List of National Champions in Football 1950 - 2023
Associated Press
Final Ranking

The following charts show the National Champion and where it was picked in the Preseason Poll. Six times since 1950 the National Champion was not ranked in the Preseason (in 1958, 1960, 1962, 1981, 1983, and 1984)!

The charts are divided according to the number of teams picked in the Preseason Poll.

Year	National Champion	Preseason Rank (Out of 20)
1950	Oklahoma	6
1951	Tennessee	1
1952	Michigan State	1
1953	Maryland	9
1954	Ohio State	20
1955	Oklahoma	2
1956	Oklahoma	1
1957	Auburn	15
1958	LSU	NR
1959	Syracuse	20
1960	Minnesota	NR

Year	National Champion	Preseason Rank (Out of 10)
1961	Alabama	3
1962	USC	NR
1963	Texas	5
1964	Alabama	6
1965	Alabama	5
1966	Notre Dame	6
1967	USC	7

Year	National Champion	Preseason Rank (Out of 20)
1968	Ohio State	11
1969	Texas	4
1970	Nebraska	9
1971	Nebraska	2
1972	USC	8
1973	Notre Dame	8
1974	Oklahoma	1
1975	Oklahoma	1
1976	Pittsburgh	9
1977	Notre Dame	3
1978	Alabama	1
1979	Alabama	2
1980	Georgia	16
1981	Clemson	NR
1982	Penn State	8
1983	Miami	NR
1984	BYU	NR
1985	Oklahoma	1
1986	Penn State	6
1987	Miami	10
1988	Notre Dame	13

Year	National Champion	Preseason Rank (Out of 25)
1989	Miami	4
1990	Colorado	5
1991	Miami	3
1992	Alabama	9
1993	Florida State	1
1994	Nebraska	4
1995	Nebraska	2
1996	Florida	4
1997	Michigan	14
1998	Tennessee	10
1999	Florida State	1
2000	Oklahoma	19
2001	Miami	2
2002	Ohio State	13
2003	USC	8
2004	USC	1
2005	Texas	2
2006	Florida	7
2007	LSU	2
2008	Florida	5
2009	Alabama	5
2010	Auburn	22
2011	Alabama	2
2012	Alabama	2
2013	Florida State	10
2014	Ohio State	5
2015	Alabama	3
2016	Clemson	2
2017	Alabama	1
2018	Clemson	2
2019	LSU	6
2020	Alabama	3
2021	Georgia	4
2022	Georgia	3
2023	Michigan	2

Send any comments or questions to: David Pleacher