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  • Home
  • About Us
    • Site Index
  • Heisman History & Facts
    • Lamar Jackson 2016 Heisman Trophy Winner
    • Colleges With The Most Heisman Trophy Winners
    • College Football Programs Without a Heisman
    • NFL Teams That Have Drafted Heisman Winners
    • Heisman Winners By Team
    • Heisman Winners By Year
    • Notable Heisman Trophy Runner Ups
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    • Breaking the Heisman Jinx
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College Football National Champions

Listed by team and their number of championship seasons  
College Football National Championships
The quest for a national title looms in the minds of college football fans across the nation each season.  Through the years, legendary programs, coaches and players have been born through their championship efforts that have delivered eternal glory to their schools.  Below you'll find school by school listings that provides information major college football national championships.
“We’re No. 1” historically has been a mythical statement in Division 1-A college football.  While all other NCAA sports were producing legitimate national champions each year, major college football’s kingpin has been crowned by different voting organizations. This process has anointed national championships to more than one school on many occasions and created great debate along the football landscape.  The traditionalists have argued for maintaining the bowl game system, while others have campaigned for a true playoff. While Division 1-A football still doesn’t have a true playoff system, the Bowl Championship Series has been created.  Using a computerized tracking method that includes poll rankings and other factors, the top two ranked teams at the end of the season meet in the final bowl game for the national title. Since 1869, there have been nearly 30 national championship selectors that have used polls, mathematical ratings and historical research to pick a No. 1 team.  When listing national championship winners, the NCAA lists these polling organizations for the following years.

  • NCF: National Championship Foundation: 1869-1870 and 1872-1935
  • HAF: Helms Athletic Foundation: 1883-1935
  • CFRA: College Football Researchers Association: 1919-1935
  • AP: Associated Press: 1936-1997
  • UPI: United Press International: 1950-1995
  • FWAA: Football Writers Association of America: 1954-1977
  • NFF: National Football Foundation/College Football Hall of Fame: 1959-1997
  • USA/CNN: 1982-1996
  • USA/ESPN: 1997
  • BCS: 1997 to 2013
  • College Football Playoff
National Championship Tabulations: Starting with 1900, here’s a listing of the 20th century’s national champions according to the above polls included in the NCAA Football.net ratings.  Note that from 1936 through 1949, the NCAA release only recognized the AP rankings.
Alabama Crimson Tide
There are many great college football programs across our nation, but most surely envy the tremendous success and tradition of Alabama Football.  Located in the heart of Dixie, Alabama has established itself as one of the winningest programs in the country while laying claim to 16 national championships from highly recognized polls through the College Football Playoffs.  Read more.
Arkansas Razorbacks
Frank Broyles crowning moment as the Hog’s head football coach was leading the team to a claim to the 1964 national championship following a Cotton Bowl victory over Nebraska.  Arkansas finished as the nation’s only undefeated team when the bowl season had concluded.  However, the policy of selecting a national champ prior to the postseason was in effect for the AP and UPI polls.  They both gave Alabama the title nod before the Crimson Tide’s Orange Bowl loss to Texas.  Arkansas fans embrace the top ranking they received from the Football Writers Association of America

YEAR        REC        COACH                                POLLS
1964        11-0        Frank Broyles                        FWAA
Army Black Knights
Army posted a winning campaign in 1907, it was the beginning of a 32-year winning season streak.  The Cadets were such a dominant force in the 1920s that Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne saved his inspirational “Win one for the Gipper” speech for halftime of the 1928 Army game. Army’s first national championship was earned in 1914 when the cadets posted a 9-0 record while outscoring their opponents 259-20.  The title run happened during Coach Charles Daly’s second season that concluded with an all-important 20-0 sinking of Navy. Not only did the 1940s witness the U.S. Army win a convincing victory in World War II, but it also delivered the academy’s greatest football conquests as well.  Army won two unanimous national championships under Earl “Red” Blaik and had two players capture the Heisman trophy that decade. How dominant were the Army teams of 1944 and ’45?  The Notre Dame games serve as an astonishing benchmark.  In 1943, the Fighting Irish beat Army 26-0 en route to a unanimous national title.  The next two season’s saw the Black Knights roll over Notre Dame by a combined score of 107-0 as the Army machine crushed opponents. Beginning with the season opener in 1944, Army rolled through a 32-game unbeaten streak that ended after a 1947 loss at Columbia.  By season’ s end, Army bounced back and strung together a 28-game non-losing streak that lasted until the final game of the 1950 campaign.

YEAR        REC        COACH                               POLLS
1914        9-0        Charles Daly                     Unanimous
1944        9-0        Earl “Red” Blaik                Unanimous
1945        9-0        Earl “Red” Blaik                Unanimous
Auburn Tigers
Greatness touched the program in its infancy when John Heisman coached the team in the late 1890s.  Ralph "Shug" Jordan toiled the Auburn sidelines for 25 years and led the Tigers to a 1957 national championship.  Jordan’s Tigers shutout six opponents including a 40-0 season ending trashing of Alabama.With QB Cam Newton on board for the 2010 season, the Auburn offense hit overdrive as the Tigers led the SEC in scoring and total offense. Gene Chizik's squad remained undefeated through the regular season and defeated South Carolina 56-17 in the SEC Championship Game.  The next stop was a BCS match up against Oregon in the BCS Championship game which saw Auburn prevail 22-19 on a last-second field goal.

YEAR        REC        COACH                         POLLS
1957        10-0        Shug Jordan                    AP
2010         14-0        Gene Chizik                   BCS
BYU Cougars
BYU’s rise to national prominence took flight when coaching legend LaVell Edwards first took the head coaching reins in 1972.  Despite Edwards national reputation while dominating the WAC. Under the direction of Coach Edwards, BYU secured its first national title in 1984.  Through the course of the season, seven teams held the No. 1 spot before BYU cemented the title with a Holiday Bowl win over Michigan.  The championship clinching win marked the first time a national title winner had played in a non-New Year’s Day bowl. Despite a season opening win at No. 3 Pittsburgh, BYU’s national championship selection was criticized nationally because of what was perceived to be a weak schedule.  Regardless, the Cougars defeated every opponent and had 15 players drafted into the NFL.

YEAR        REC        COACH                           POLLS
1984        13-0        LaVell Edwards           Unanimous
California Golden Bears
undefeated seasons and the best was yet to come. In dominating fashion Coach Andy Smith guided Cal to a 45-0-4 record in five seasons (1920-1924).  Nicknamed the “wonder team,” the Golden Bears made consecutive Rose Bowl appearances following the 1920 and 1921 campaigns.  Cal’s 1920 squad won an unofficial national games in 10 seasons (1916-25).

YEAR        REC        COACH                            POLLS
1920        9-0        Andy Smith                        Unanimous
1921        9-0-1    Andy Smith                        CFRA
1922        9-0        Andy Smith                        NCF (co-hamps)
Clemson Tigers
Despite Clemson, South Carolina’s small town stature, the university’s on-the-field success has helped it loom large on college football maps.  It’s Clemson’s last trip to the Orange Bowl resulted in Danny Ford’s squad posting a 22-15 victory over Nebraska and culminated the schools 1981 undefeated national championship drive.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                   POLLS
1981        12-0        Danny Ford                        Unanimous
Colorado Buffaloes
title in 1990.  The Buffaloes blew a 24-10, fourth quarter lead and let Tennessee tie them in the opener and Illinois overcame a 17-3 deficit to hand Colorado their only loss of the season in game three. While both of those games were setbacks to the championship drive, the fifth down win over Missouri was CU’s biggest obstacle. The Buff’s scored the winning touchdown as time expired on what turned out to be fifth down. Somehow CU escaped with a 33-31 win because the officiating crew and the Missouri players and coaches never realized the gaffe until it was too late.  The blown call created great controversy and sent CU sliding in the polls. From that point forward it was redemption time as the Buffs stampeded through the rest of their schedule that was the toughest in the nation.  Key wins included knocking out Oklahoma, a on the road drubbing of No. 3 Nebraska 27-12 and a 10-9 Orange Bowl victory over Notre Dame.

YEAR        REC              COACH                             POLLS
1990        11-1-1        Bill McCartney                        AP
Florida Gators National Championship Seasons
reached high points with major bowl game appearances, top five rankings and a Heisman Trophy winning quarterback. However, the school not only sought its first national title, but its first outright SEC championship as well. Those hopes gained validity when former Gator quarterback Steve Spurrier left the Duke head coaching job in 1990 to return to his alma mater. Thanks to his lethal “Fun-N-Gun” offense and crunching defense, Spurrier’s Gators began to bask in the sun while winning five-SEC titles (1991,1993-96) and a consensus 1996 national title. Even though the Gators had scored 50 or more points six times while starting the 1996 season with a 10-0 record, national title hopes seemed lost when Florida State nipped Florida 24-21 in Tallahassee.  However, after spanking Alabama in the SEC title game, the third ranked Gators accepted an invitation to play the top ranked Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl.  A 52-20 thumping of FSU not only provided great payback to Bobby Bowden’s squad, but Florida surged to the top of the polls and a unanimous national championship. After making his mark with Utah, coach Urban Myer brought his coaching excellence to Gator land.  Not only did Myer lift the Gators to levels not achieved since Steve Spurrier's departure, but he stunned the college football world by leading Florida to an upset win over Ohio State in the BCS Championship game.

YEAR        REC        COACH                             POLLS
1996        12-1        Steve Spurrier               Unanimous
2006        13-1        Urban Myer                        BCS
2008        13-1        Urban Myer                        BCS
Florida State Seminoles National Championship Seasons
FSU has been a fixture in the national rankings for nearly 20 years and has been a consistent bowl winner during that span.  The Seminoles have also put together an incredible string of seasons with 10 or more wins and a 1993 national championship. Ironically FSU’s national title was sealed in the 1994 Orange Bowl when a Scott Bentley field goal gave the Seminoles  a 20-18 winning edge with 22 seconds to play.  FSU had seen its past title hopes sail wide with errant field goal attempts that had cost the Seminoles wins in key games. FSU’s 1993 national championship team featured Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Charley Ward.  The Florida State set an unprecedented standard in 1999 when Bobby Bowden’s squad became the first team to go wire to wire from the preseason poll to the national championship game as the Associated Press’ No. 1 team.  The undefeated season also marked Bobby Bowden’s first one since taking over the Seminole program in 1976.   FSU defeated four teams that finished in the AP’s top 25, including its 46-29 Sugar Bowl victory over No. 2 Virginia Tech in the Bowl Championship Series finale.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                        POLLS
1993        11-1        Bobby Bowden                        Unanimous
1999        12-0        Bobby Bowden                        BCS-Unanimous
Georgia Bulldogs
Various polling groups named Georgia teams national champions in 1927, ’46 and ’68, but it was the 1980 squad that impressed the major or less.or less.A late season 93-yard touchdown reception by Lindsay Scott with little more than a minute to play against Florida, helped edge the Gators 26-21. The dramatic win preserved Georgia’s perfect record and boosted the Dawgs to No. 1.  Vince Dooley’s squad steamed through the rest of the regular season before cementing their national championship with a 17-10 Sugar Bowl win over Notre Dame.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                   POLLS
1980        12-0        Vince Dooley                        Unanimous
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Although John Heisman shared his coaching talents with several universities that benefited the most from the man who eventually had college football’s top individual award named in his honor.  Heisman coached at Georgia Tech for 16 years and produced 102 wins and the 1917 national championship.  That season saw Georgia tech culminate a three year span (1915-’17) unbeaten streak. William Alexander was another Tech coaching figure that enjoyed success.  Under his guidance, the Yellow Jackets won 134 games in 25 years including a national championship in 1928 with a 10-0 record. The legendary Bobby Dodd engineered great success for tech by winning 165 games in 22 years.  Dodd’s 1952 squad posted a 12-0 record that included a 24-7 Sugar Bowl victory over Ole Miss.  Although Tech gained national championship claims, the AP and UPI voted Michigan State as their champions. With Bobby Ross at the controls, Tech won a split of the national title Colorado after thumping Nebraska 45-21 in the Orange Bowl.

YEAR        REC             COACH                                    POLLS
1917        9-0           John Heisman                        Unanimous
1928        10-0         William Alexander                  Unanimous
1990        11-0-1        Bobby Ross                          UPI
Illinois Fighting Illini
storied traditions.  Under the direction of head coach Robert Zuppke, Illinois emerged as one of college football’s early powers by earning national championships in 1919, ‘23 and ‘27. The 1919 Illinois squad was the only national championship team to lose a game, a 14-10 loss to Wisconsin.  However, Coach Zuppke’s squad bounced back with four straight wins including a conference championship clash against Ohio State. One of the most heralded football players of all time, Red Grange, arrived on the Illinois scene in 1923 and helped lead his team to an undefeated season.  The fighting Illini put an exclamation point at the end of their season by shutting out their last three opponents. The Illini gained another undefeated national championship season in 1927. Coach Zuppke’s squad gave up only 24 points the entire season, with 12 of those being posted when Iowa State tied the Illini. Besides being Illinois’ all-time winningest coach with 131 victories, Zuppke displayed great innovation during his 29-year (1913-41) coaching stint.  The College Football Foundation Hall of Fame member was credited with developing the “flea-flicker” play, the screen pass, the spiral snap from center, spring practice and the huddle.

YEAR        REC        COACH                               POLLS
1919        6-1        Robert C. Zuppke                CFRA
1923        8-0        Robert C. Zuppke                CFRA, HAF, NCF
1927        7-0-1    Robert C. Zuppke                HAF, NCF
Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa rekindled the domination their program once had in the 1920s when coach Forest Evashevski’s 1958 squad won a Big 10 championship before defeating Oregon State in the Rose Bowl.  The season included four shutouts and a 48-8 smashing of Notre Dame, but a three-point loss to Michigan dimmed Iowa’s unanimous national title hopes.  Iowa finished with a claim to the national title that season along with LSU and posted top five rankings in three of the next four seasons.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                POLLS
1958        9-1        Forest Evashevski                FWAA
LSU Tigers
national championship claim was made in 1908 when the school posted a 10-0 record and outscored their victims by a 442-11 margin. When LSU fans discuss the famous Chinese Bandits they’re not talking about an unruly gang, but an integral part of the Tigers’ 1958 national championship team instead. The Oriental nickname was used to describe one of the three units deployed in Coach Paul Dietzel’s three-platoon system.  His first team offense was named the White Team, the second offensive team was dubbed the Go Team and the Chinese Bandits played defense. The Bandits nickname came about when Dietzel remembered a line from the old “Terry and The Pirates” comic strip in which Chinese Bandits were referred to as the most vicious people in the world. While compiling an 11-0 record the Bandits only surrendered 53 points while pitching four shutouts.  LSU was picked as unanimous national champions and the Bandits went on to be featured in Life Magazine donning their favorite Chinese masks. Paul Dietzel put his stamp on LSU football by achieving the Tigers’ only national championship in 1958 and coaching the school’s only Heisman Trophy winner one year later.  Dietzel coached for seven years and would later serve as athletic director. With the great tradition and support at LSU, Tiger fans spent many years hoping that their Bayou Bengals would reclaim championship glory. Bear Bryant's Alabama squads provided a huge obstacle throughout the 1960s and 70s and then the LSU program suffered through years of inconsistency.  It was not until the arrival of Nick Saban in the late 1990s that LSU finally began to reclaim their championship aspirations. The title search culminated in 2003 when Saban's squad won the SEC title and then faced Oklahoma in the BCS Title Game.  LSU's defense pinned Oklahoma down and LSU was back on top of the college football world. Although head coach Nick Saban left for the NFL's Miami Dolphins (before returning to Alabama), LSU continued its championship momentum in the new century.  Under the direction of head coach Les Miles LSU gained another national title in 2007.  The Tigers were able to play for the BCS national title despite to regular season losses to Kentucky and Arkansas.  However a late-season collapse of college football' top ranked teams put LSU in the title hunt after defeating Tennessee in the SEC Championship game.  The national championship season concluded in the BCS Title Game that was played in the Louisiana Superdome.  LSU beat Ohio State 38 to 24 as QB Matt Flynn threw 4 TD passes.

YEAR        REC        COACH                        POLLS
1908        10-0        Edgar Wingard          NCF (co-champs)
1958        11-0        Paul Dietzel                AP, UPI
2003        13-1        Nick Saban                  BCS
2007        12-2        Les Miles                     BCS
Maryland Terrapans
fans reminisce about the golden age, Fonzie, Richie and Mr. C are probably far from their minds.  They are instead focusing on a group of National Football Foundation College Hall of Famers that helped bring happy days and a championships to College Park. Leading the Maryland charge was head coach Jim Tatum whose teams posted a 51-8-2 record from 1950-55.  A perfect 10-0 record, a Sugar Bowl victory and a No. 3 national ranking in 1951 set the tone for future greatness in 1953. The Terrapins were a team on a mission as they outscored their first three opponents in 1953, 92-0 en route to a 10-0 regular season.  A 7-0 loss to Oklahoma in the Orange bowl foiled Maryland’s chances for a unanimous title.

YEAR        REC        COACH                            POLLS
1953        10-1        Jim Tatum                        AP, UPI
Miami Hurricanes
While perhaps symbolizing its Hurricane namesake, The Miami program took college football by storm in the 1980s.  Miami issued the first Periods of straightening and weakening followed until the 1983 season when the Hurricanes blew through top ranked Nebraska and won their first national championship. The Orange Bowl victory over the Cornhuskers rates as one of the century’s best games as Bernie Kosar passed the Canes to 31-30 thriller over Heisman winner Mike Rozier and company. Like the theme song from the Fox show Cops, Miami continued to surge forward as college football’s bad boys.  With an in your face, wearing jungle fatigues mentality, Miami won more national titles in 1987, 1989 and 1991. Miami’s 1987 team defeated five top 10 teams including a come-from-behind 26-25 victory over fourth ranked Florida.  An Orange Bowl win over top rated Oklahoma secured Miami’s second national title of the decade. Despite a loss to Florida State in 1989, Miami bounced back with two late season wins that helped them rise to the top.  Defeating top ranked Notre Dame in the regular season finale was followed by a championship clinching Sugar Bowl win over Alabama. After dominating the 1980s, Miami made a bid to continue the tradition with a national title in 1991.  Miami posted a perfect record after blanking Nebraska 22-0 in the Orange Bowl, but shared the national title with the undefeated Washington Huskies. Leading the championship charge initially was Howard Schnellenberger who took over the Canes in 1979.  After his national title, Schnellenberger stepped aside and Jimmy Johnson posted a final No. 1 ranking.  Once Johnson decided to lead the NFL’s Cowboys, Dennis Erickson posted two national championships before flying off with the NFL’s Seahawks.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                        POLLS
1983        11-1        Howard Schnellenberger        Unanimous
1987        12-0        Jimmy Johnson                         Unanimous
1989        11-1        Dennis Erickson                       Unanimous
1991        12-0        Dennis Erickson                        AP
2001        12-0        Larry Coker                                Unamimous
Michigan Wolverines
Thanks to Coach Fielding Yost’s “Point-a-minute offense, Michigan established themselves as the dominant team at the start of the 20th century.  The 1901 team went undefeated while outscoring the opposition 550-0.  The final win was a 49-0 smashing of Stanford in the inaugural Tournament of Roses football game. spread.  A 6-6 tie with Minnesota in 1903 was the only time Michigan was slowed.  Refusing to be slowed down, Michigan swamped their victims in 1902 by a 644-12 margin and then repeated the onslaught in 1903 by 565-6 Michigan’s dominance continued in 1904 as they overwhelmed opponents by a score of 567-22 while going undefeated.  When the season ended “The Victors” had claimed its fourth consecutive national title.  Yost’s magic continued to spell opponents for the next two decades as Michigan scored two more national titles under his direction. World War I and a nationwide flu epidemic caused Michigan’s 1918 season to be shortened to five games, but the Wolverines undefeated mark and a 96-6 scoring margin over opponents delivered the national crown.  Yost’s final championship team went undefeated in 1923 and smashed its victims by a 150-12 mark. Former Wolverine star Harry Kipke helped Michigan reach for national championship skies in the 1930s as the schools head coach.  Following an undefeated 1932 season, Michigan repeated the feat in 1933 and added to its championship resume. Although Coach Fritz Crisler guided Michigan to an undefeated season in 1947, the AP voted Notre Dame ahead of Michigan in its championship voting.  Not to be outdone, Michigan romped to another undefeated campaign in 1948 under the direction of Coach B. Oosterbaan and earned the AP’s national championship vote. Michigan won a national championship split with Nebraska when the Wolverines swept through their 1997 season with a 12-0 record.  The Wolverines rise to excellence caught many people off guard since Michigan had lost four games each season for the previous four years. With Lloyd Carr in his third season, Michigan defeated four top ten teams including a Ryan Leaf Washington State team in the Rose Bowl. Adding to the magic of the championship season was the selection of Michigan’s Charles Woodson as the 1997 Heisman Trophy winner.

YEAR        REC        COACH                           POLLS
1901        11-0        Fielding Yost                  Unanimous
1902        11-0        Fielding Yost                  Unanimous
1903        11-0-1     Fielding Yost                 NCF (co-champ)
1904        10-0        Fielding Yost                  NCF (co-champ)
1918        5-0          Fielding Yost                  NCF (co-champ)
1923        8-0          Fielding Yost                  NCF (co-champ)
1933        7-0-1       Harry Kipke                   Unanimous
1948        9-0          B. Oosterbaan               Unanimous
1997        12-0        Floyd Carr                       AP, FWAA, NFF
Michigan State Spartans
The arrival of Head Coach Clarence “Biggie” Munn in 1947 helped usher Spartan football to new levels.  By the 1950 season Michigan State had earned a No. 8 national  ranking with impressive wins over Notre Dame and Michigan.  An undefeated season in 1951 that resulted in a No. 2 national ranking, poised Coach Munn’s squad for a national championship drive. Spartan dreams came true in 1952 when Michigan State completed its second consecutive undefeated season.  On the road to glory, Munn’s team overwhelmed Michigan, Texas A&M, Syracuse, Penn State and Notre Dame to earn the nation’s top ranking.  Munn was named college football’s Coach of the Year and Michigan State went on to extend their winning streak to 28 games in the 1953 season. When Coach Munn stepped down after the 1953 season his moving of Duffy Daugherty into the head spot proved to be quite successful. Daughtery’s best success was in the mid 1960s when Michigan State posted two national championship claims while posting a 19-1-1 record through the 1964 and ’65 seasons.  The only loss during the two seasons was to UCLA in the 1966 Rose Bowl and the tie was the 1966 “Game of the Century” 10-10 tie with Notre Dame.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                        POLLS
1952        9-0           Clarence “Biggie” Munn        Unanimous
1965        10-1         Duffy Daugherty                      UPI, FWAA, NFF
1966        9-0-1        Duffy Daugherty                       NFF
Michigan State Football Gear and Spartans Football Jerseys
Minnesota Golden Gophers
While the so-called modern era of football hasn’t been enriched by Minnesota football championships, no one can deny the once overpowering force that reined from the boys in maroon and gold.  Despite not having won a Big-10 title since 1967, Minnesota has accounted for at least a share of 18 conference titles.  That’s quite an accomplishment considering the strong Big-10 traditions that have been forged by Michigan and Ohio State. National championships have been no stranger to Minnesota football.  The school has claims to six national titles (1934, 35, 36, 40, 41 and 60).  That level of achievement has been rarely matched. Head Coach Bernie Bierman led the charge to near dynasty levels in the 1930s.  Known as the “Silver Fox” or “The Grey Eagle” for his prematurely gray hair, Bierman directed his first national championship team in 1934.  That squad outscored its opponents by a 270-38 margin and extended the Golden Gophers undefeated streak to 16 games. The same level of domination continued throughout the 1935 season and into the fifth game of the 1936 campaign when Minnesota’s undefeated streak was halted at 28 games.  Despite the loss to the Wildcats, the Gophers gained a national championship claim for the third consecutive season. After Beirman suffered his first losing season in 1939, Minnesota bounced back to championship form with consecutive national titles.  Playing in cardiac fashion, the Gophers won five games by six points or less before claiming a national title in 1940.  The next season, Bierman’s Gophers rolled through their opponents while winning a national title and extending their undefeated streak to 17 games. Minnesota’s final national championship was claimed in 1960 when Coach Murray Warmath completed an incredible reclamation project.  Just one season after winning only two games, the Gophers posted an 8-1 regular season mark before losing to Washington in the Rose Bowl.

Year       REC        COACH                                         POLLS
1934         8-0        Bernie Bierman                        Unanimous
1935        8-0        Bernie Bierman                        Unanimous
1936         7-1        Bernie Bierman                        AP, HAF
1940         8-0        Bernie Bierman                        AP
1941        8-0        Bernie Bierman                        Unanimous
1960        8-2        Murray Warmath                       AP, NFF, UPI
Mississippi (Ole Miss) Rebels
Under the direction of head coach Johnny Vaught, the Rebels began what was then a national record 15 consecutive (1957-71) bowl appearances.  The Rebel yell was quite loud as Ole Miss laid claims to a national title in 1959, 1960 and 1962. Ole Miss’ 1959 team holds the distinction of being the third best team ever rated by Jeff Sagarin’s computer rankings from 1956-95.  The next highest SEC team is Alabama’s 1971 squad which ranked 18th. Had lightning not struck Ole Miss with Billy Cannon’s epic game winning touchdown punt return for LSU on Halloween night, then perhaps the Ole Miss 1959 team might have been the best ever.  The 7-3 loss to the Tigers was the only blemish on a 10-1 record that saw Ole Miss outscore their opponents 350-21. Although the Associated Press never selected the Rebels as national champs, six organizations selected Ole Miss number one following the 1960 season.  The Rebels outscored their opponents by 280-70 margin en route to posting a 10-0-1 record and an SEC championship. However, Ole Miss nemesis LSU again spoiled the Rebs shot at a perfect season by forcing a 6-6 tie at the Rebel’s homecoming.

Year          REC            COACH                                POLLS
1960        10-0-1        Johnny Vaught                        FWAA
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Nebraska Cornhuskers
Since 1970 Nebraska has powered its way to five national championships.  Computer ratings guru Jeff Sagarin has the 1995 and 1971 Nebraska teams ranked as his top two rated teams since 1956, the first year that his data includes. Nebraska’s first successful national title hunt began with a slight snag when No. 3 ranked USC forced a tie in the second game of the season. Despite blowing through the rest of their opposition, the Cornhuskers needed help and got it on New Year’s Day.  The top two ranked teams,         Texas and Ohio State both lost vaulting the Huskers to No. 1. Bob Devaney guided the Cornhuskers to perfection in 1973 as his squad outscored the opposition by an average 39 to 8 margin.  Nebraska’s only serious challenge was the late season Oklahoma game that still rates as one of the best ever.  A memorable first quarter 72-yard touchdown punt return helped ignite Nebraska to a thrilling 35-31 win.  The Huskers capped off their second straight national title by thrashing No. 2 ranked Alabama in the Orange Bowl. Nearly two and half decades slipped by before Nebraska returned to national championship glory, but the dominance mirrored the cornhuskers of the early 1970s.  After being a missed field goal away from a national title in 1993, Nebraska returned with avengence in 1995. Nebraska eclipsed the 40-point mark six times while rolling through a 12-0 regular season.  The Huskers erased the pain from their Orange Bowl loss to Florida State the year before with a come-from-behind victory over Miami one-year later. Nebraska’s win streak extended to 25 games in 1995 as Tom Osborne guided his squad to a repeat national championship.  With a healthy Tommie Frazier at quarterback for the whole season Nebraska was never seriously threatened.  Frazier set school career records in total offense (5,476 yards) and no team finished closer than 14 points.  Florida felt the brunt of the Husker attack in the Fiesta Bowl as the No. 2 Gators were swamped 62-24. Tom Osborne ended his coaching career in championship fashion as Nebraska split the 1997 national championship with Michigan.  The Huskers completed a 13-0 season thanks in part to a miracle last second touchdown pass that forced overtime against Missouri.  After surviving the scare, Nebraska gained momentum that culminated in a 42-17 thumping of Peyton Manning’s Tennessee Volunteers.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                     POLLS
1970        11-0-1     Bob Devaney                        AP, FWAA
1971        13-0        Bob Devaney                        Unanimous
1994        13-0        Tom Osborne                        Unanimous
1995        12-0        Tom Osborne                        Unanimous
1997        13-0        Tom Osborne                        USA/ESPN
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame played its first football game in an 1887 contest against Michigan and hasn’t looked back since.  The Fighting Irish have laid claim to an unprecedented 11 national championships under the direction of legendary coaching figures such as Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz. Famed sportswriter Grantland Rice, helped usher in the legendary status of Notre Dame’s first national championship team in 1924.  Writing for the New York Herald, Rice wrote about the dominating Four Horsemen backfield that led the Fighting Irish’s 13-7 victory over a powerful Army squad. “Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, The Four Horsemen rode again.” “In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death.  These are only aliases.  Their real names are Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden.  They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down on the bewildering panorama spread out on the green plain below.” Led by the Seven Mules who did the blocking, the Four Horsemen backfield continued to roll as Notre Dame gained its first recognized national championship in 1924.  The season concluded with a 27-10 Rose Bowl win over a Stanford team that featured two legendary figures, Coach Pop Warner and Ernie Nevers.  Because of a self-imposed bowl ban this bowl trip would be the last one taken by the Irish until 1970. Notre Dame overcame great adversity in 1929 to claim its second national championship.  Because their stadium was being built, the Fighting Irish played no home games and Knute Rockne coached the team despite there being a 50-50 chance that phlebitis would take his life. Whether it was from a phone in a hospital bed or while sitting in a wheelchair on the sidelines, Rockne coached his squad through a series of dramatic victories and a national title. While playing in new Notre Dame Stadium, the Irish won their second straight national title in 1930 after cruising to a 10-0 record.  Under the direction of Rockne, Notre Dame had pushed their winning streak to 19 games by season’s end.  However, the Irish lost their Rock the following winter when the legendary figure died in a plane crash. A successful transition to the T-formation offense helped Frank Leahy’s 1943 squad claim a national title.  The task was difficult since Notre Dame returned only two starters from the year before and had seven teams scheduled from the previous season’s top 13 rankings.  The Irish outscored opponents 340-69 and won a national title despite losing to Great Lakes in the season finale. Notre Dame established themselves as the team of the decade by winning three more national championships in the 1940s.  A scoreless tie with a dominating Army team was the only red mark on Notre Dame’s 1946 squad that outscored opponents by a 271-24 margin.  The Fighting Irish were even more dominating the next season, as Johnny Lujack’s Heisman winning performance helped propel the Golden Domes to an undefeated season and the 1947 national title. Frank Leahy’s squad added an exclamation point to the 1940s being the decade of the Irish when they won their fourth national title in 10 years.  On their way to an undefeated  1949 season, Notre Dame rode the coattails of Heisman winner Leon Hart.  By the time Notre Dame upended SMU at the end of the 1949 campaign, the Irish had a 38 game unbeaten streak that dated back to 1946. The Ara Parseghian era began in fine fashion when Notre Dame’s new coach led the school to a national championship claim in 1964. Parseghian’s first campaign also produced Heisman winner John Huarte as the Irish went 9-1 after losing to USC in the season finale. Notre Dame was near perfection in 1966 when they outscored their opponents 362-38 while tossing six shutouts.  A late season contest featuring the top ranked Irish against No. 2 Michigan State was fought to a 10-10 tie and hailed by many as the “Game of the Century.” Ara’s final national title was gained in 1973 when the Irish swept through all 12 opponents before beating Alabama in a classic Sugar Bowl. The game pitted the No. 3 ranked Irish against the nation’s top ranked team led by Bear Bryant.  The lead changed six times before Notre Dame sealed a 24-23 victory in the fourth quarter. The Fighting Irish got a Divine performance in 1977 when they earned their second national title of the 1970s.  Dan Devine’s squad had to overcame a loss to Ole Miss in the second game of the season.  A 49-19 whipping of fifth ranked USC in mid season followed by an upset win over top ranked Texas boosted the Irish. Notre Dame’s final national championship team was led by Lou Holtz in 1988.  Holtz’s squad benefited from the luck of the Irish as they narrowly beat Michigan 19-17 in the season opener and Miami 31-30 midway through the season.  A 34-21 whipping of West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl sealed a unanimous title selection.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                     POLLS
1924         10-0        Knute Rockne                                Unanimous
1929        9-0           Knute Rockne                                Unanimous
1930        10-0         Knute Rockne                                HAF, NCF
1943         9-1          Frank Leahy                                    Unanimous
1946         8-0-1       Frank Leahy                                    AP
1947         9-0          Frank Leahy                                    Unanimous
1949         10-0        Frank Leahy                                    Unanimous
1964        9-1           Ara Parseghian                               NFF
1966        9-0-1        Ara Parseghian                              AP, UPI, FWAA, NFF
1973        11-0         Ara Parseghian                              AP, UPI, FWAA, NFF
1977        11-1         Dan Devine                                     Unanimous
1988        12-0         Lou Holtz                                       Unanimous
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Gear
Ohio State Buckeyes
Forget all the talk about Ohio State not being able to win the big game and losing its national title hopes.  OSU’s proud tradition can stand toe to toe with college football’s elite powers. Since the Buckeyes first took the field in 1890, the school has earned seven national championships.  Five of those were under the direction of The United States had just entered World War II when OSU battled its way to its first national championship claim.  Before Paul Brown would greatly impact the development of the NFL, his Buckeyes earned a 9-1 record with only a loss to Wisconsin. Woody Hayes directed his first national title in 1954 when his Buckeye squad outscored the opposition by a 249-75 margin while going undefeated.  The championship season that featured future Heisman winner Howard “Hopalong” Cassady, marked the first time that an OSU team had won 10 games. Despite being stunned by TCU in the 1957 season opener, OSU gained its second national title of the decade.  The Buckeyes recovered quickly from the loss and posted a 9-1 record. Again, TCU caused OSU to take a slight detour on their way to a national championship claim in 1961.  The 7-7 tie in the season opener was the only blemish for the Buckeyes who finished No. 2 behind Alabama in the AP and UPI polls.  TCU was the only team that was within one touchdown of the Buckeyes. Woody Hayes’ only unanimous national title was earned in 1968 when his Buckeyes rolled to an undefeated season that culminated with a Rose Bowl win over No. 2 ranked USC. Season highlights included a 13-0 shutout of top ranked Purdue and a regular season ending 50-14 blowout of Michigan. OSU’s next national championship claim was staked in 1970 when the Buckeyes swept through the regular season undefeated before losing to Jim Plunkett led Stanford in the Rose Bowl.  Despite only the Football Writers declaring OSU No. 1, the season was a great final chapter for the senior class.  Led by All-Americans such as John Brockington and Jack Tatum, the group had won 27 of 29 games in three years while netting three Big 10 titles and two national titles. While the Buckeyes continued having success after the departure of Woody Hayes, Ohio State fans quest for another national title was not achieved for another three decades.  It was not until the arrival of coach Jim Tressel that the Buckeyes would regain national championship form with an undefeated 2002 season that concluded with a stunning upset of Miami in the BCS Title game.

Year      RECORD        COACH                                POLLS
 
1942         9-1          Paul Brown                                AP
1954        10-0        Woody Hayes                             AP
1957         9-1         Woody Hayes                            UPI, FWAA
1961         8-0-1      Woody Hayes                            FWAA
1968         10-0        Woody Hayes                           Unanimous
1970         9-1          Woody Hayes                            NFF
2002        14-0         Jim Tressel                               BCS
Oklahoma Sooners
Owen.  Oklahoma’s Memorial Stadium’s Owen Field is named after the coach that posted four undefeated seasons and 122 wins. Moderate success for the next two decades followed Owens’ departure until Bud Wilkinson  took hold of the Sooner reins in 1947.  With three national championships and an NCAA record-winning streak, Wilkinson’s Oklahoma teams reached dominance that compared to the New York Yankees and Boston Celtic dynasties. When Oklahoma’s 1950 season began, the Sooners had already established a 21 game winning streak.  The momentum continued through the regular season as Oklahoma extended the streak to 31 games.  With a national title already in hand, Bear Bryant’s Kentucky Wildcats upset the Sooners 13-7 in the Sugar Bowl. as they went 21-0 over the next two seasons while capturing consecutive national championships.  The two campaigns saw Oklahoma eclipse the 40-point mark 12 times while blanking 11 opponents.   Oklahoma would extend their winning streak to 47 games before Notre Dame broke the streak late in the 1957 season. Another national championship trifecta was accomplished when Barry Switzer became Oklahoma’s head coach in 1973.  The Sooners ran the wishbone offense to perfection while Switzer’s players gained the national spotlight both on and off the field. The trend of establishing a long winning streak to set up a national title run continued in 1974 as the Sooner began the campaign with an 18- game non losing streak.  Oklahoma averaged 43 points a game while reaching national championship heights with an undefeated season. Switzer’s team pushed their non-losing streak to 30 games until a 1975 late season loss to Kansas ended it.  However, an 11-1 record that included an Orange Bowl win over Michigan, brought another national title to the Sooners. Oklahoma earned national championship glory a decade later  when Barry Switzer led the Sooners to an 11-1 record in 1985.  A loss to an emerging Miami team had caused the Sooners to briefly stumble, but an Orange Bowl win over Penn State lifted the Sooners to the national championship. After an extended disappearance off the radar screen tracking elite college programs, Oklahoma reemerged in 2000 with the nation’s only undefeated team.  The Sooners capped their remarkable comeback season with a 13-2 victory over heavily favored Florida State. OU nearly handed FSU its first shutout in 12 seasons as Bob Stoops squad harassed Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Chris Weinke throughout the evening in the Orange Bowl.  FSU’s only score was the result of a botched OU snap to the punter with 55 seconds left in the game.  Besides championship glory, the victory also netted added satisfaction for Sooner quarterback Josh Heupel, who had finished second in the Heisman voting behind Weinke. The seeds were planted for OU’s return to national prominence in 1999 when Stoops took the school’s coaching reins after successful defensive coaching stints at Kansas State and Florida.  Although the Sooners had stumbled to a 12-22 record the three previous years, Stoops quickly returned the thump to “Boomer Sooner” as OU went bowling in 1999. As the 2000 season dawned, the Sooners returned quarterback Josh Heupel and posted a No. 19 national ranking. After easing through September, the next month’s schedule was anything but an Octoberfest with No. 11 Texas, No. 2 Kansas State and No. 1 Nebraska lying in wait.  However, OU’s Boomer Schooner plowed straight to the top of the BCS standings after dismantling the Longhorns 63- 14, whipping the Wildcats on the road 31-14 and shucking the Cornhuskers 31-14.

YEAR      REC          COACH                                  POLLS
1950        10-1        Bud Wilkinson                   Unanimous
1955        11-0        Bud Wilkinson                    Unanimous
1956        10-0        Bud Wilkinson                    Unanimous
1974        11-0        Barry Switzer                       AP
1975        11-1        Barry Switzer                       Unanimous
1985        11-1        Barry Switzer                       Unanimous
2000        13-0        Bob Stoops                         BCS-Unanimous
Penn State Nittany Lions
undefeated through the 1911 and 1912 seasons and claimed consecutive national championship claims. Penn State football entered a new era in 1966 when Joe Paterno became the school’s new head football coach.  With his guidance that has continued for decades, the Nittany Lions quickly jumped to excellence when the 1968 squad went undefeated while earning the AP’s No. 2 ranking.  Despite undefeated campaigns following in 1969 and ’73, Penn State wouldn’t achieve national championship status until Ronald Reagen had moved into the White House. Joe Paterno achieved his first national championship season in 1982 when the Nittany Lions overcame a mid-season loss to Alabama to win their last seven games.  Featuring future NFL great Curt Warner at tailback and Davey O’Brien Trophy winning quarterback Todd Blackledge, Penn State defeated Georgia 27-23 in the Sugar Bowl to cap their championship season. After just falling short in a national championship bid the previous season, Penn State rolled through the 1986 season unscratched despite close calls against Cincinnati, Maryland and Notre Dame.  Penn State matched up against the No.1 ranked Miami Hurricanes in a classic Fiesta Bowl game.  Paterno’s squad defeated college football’s bad boys 14-10 and gained a unanimous national title.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                POLLS
1911        8-0-1        Bill Hollenback                 NCF (co-champs)
1912        8-0            Bill Hollenback                 NFC (co-champs)
1982        11-1         Joe Paterno                       Uanimous
1986        12-0         Joe Paterno                       Unanim
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Pittsburgh Panthers
The Panthers established themselves as an Eastern power early in the 20th century when Joseph Thompson’s squad earned a share of the national title by going undefeated and outscoring their opponents 282-0. The legendary Pop Warner’s arrival in 1915 helped Pittsburgh add more championships as pushed the Panthers to the top in 1916 and 1918 while compiling a 59-12-4 record in nine seasons.  During their height of domination, Warner’s squads posted a 26-0 record over the (1915-17) seasons. After starring as an All-America Guard while playing for Pop Warner, Jock Sutherland returned to his alma mater when Warner headed for Stanford.  Sutherland didn’t miss a beat as he guided Pittsburgh to a 111-20-12 record in 15 seasons.  Besides leading the Panthers to four Rose Bowls, Thompson led his 1937 squad to a national title after shutting out six opponents. Pitt struck championship gold again in 1976 when Johnny Major’s final Panther squad clawed their way to an undefeated season on the heels of Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                POLLS
1910        9-0        Joseph Thompson              NCF (co-champ)
1916        8-0        Pop Warner                           Unanimous
1918        4-0        Pop Warner                           HAF, NCF (co-champ)
1937        9-0-1    Jock Sutherland                     AP
1976        12-0     Johnny Majors                        Unanimous
Stanford Cardinal
The legendary Pop Warner spent nine of his coaching seasons at Stanford, but his only undefeated team was his 1926 squad that shutout its first three opponents before finishing with a 10-0-1 record. Surprisingly, Stanford’s best season took place one year after Ernie Nevers had wrapped up his collegiate career.  Nevers had been one of Warner’s greatest stars and was later named the greatest college football player of all time by Sports Illustrated in 1962. While sweeping all of their regular season opponents in 1926, Stanford did have the services of All-American Ted Shipkey.  Despite the end’ s efforts on both sides of the ball that included catching five passes and recovering two fumbles, Alabama tied Stanford 7-7 in the Rose Bowl.

YEAR        REC           COACH                                POLLS
1926        10-0-1        Pop Warner                         HAF
Syracuse Orangemen
Although Syracuse has only one national championship claim, their 1959 effort was dominating enough to gain unanimous approval. Coach “Ben” Schwartzwalder’s squad outscored their regular season opponents by a 390-59 margin en route to a 10-0 record. Led by future Heisman winning running back Ernie Davis, the Orangemen further emphasised their No. 1 ranking with a 23-14 Cotton Bowl victory over Texas.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                  POLLS
1959        11-0        “Ben” Schwartzwalder        Unanimous
Tennessee Volunteers
History books point out that military officials such as Andrew Jackson have had strong ties to the Volunteer state, but another General named Bob Neyland, also directed his group of Volunteers to many conquests on the battlefield.  General Bob first led his troops into action in the mid 1920s and before the football commander retired from the sidelines, UT had achieved many conference championships, national rankings, bowl game appearances and a consensus 1951 national championship. Neyland’s Volunteers strung together a 10-0 regular season in 1951that included five shutouts.  With many of the polls rewarding national championships before the bowl games being played, Tennessee’s loss to Maryland in the Sugar Bowl was minimized. Despite having the talents of All-American quarterback Peyton Manning for the previous four seasons, Tennessee won its second national Jamal Lewis after he suffered a season ending knee injury. The Vols got a great boost when they nixed the Florida Gator jinx with a tearing the goal posts down victory in Knoxville.  By the time Arkansas fumbled away a win against Tennessee near the end of the season, it seemed that a national title was destined for Rocky Top. The Vols improbable magical season concluded with a 23-16 win over Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                         POLLS
1951        10-1        Bob Neyland                                AP, UPI
1998        13-0        Phil Fulmer                                BCS-Unanimous
Tennessee Volunteers Football Gear
Texas Longhorns
Ever since the University of Texas first played football in 1893 the eyes of Texas and the nation have been upon them.  The program has long been one of the nation’s elite with its claim to three national championships and 26 conference crowns.  UT has won honors with its fourth place ranking in all-time bowl appearances and total victories. When Darrel Royal arrived in Austin to take over the Longhorn program in 1957 the new coach quickly resurrected a program that was on hard times.  With one-loss seasons in 1961 and ’62, the Longhorns were grazing near a national championship that would soon be within reach. Texas quickly jumped to the No. 2 spot with a pair of decisive wins, but it was a 28-7 whipping of the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners that put the national title drive in motion.  The Longhorns survived a late season comeback bid against Baylor and overcame a 10 point fourth quarter deficit against the Aggies to secure their top ranking. Going into the Cotton Bowl against Navy, Texas had already secured the AP’s top ranking, but hoped to secure a unanimous crown.  The Longhorns faced a tough opponent that featured Heisman Trophy winnning quarterback Roger Staubach, but Texas dodged the scrambling quarterback and won 28-6. While resting on his laurels may have seemed appropriate after 12 successful years with the Longhorns, Royal’s initiative in 1968 took UT to near dynasty status.  The former All-American Oklahoma quarterback implemented the Wishbone offense with such precision that the Longhorns rushed through a 30-game win streak, national championships in 1969 and 1970 and six consecutive SWC titles. The 1969 team launched quite an offensive by scoring 45 points or more six times en route to an 11-0 record.  As a part of the century of college football celebration, ABC television executive Beano Cook had arranged the Texas Arkansas game to be moved from its usual October date to the first weekend in December.  The move proved to be quite prophetic when the game featured the nation’s top two ranked teams. With President Nixon in attendance, the Longhorn’s comeback win from a 14-0 deficit still ranks as one of the top “games of the century.” Quarterback James Street threw a late fourth quarter touchdown and then the Longhorns snagged a late interception to win 15-14. Texas locked in another unanimous national title when they beat Notre Dame 21-17 in the Cotton Bowl.  Added interest surrounded the ninth ranked Irish, because Notre Dame had just finished their 44-year self-imposed ban on bowl games. The Longhorns’ wishbone offense continued to break opponents in 1970 as they topped the 40-point barrier seven times.  Despite roaring through the regular season with a 10-0 record, a loss to Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl not only cost Texas a unanimous national title, but ended their 30-game win streak as well. Always known as a great recruiter during coaching stints at Tulane and North Carolina, head coach Mack Brown delivered more that blue- chip recruits for the Longhorns.  Under the direction of quarterback Vince Young, Texas swept through the season undefeated before upsetting USC in a classic BCS Championship Game.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                  POLLS
1963        11-0        Darrel Royal                        Unanimous
1969        11-0        Darrel Royal                        Unanimous
1970        10-1        Darrel Royal                        AP, FWAA
2005        13-0        Mack Brown                         BCS
Texas A&M Aggies
Aggie football soared to new levels when Coach D.X. Bible arrived in College Station in 1919.  Bible delivered his first of four Southwest Conference titles and gained national championship recognition from the National Championship Foundation. Texas A&M’s 1919 squad shutout all 10 opponents and outscored them by a 275-0 margin.  Behind the talents of All-American fullback John Kimbrough and the coaching of Homer Norton, A&M won a national championship in 1939 with a perfect 11-0 record.  The Aggies rolled over their victims by a 212-31 margin that included a 14-13 win over Tulane in the Sugar Bowl.

YEAR        REC        COACH                            POLLS
1919        10-0        D.X. Bible                        NCF (co-champ)
1939        11-0        Homer Norton                Unanimous
Texas A&M  Aggies Football Gear
TCU Horned Frogs
Dutchman era lasted for 19 years and produced   great individual players such as Sammy Baugh and Davey O’Brien while lifting the The seeds for TCU’s 1938 unanimous national championship were planted when the Dutch Meyer coaching era began in 1934.  The Horned Frogs to the top level of the Southwest Conference. TCU’s national championship coincided with O’Brien’s Heisman Trophy winning season in 1938.  The Horned Frogs leaped to 11 consecutive wins that included a 15-7 victory over Carnegie Tech in the Sugar Bowl.  While outscoring their opponents by a 269-60 margin, TCU never trailed an opponent except for one brief moment in the Sugar Bowl.

YEAR        REC        COACH                        POLLS
1938        11-0        Dutch Meyer               Unanimous
UCLA Bruins
UCLA’s first football efforts weren’t gold medal performances, considering that they suffered through six straight losing seasons after fielding their first team in 1919.  Once William Spaulding arrived in 1925, UCLA began to forge a winning tradition that was further developed when Edwin Horrell led the Bruins to the Rose Bowl following the 1942 season. Under the guidance of coach Red Sanders, Bruin football rose to national prominence in 1954 when the school earned its first undefeated season and a share of the national championship.  Season highlights included a 12-7 win over the previous season’s national champion Maryland Terrapins, a 73-0 thumping of Stanford that included intercepting John Brodie eight times and a 34-0 blanking of USC.  The Bruins led the nation in scoring offense (40.8 average) and scoring defense (4.4 average).  UCLA won the UPI poll, but the AP selected Ohio State.

YEAR        REC        COACH                        POLLS
1954        9-0        Red Sanders                 UPI, FWAA
USC Trojans
Few if any college football programs can claim the great tradition and success achieved by USC.   The men of Troy played for the first time in 1888 and since then have made numerous Rose Bowl appearances after dominating PAC 10 play.  The Trojan’s success has extended far beyond the West coast with USC being credited by major voting groups with winning seven national championships. Howard Jones was the head coach for the first two championship squads in 1931, and 1932.  Colorful head coach  John McKay helped deliver the nation’s top honor in 1962, 1967, 1972 and 1974 while John Robinson directed the school’s final championship in 1978. USC’s first national championship squad made quite an impression in 1931 when they ended Notre Dame’s 26 game winning streak in front of the first capacity crowd at Notre Dame Stadium.  After suffering a season opening loss to St. Mary’s, USC finished with a 10-1 record after defeating Tulane in the Rose Bowl. When it came to repeating as national champs, Coach Jones’ team got defensive in 1932.  USC outscored their opponents 201-13 en route to a 10-0 record and a Rose Bowl victory over Pittsburgh. Coach John McKay returned national championship glory to USC after a 30- year absence when his 1962 force went undefeated with an 11-0 record.  With the Trojan’s smash mouth running style of “Student body left and right” well on its way to being established, USC ran over its victims by a 261-92 margin  that included a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Despite a late season 3-0 loss to Oregon State in 1967, USC captured another national championship in 1967.  The Trojans bounced back with a regular season win over UCLA and a Rose Bowl win over Indiana. An offensive explosion that witnessed USC eclipse the 40-point mark seven times helped the Trojans strike championship gold in 1972. USC posted a 12-0 mark including a 42-17 Rose Bowl win over Ohio State. USC’s 1974 team overcame adversity in a week one thumping by Arkansas and then used a classic regular season ending comeback against Notre Dame to gain another national championship claim.  Mckay’s Trojans trailed the Fighting Irish 24-0 late in the second quarter before storming back to win 55-24.  USC matched up against Ohio State for the third straight season and won 18-17. John Robinson coached USC’s third national championship team of the 1970s in 1978.  Ironically, one of USC’s victories was a 24-14 road win over Alabama, the team that AP voters picked as national champions at the end of the season.  The Trojans had slipped in the polls after losing two weeks later after losing to Arizona State, but a 12-1 record that included defeating Michigan in the Rose Bowl was enough to impress the UPI. After years of sub-standard Trojan football Pete Carroll took the reins.  Carroll not only produced Heisman Trophy winners (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush), but the powerful Trojans added national championships in 2003 and 2004.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                 POLLS
1931        10-1        Howard Jones                   Unanimous
1932        10-0        Howard Jones                   Unanimous
1962        11-0        John McKay                        Unanimous
1967        10-1        John McKay                        Unanimous
1972        12-0        John McKay                        Unanimous
1974        10-1-1     John McKay                       UPI, FWAA, NFF
1978        12-1        John Robinson                 UPI
2003        12-1        Pete Carroll                        AP (LSU won BCS)
2004        13-0        Pete Carroll                        BCS
Washington Huskies National Championship Seasons
The tone for Washington’s great football success through the years was set by Gil Dobie’s impressive streak that began in the late without losing a game at Washington.  Only four ties blemished a perfect record (1908-1916) that saw his teams roll over their opponents by a crushing score of 1,930 to 118. Dobie isn’t the only head coach that has greatly impacted the university that first teed the football up in 1889.  A total of five coaches have taken the Huskies to the highly coveted Rose Bowl, including Jim Owens (3 times) and Don James (6 times).  The two coaches served back to back 18-year stints at the head position, providing a great period of stabilizing growth for the Husky program.  When the James era ended following the 1992 season, the successful coach had helped the school earn a share of the 1991 national championship. James’ championship squad scorched opponents by scoring 40 or more points seven times including four times that they eclipsed 50. Nebraska, California and Michigan in the Rose Bowl were three ranked teams that fell to the Huskies.  Only the AP’s selection of Miami as their national champion kept Washington from gaining a unanimous crown.

YEAR        REC        COACH                                        POLLS
1991        12-0        Don James                        UPI, USA/CNN, FWAA
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