Hey there, I'm working on a project for my stats class and I'm focusing on college football. Does anyone know which team has won the most college football national championships? And how many times have they won it? All advice is welcome!
You're in the right ballpark! The University of Alabama and the University of Notre Dame have both claimed a significant number of national championships in college football.
As of 2024, the University of Alabama claims to have won the most with 18 championships. Their claimed titles came in the following years: 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020.
The University of Notre Dame also has a rich history in football, with 13 claimed national titles. Their national championship years are 1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988, and two earlier years following retroactive selectors in 1919 and 1920.
It's worth noting that claiming championships can be a murky business because there isn't always clear consensus on which team should be champion in any given year, particularly in the earlier years of college football. In many cases, championships are claimed based on the team's final poll ranking, but the methodology and authority of these polls have varied over time. So while these figures are most often cited, there's quite a bit of controversy involved!
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