American Football NCAA (College Football) Division I-A Year 2009 2008 Louisiana State Georgia -- Southern Cal 2007 Florida Ohio State Louisiana State 2006 Texas Southern Cal Penn State 2005 Southern Cal Auburn Oklahoma 2004 Louisiana State -- Oklahoma Southern Cal 2003 Ohio State Miami (FL) Georgia 2002 Miami (FL) Oregon Florida 2001 Oklahoma Miami (FL) Washington 2000 Florida State Nebraska -- Virginia Tech 1999 Tennessee Ohio State Florida State 1998 Michigan -- Florida State Nebraska 1997 Florida Ohio State Florida State 1996 Nebraska Florida -- Tennessee 1995 Nebraska Penn State Colorado 1994 Florida State Notre Dame Nebraska 1993 Alabama Florida State Miami (FL) 1992 Miami (FL) -- Penn State Washington 1991 Colorado -- Miami (FL) Georgia Tech 1990 Miami (FL) Florida State -- Notre Dame 1989 Notre Dame Miami (FL) Florida State 1988 Miami (FL) Florida State Oklahoma 1987 Penn State Miami (FL) Oklahoma 1986 Oklahoma Michigan Penn State 1985 Brigham Young Washington Florida Nebraska 1984 Miami (FL) Nebraska Auburn 1983 Penn State Southern Methodist Nebraska 1982 Clemson Pittsburgh -- Texas 1981 Georgia Pittsburgh Oklahoma 1980 Alabama Southern Cal Oklahoma 1979 Alabama -- Oklahoma Southern Cal 1978 Notre Dame Alabama Arkansas 1977 Pittsburgh Southern Cal Michigan 1976 Oklahoma Arizona State Alabama 1975 Oklahoma -- Alabama Southern Cal 1974 Alabama -- Ohio State Notre Dame Oklahoma 1973 Southern Cal Oklahoma Ohio State Texas 1972 Nebraska Alabama -- Oklahoma 1971 Nebraska -- Notre Dame Texas Ohio State 1970 Texas Penn State Arkansas Southern Cal 1969 Ohio State Penn State -- Southern Cal 1968 Southern Cal Tennessee Oklahoma 1967 Notre Dame Michigan State Alabama 1966 Alabama -- Arkansas Michigan State 1965 Alabama Arkansas Notre Dame 1964 Texas Navy Illinois Pittsburgh 1963 Southern Cal Wisconsin Mississippi 1962 Alabama -- Louisiana State Ohio State Texas 1961 Minnesota -- Iowa Mississippi 1960 Syracuse Mississippi Louisiana State 1959 Iowa -- Army Louisiana State 1958 Auburn -- Michigan State Ohio State 1957 Oklahoma Tennessee Iowa 1956 Oklahoma Michigan State Maryland 1955 Cal-Los Angeles -- Oklahoma Ohio State 1954 Maryland Notre Dame Michigan State 1953 Georgia Tech -- Notre Dame Michigan State 1952 Tennessee Michigan State Illinois Maryland 1951 Oklahoma Army -- Texas 1950 Notre Dame -- Oklahoma 1949 Michigan 1948 Michigan -- Notre Dame 1947 Army -- Notre Dame 1946 Alabama -- Army 1945 Army -- Ohio State 1944 Notre Dame 1943 Ohio State -- Wisconsin 1942 Minnesota 1941 Minnesota -- Stanford 1940 Texas A&M 1939 Tennessee -- Texas Christian 1938 California -- Pittsburgh 1937 Minnesota -- Pittsburgh 1936 Minnesota 1935 Minnesota 1934 Michigan 1933 Southern Cal 1932 Southern Cal 1931 Alabama -- Notre Dame 1930 Notre Dame 1929 Georgia Tech 1928 Illinois -- Yale 1927 Alabama -- Stanford 1926 Alabama 1925 Notre Dame 1924 Illinois 1923 Cornell 1922 Cornell 1921 California 1920 Harvard 1919 Pittsburgh 1918 Georgia Tech 1917 Pittsburgh 1916 Cornell 1915 Army 1914 Harvard 1913 Harvard 1912 Princeton 1911 Harvard 1910 Yale 1909 Pennsylvania 1908 Yale 1907 Princeton 1906 Chicago 1905 Pennsylvania 1904 Princeton 1903 Michigan 1902 Michigan 1901 Yale 1900 Harvard 1899 Harvard 1898 Pennsylvania 1897 Princeton 1896 Pennsylvania 1895 Yale 1894 Princeton 1893 Yale 1892 Yale 1891 Harvard 1890 Princeton 1889 Yale 1888 Yale 1887 Yale 1886 Princeton 1885 Yale 1884 Yale 1883 Yale 1882 Yale 1881 Princeton -- Yale 1880 Princeton 1879 Princeton 1878 Yale 1877 Yale 1876 Harvard 1875 Yale 1874 Princeton 1873 Princeton 1871 Princeton 1870 Princeton Notes: Championship awarded on polls: Main Polls: Associated Press 1936-, Coaches' Poll: 1950- Prior to 1950 the following selectors are (also) used: the National Championship Foundation, the Helms Athletic Foundation, and the College Football Researchers Association Since 1998 a national championship game is set up by the Bowl Championship Series