College Football Playoff History, Winners
By Chris Wright
Last Updated:
Indiana shocked Miami — and the world — to win the College Football Playoff in 2025-26.
It was the Hoosiers’ first national championship. Indiana became the first 16-0 national champion since 1900.
This page lists the winners of every national champion in the CFP era (2014-present), BCS era (1998-2013) and Associated Press voting era (1936-1997).
College Football Playoff Champions
Here is the updated list of CFP champions.
BCS Champions
The BCS Championship pitted the No. 1 ranked team vs. the No. 2 ranked team, based on computer rankings. The BCS era began in 1998 and ended after the 2013 season.
AP National Champions
Before the BCS or College Football Playoff, teams were voted national champions. Several media outlets voted on national champions, but the Associated Press is widely recognized as the official voter of national champions. An AP national champion was crowned every year from 1936-1997.
- 1997: Michigan
- 1996: Florida
- 1995: Nebraska
- 1994: Nebraska
- 1993: Florida State
- 1992: Alabama
- 1991: Washington
- 1990: Colorado
- 1989: Miami
- 1988: Notre Dame
- 1987: Miami
- 1986: Penn State
- 1985: Oklahoma
- 1984: BYU
- 1983: Miami
- 1982: Penn State
- 1981: Clemson
- 1980: Georgia
- 1979: Alabama
- 1978: Alabama
- 1977: Notre Dame
- 1976: Pittsburgh
- 1975: Oklahoma
- 1974: Southern Cal
- 1973: Notre Dame
- 1972: Southern Cal
- 1971: Nebraska
- 1970: Nebraska
- 1969: Texas
- 1968: Ohio State
- 1967: Southern Cal
- 1966: Notre Dame
- 1965: Michigan State
- 1964: Alabama
- 1963: Texas
- 1962: Southern Cal
- 1961: Alabama
- 1960: Minnesota
- 1959: Syracuse
- 1958: LSU
- 1957: Ohio State
- 1956: Oklahoma
- 1955: Oklahoma
- 1954: UCLA
- 1953: Maryland
- 1952: Michigan State
- 1951: Tennessee
- 1950: Oklahoma
- 1949: Notre Dame
- 1948: Michigan
- 1947: Notre Dame
- 1946: Notre Dame
- 1945: Army
- 1944: Army
- 1943: Notre Dame
- 1942: Ohio State
- 1941: Minnesota
- 1940: Minnesota
- 1939: Texas A&M
- 1938: Texas Christian
- 1937: Pittsburgh
- 1936: Minnesota
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
