Programs with the Most National Titles in College Football

[OUInformant]

This is my official count, despite what fans of each school say.

1. Alabama - 9
2. Notre Dame - 8
3. Oklahoma - 7
4. USC - 7
5. Ohio State, Miami (Fla), Nebraska - 5

We really need to win another one. We're falling behind Bammer.

[fwsooner22]

What ? No way ? ** has at least 10 don't they ?

Oh wait....they don't even have 7 Big 12 championships.

We are **. We are **.

[Jacie]

They said 14 this morning on Good Morning America . . .

[sooneredaco]

I thought Bammer had like 20 sumthin

[Jacie]

And on ESPN this morning, talking about how Nick Saban is now on the list of coaches with three national championships, ". . . he joins Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer, Woody Hayes, oh and Darrel Royal."

Darrel Royal has three now?

[Jake VanDorn]

http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/champions_national.html

[Jake VanDorn]

And on ESPN this morning, talking about how Nick Saban is now on the list of coaches with three national championships, ". . . he joins Bud Wilkinson, Barry Switzer, Woody Hayes, oh and Darrel Royal."

Darrel Royal has three now?

63, 69, 70

[Jake VanDorn]

This is my official count, despite what fans of each school say.

1. Alabama - 9
2. Notre Dame - 8
3. Oklahoma - 7
4. USC - 7
5. Ohio State, Miami (Fla), Nebraska - 5

We really need to win another one. We're falling behind Bammer.

USC 7 - 2004 (vacated by the BCS) = 6

[kevpks]

USC 7 - 2004 (vacated by the BCS) = 6

How did the BCS vacate a game that never happened? I have no memory of a national title game in 2004.

[thecrimsoncrusader]

I'm keeping Alabama at 8. That match-up last night is not the system I voted for. I voted for the system that pitted the most accomplished teams when factoring in both wins and losses and the overall body of work.

[rekamrettuB]

How did the BCS vacate a game that never happened? I have no memory of a national title game in 2004.

Ya I was drunk too.

[jkjsooner]

They said 14 this morning on Good Morning America . . .

The media has always been inconsistent. When Alabama is the focus of attention they'll use the inflated number. When Alabama isn't the focus of attention they'll use the more generally accepted numbers.

Unfortunately, Bama fans don't understand the distinction. They can always point to these news stories to justify their claims. The fact that these claims are almost never substantiated by the same media outlets when discussing national titles in more general terms is lost on them.


If we wanted to claim all those undefeated seasons as national titles and put them as national titles in our media guide, when we won the title the media would be quick to proclaim us as 15 time national champion or whatever. You'd never see it mentioned in any other circumstance though.

[soonerboy_odanorth]

They said 14 this morning on Good Morning America . . .

Alabama now claims 14. A couple of which, as I heard it, were claimed based from being awarded them by decidedly Southern publications (or multiple). Which frankly, I kind of understand, especially given how much we still bee-hatch today about left and right coast bias. Though I don't know for certain that was the basis on those couple of claims.

The 14 years Bama recognizes: 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, and 2011.

The NCAA, however, recognizes 12, some of which differ from what Alabama claims, and some of which agree with Bama, but come from way back in the day (20s, 30s) using a couple of think tank foundations that assembled a "consensus" national champion by recognizing individual publications such as Harper's Weekly. No I'm not making that up. Here're Bama's NCs and awarding media source/publication according to the NCAA:

http://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fbs

2011 Alabama - BCS
2009 Alabama - BCS
1992 Alabama - AP, FWAA (Football Writers Assoc of Amer.), NFF (National Football Foundtn.), USA/CNN, UPI
1979 Alabama - AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1978 Alabama (split w/ USC) - AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1973 Alabama (split w/ Notre Dame) - AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1965 Alabama (split w/ Michigan State) - AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1964 Alabama (split w/ Arkansas and Notre Dame) - AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1961 Alabama (split w/ Ohio State) - AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI
1930 Alabama (split w/ Notre Dame) - CFRA (College Football Researches Association), HAF (Helms Athletic Foundation), NCF (National Championship Foundation)
1926 Alabama (split w/ Stanford) - CFRA, HAF, NCF
1925 Alabama - CFRA, HAF, NCF

Confused yet? Wait for it....

There's more.

I get it if there are 2 additional NC's that Bama claims apart from the NCAA as a matter of their all-important Southern pride. (Kind of... I mean, we all are irritated by the NCAA around here, but we're all supposed to be playing the same game, so I wish Bama would just pinch their noses and "roll" with it.) But the fact is, the NCAA recognizes a 1964 NC for Bama that Bama does not. Again, not making this up, and I've never heard why. (Maybe Sabanball can clear that up.) Bama then claims 1934, 1941, and 1966, which the NCAA does not recognize.

There are 11 that Bama and the NCAA agree on: 1925, 1926, 1930, 1961, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, and 2011.

I'd be perfectly fine if they just got in line with the NCAA and used the NCAA's 12 and called it a day. Seems legit to me. It's the whole difference on 4 separate years that conversely chaffes my hide a little.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

BTW, if you are looking for some help for us to claim another couple... don't bother. Apparently the Billingsly Report retroactively awarded us 1915 (Bennie Owen's 10-0 undefeated squad). But the NCAA does not recognize this. Frankly, I think we should be thankful the NCAA does recognize 1974, when the coaches/UPI did not recognize us because we were on probation. If it is any consolation, only 1 of our 7 NCs is split (14%). 7 of Bama's 12 NCAA-recognized NCs are split (58%.) That number doesn't effectively change in consideration of the ones they claim that the NCAA does not recognize (in which case it would be 9 of 14 that are split).

So OU = 6 consensus NCs
Bama = 5

OU>Bama :)

[trey]

USC 7 - 2004 (vacated by the BCS) = 6

they still have the AP from 2004

[SoonerNomad]

Whatever the count, they have been damn good for a long time. And with Coach Saban, they will continue to be a contender in the coming years. Maybe we can get through a season and play them for the title. That would be nice.

[Boomer.....]

Who Embellishes Their National Championship Claims and Who Does Not

Faithful readers of fanblogs will notice that a lot of what this article contains has been stated by me in the past. That's because I thought it as being so well-written that I could regurgitate it once again in order to preempt any more uniform threads from popping up like weeds in the parched earth here at fanblogs during the dry season.

The bee in my bonnet about national championships came last spring when Washington tried to slip one through the back door 47 years after the fact. Since then, I've quit wearing bonnets and have educated myself on the history of the national championship. I now feel qualified to be the final arbiter of which teams' national championship claims are legit, and which are as bogus as a Jeff Spicoli quip.

Here are the qualifications that I will use:

1) Only current Divison 1-A (FBS) teams with three or more MNCs will be considered.

2) Only AP championships (1934, 1936-present) UP championships (1935, 1950-1957) UPI championships (1958-1995) USA Today/ESPN championships (1997-present) and BCS championships (1998-present) are counted. However, prior to 1950, before the AP and UP polls ran concurrently, I will accept a preponderance of the other selectors. In other words, if your team claims MNCs from selectors not listed here, they are illegitimate. If none of this makes sense, just read on and complain about it later.

3) No back-dated titles will be considered. Using the definitions in (2) above, that means no MNCs before 1934. If you still don't know what a back-dated title is, sign up for my remedial newsletter at my link below.

4) Date utilized is primarily taken from College Football Data Warehouse.


I, Richard Dawson, and the Survey says!!!


Notre Dame, 12 NCs claimed, 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988. First three titles back-dated, 1953 illegitimate. Real total, 8 titles. Talk about winning one for the Gipper, they won three BEFORE the Gipper--and before national championships ever existed. One third of your titles bogus--pretty shabby.

Alabama, 12 NCs claimed, 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992. First 3 titles back-dated, 1934 and 1941 titles illegitimate. Real total, 7 titles. Bama is famous for throwing everything that sticks into the trophy cabinet. If you want a more detailed analysis of the Tide, read this.

USC, 10 NCs claimed, 1928, 1931, 1932, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004. First 3 titles back-dated, all the rest legitimate. Real total, 7 titles. Not bad, other than the back-dated ones. Let's see: 60s and 70s, got that covered; 21st century--check. Hey, what happened to the 80s and 90s???

Michigan, 7 NCs claimed, 1901, 1902, 1923, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997. First 4 titles back-dated, the rest legitimate. Real total, 3 titles. Oh, snap! Don't worry, Go Blue. Batting .429 in the major leagues earns you bazillions a year...

Oklahoma, 7 NCs claimed, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000. All legitimate! Real total, 7 titles. The first perfectly honest team. Naturally, OU owes Texas for all this glory--not!

Minnesota, 6 NCs claimed, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960 All legit! Real total, 6 titles. But what are you guys thinking about doing for the next half of the 20th century???

Pittsburgh, 6 NCs claimed, 1910, 1916, 1918, 1936, 1937, 1976. First 3 titles back-dated, 1936 illegitimate, other 2 fine. Real total, 2 titles. Only 33% of your claimed titles for real? We haven't seen this kind of illegitimacy outside of the Mugabe administration...

Miami, 5 NCs claimed, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001. All legit. Real total, 5 titles. Still can't figure out how you got the nod in 1983 over a far superior Auburn team...

Nebraska, 5 NCs claimed, 1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997. All legit. Real total, 5 titles. Solid! Can't figure out why they can't duplicate this kind of success in the other corn-growing states...

Ohio State, 5 NCs claimed, 1942, 1954, 1957, 1968, 2002. All legit. Real total, 5 titles. Best in the Big 10(11). Best ever: Woody or The Vest?

Army, 4 NCs claimed, 1914, 1944, 1945, 1946. First is back-dated, the rest legit. Real total, 3 titles. Gee, if we could only have another World War to drain the nation's manpower again...

GA Tech, 4 NCs claimed, 1917, 1928, 1952, 1990. First 2 titles back-dated. 1952 illegitimate. 1990 legit. Real total, 1 title. "I'm a Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluva embellisher..."

Illinois, 4 NCs claimed, 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927. All back-dated! Oh come on! Are you kidding me? Real total, ZIP!!! However, as luck would have it, the Zook era has arrived.

Tennessee, 4 NCs claimed, 1938, 1950, 1951, 1998. 1938 and 1950 illegitimate, the rest legit. Real total, 2 titles. The SEC's historic 2nd best team follows the SEC's historic best team, Alabama--in title embellishment.

Texas, 4 NCs claimed, 1963, 1969, 1970, 2005, all legit! Real total, 4 titles. Thanks Daryl Royal. Still wondering why they're so woefully behind Oklahoma in this category...

California, 3 NCs claimed, 1920, 1921, 1922. All back-dated! What?? Real total, ZERO titles. See admonishment to Illinois...

Michigan State, 3 NCs claimed, 1952, 1965, 1966. 1966 is illegitimate, although you probably got hosed! Real total, 2 titles. Not bad--only one behind your Ann Arbor cousins...

http://www.fanblogs.com/ncaa/007617.php