Penn State |
Penn State |
AP |
UPI |
| 1985 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
AP |
UPI |
| 1984 |
BYU |
BYU |
AP |
UPI |
| 1983 |
Miami |
Miami |
AP |
UPI |
| 1982 |
Penn State |
Penn State |
AP |
UPI |
| 1981 |
Clemson |
Clemson |
AP |
UPI |
| 1980 |
Georgia |
Georgia |
AP |
UPI |
| 1979 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
UPI |
| 1978 |
Alabama |
USC |
AP |
UPI |
| 1977 |
Notre Dame |
Notre Dame |
AP |
UPI |
| 1976 |
Pittsburgh |
Pittsburgh |
AP |
UPI |
| 1975 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
AP |
UPI |
| 1974 |
Oklahoma |
USC |
AP |
UPI |
| 1973 |
Notre Dame |
Alabama |
AP |
UPI |
| 1972 |
USC |
USC |
AP |
UPI |
| 1971 |
Nebraska |
Nebraska |
AP |
UPI |
| 1970 |
Nebraska |
Texas |
AP |
UPI |
| 1969 |
Texas |
Texas |
AP |
UPI |
| 1968 |
Ohio State |
Ohio State |
AP |
UPI |
| 1967 |
USC |
USC |
AP |
UPI |
| 1966 |
Notre Dame |
Notre Dame |
AP |
UPI |
| 1965 |
Alabama |
Michigan State |
AP |
UPI |
| 1964 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
UPI |
| 1963 |
Texas |
Texas |
AP |
UPI |
| 1962 |
USC |
USC |
AP |
UPI |
| 1961 |
Alabama |
Alabama |
AP |
UPI |
| 1960 |
Minnesota |
Minnesota |
AP |
UPI |
| 1959 |
Syracuse |
Syracuse |
AP |
UPI |
| 1958 |
LSU |
LSU |
AP |
UPI |
| 1957 |
Auburn |
Ohio State |
AP |
UPI |
| 1956 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
AP |
UPI |
| 1955 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
AP |
UPI |
| 1954 |
Ohio State |
UCLA |
AP |
UPI |
| 1953 |
Maryland |
Maryland |
AP |
UPI |
| 1952 |
Michigan State |
Michigan State |
AP |
UPI |
| 1951 |
Tennessee |
Tennessee |
AP |
UPI |
| 1950 |
Oklahoma |
Oklahoma |
AP |
UPI |
| 1949 |
Notre Dame |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1948 |
Michigan |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1947 |
Notre Dame |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1946 |
Notre Dame |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1945 |
Army |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1944 |
Army |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1943 |
Notre Dame |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1942 |
Ohio State |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1941 |
Minnesota |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1940 |
Minnesota |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1939 |
Texas A&M |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1938 |
TCU |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1937 |
Pittsburgh |
N/A |
AP |
|
| 1936 |
Minnesota |
N/A |
AP |
|
| Alabama |
11 |
| Notre Dame |
8 |
| Oklahoma |
7 |
| Miami |
5 |
| Ohio State |
5 |
| USC |
5 |
| Minnesota |
4 |
| Nebraska |
4 |
| Clemson |
3 |
| Florida |
3 |
| Florida State |
3 |
| LSU |
3 |
| Texas |
3 |
| Army |
2 |
| Auburn |
2 |
| Michigan |
2 |
| Penn State |
2 |
| Pittsburgh |
2 |
| Tennessee |
2 |
| BYU |
1 |
| Colorado |
1 |
| Georgia |
1 |
| Maryland |
1 |
| Michigan State |
1 |
| Syracuse |
1 |
| TCU |
1 |
| Texas A&M |
1 |
| Alabama |
10 |
| Oklahoma |
6 |
| USC |
5 |
| LSU |
4 |
| Miami |
4 |
| Nebraska |
4 |
| Ohio State |
4 |
| Texas |
4 |
| Clemson |
3 |
| Florida |
3 |
| Florida State |
3 |
| Notre Dame |
3 |
| Michigan State |
2 |
| Penn State |
2 |
| Tennessee |
2 |
| Auburn |
1 |
| BYU |
1 |
| Georgia |
1 |
| Georgia Tech |
1 |
| Maryland |
1 |
| Minnesota |
1 |
| Pittsburgh |
1 |
| Syracuse |
1 |
| UCLA |
1 |
| vacated |
1 |
| Washington |
1 |