Who Has Won The Most National Championships in College Football?

• Years Won: 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000

The University of Oklahoma Sooners football program is renowned for its success and tradition in college football. Oklahoma has won several national championships. The Sooners claimed titles in 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, and 2000. The championships are recognized by various selectors and organizations.

Oklahoma has produced multiple Heisman Trophy winners, including legends like Billy Vessels (1952), Steve Owens (1969), Billy Sims (1978), Jason White (2003), Sam Bradford (2008), and Baker Mayfield (2017).

• Years Won: 1874, 1875, 1890, 1898, 1899, 1901, 1908, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919, 1920
• Head Coach: Tim Murphy

There was once a day that Harvard football was looked at as a powerhouse. The Crimson won three titles in the 1890's and followed that up with four titles throughout the 1910's. Although Harvard has won twelve national championships, the university only claims seven of those victories.

Notable Harvard football alumni include William H. Lewis, the first African-American college football player, and Marshall Newell, a four-time All-American in the 1890's.

• Years Won: 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1964, 1973, 1985, 1997
• Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh

The University of Michigan Wolverines have been a dominant football program for over a century. Their championship reign measures all the way from the early 1900's all the way to the 1990's.

More recently, Michigan has competed and been a top four ranked team, but still has come up short in the College Football Playoffs. Still, national title number 17 may be on the way shortly.

• Years Won: 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
• Head Coach: Lincoln Riley

It's hard to compete the recent dominance of the USC Trojans, with a majority of their titles coming post-1960. USC has always been a powerhouse and a safe-haven for any college football recruit. I mean who wouldn't want to play in sunny California while they live out the glory days of college? More recently, the best player to put on a USC uniform was Matt Leinart who just heard his name inducted into the college football hall of fame.

• Years Won: 1933, 1942, 1944, 1945, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 2002, 2014
• Head Coach: Ryan Day

There is no denying that Ohio State has been one of collegiate footballs very best of the last few decades. They regularly top the AP polls and find their way into the College Football Playoffs almost every year.

Ohio State was the first team to win a national championship since the game was changed to a playoff format and teams had to win a game to earn their spot in the finals. There is a very real possibility that Ohio State adds banner number 18 in the near future.

• Years Won: 1919, 1920, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1930, 1938, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1973, 1977, 1989, 1988, 1993, 2012
• Head Coach: Marcus Freeman

The Fighting Irish may not be as dominant as they once were, but that doesn't stop them from contending for a national title every decade or so.

Notre Dame's College Football national championships range from the 1910's all the way to the 2010's. There is no denying Notre Dame is one of the most famous American colleges world-wide due to the cultural impact the school has had.

• Years Won: 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1945, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020
• Head Coach: Nick Saban

No team has been as dominant over the past decade (and arguably since college football began) as the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Bama has won a total of 23 national titles since their inception as a university. Most recently, they have been fueled by hall of fame coach Nick Saban who many consider the greatest college football coach of all time. Not only has Alabama won a slew of national titles but they have produced some of the best talent in the NFL today.

• Years Won: 1872, 1974, 1876, 1877, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1897, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1909
• Head Coach: Tony Reno

We may be nearing the 100 year anniversary of the last Yale Bulldogs championship, but there is no denying the history. Yale was extremely dominant in the 1800's, winning 19 separate National Championships. As of 2022, Yale has won 17 conference championships since joining the Ivy League in 1954.

• Years Won: 1869, 1870, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1911, 1920, 1922, 1933, 1935, 1950
• Head Coach: Bob Surace

The most successful team in College Football history–going by National Championships–is the Princeton Tigers.

Princeton was the most dominant college football program in the 1800's, winning 20 championships across the century. They haven't claimed a national title since 1950, but that doesn't change the fact that no one has currently won more than them. If I had to bet on it, I'd say that Alabama eclipses this number in the relatively near future.