NCAA – Football Championship Winners
| Year | Champion | Source | Head Coach |
| 2025 | Indiana | Playoff | Curt Cignetti |
| 2024 | Ohio State | Playoff | Ryan Day |
| 2023 | Michigan | Playoff | Jim Harbaugh |
| 2022 | Georgia | Playoff | Kirby Smart |
| 2021 | Georgia | Playoff | Kirby Smart |
| 2020 | Alabama | Playoff | Nick Saban |
| 2019 | LSU | Playoff | Ed Orgeron |
| 2018 | Clemson | Playoff | Dabo Swinney |
| 2017 | Alabama | Playoff | Nick Saban |
| 2016 | Clemson | Playoff | Dabo Swinney |
| 2015 | Alabama | Playoff | Nick Saban |
| 2014 | Ohio State | Playoff | Urban Meyer |
| 2013 | Florida State | (AP)(BCS) | Jimbo Fisher |
| 2012 | Alabama | (AP)(BCS) | Nick Saban |
| 2011 | Alabama | (AP)(BCS) | Nick Saban |
| 2010 | Auburn | (AP)(BCS) | Gene Chizik |
| 2009 | Alabama | (AP)(BCS) | Nick Saban |
| 2008 | Florida | (AP)(BCS) | Urban Meyer |
| 2007 | LSU | (AP)(BCS) | Les Miles |
| 2006 | Florida | (AP)(BCS) | Urban Meyer |
| 2005 | Texas | (AP)(BCS) | Mack Brown |
| 2004 | USC | (AP)(BCS) | Pete Carroll |
| 2003 | LSU | (BCS) | Nick Saban |
| 2003 | USC | (AP) | Pete Carroll |
| 2002 | Ohio State | (AP)(BCS) | Jim Tressel |
| 2001 | Miami (FL) | (AP)(BCS) | Larry Coker |
| 2000 | Oklahoma | (AP)(BCS) | Bob Stoops |
| 1999 | Florida State | (AP)(BCS) | Bobby Bowden |
| 1998 | Tennessee | (AP)(BCS) | Phillip Fulmer |
| 1997 | Michigan | (AP) | Lloyd Carr |
| 1997 | Nebraska (ESPN) | (ESPN) | Tom Osborne |
| 1996 | Florida | (AP)(CNN) | Steve Spurrier |
| 1995 | Nebraska | (AP)(CNN) | Tom Osborne |
| 1994 | Nebraska | (AP)(CNN) | Tom Osborne |
| 1993 | Florida State | (AP)(CNN) | Bobby Bowden |
| 1992 | Alabama | (AP)(CNN) | Gene Stallings |
| 1991 | Miami (FL) | (AP) | Dennis Erickson |
| 1991 | Washington | (CNN) | Don James |
| 1990 | Colorado | (AP) | Bill McCartney |
| 1990 | Georgia Tech | (UPI) | Bobby Ross |
| 1989 | Miami (FL) | (AP)(UPI) | Dennis Erickson |
| 1988 | Notre Dame | (AP)(UPI) | Lou Holtz |
| 1987 | Miami (FL) | (AP)(UPI) | Jimmy Johnson |
| 1986 | Penn State | (AP)(UPI) | Joe Paterno |
| 1985 | Oklahoma | (AP)(UPI) | Barry Switzer |
| 1984 | BYU | (AP)(UPI) | Lavell Edwards |
| 1983 | Miami (FL) | (AP)(UPI) | Howard Schnellenberger |
| 1982 | Penn State | (AP)(UPI) | Joe Paterno |
| 1981 | Clemson | (AP)(UPI) | Danny Ford |
| 1980 | Georgia | (AP)(UPI) | Vince Dooley |
| 1979 | Alabama | (AP)(UPI) | Paul "Bear" Bryant |
| 1978 | Alabama | (AP) | Paul "Bear" Bryant |
| 1978 | USC | (UPI) | John Robinson |
| 1977 | Notre Dame | (AP)(UPI) | Dan Devine |
| 1976 | Pittsburgh | (AP)(UPI) | Johnny Majors |
| 1975 | Oklahoma | (AP)(UPI) | Barry Switzer |
| 1974 | Oklahoma | (AP) | Barry Switzer |
| 1974 | USC | (UPI) | John McKay |
| 1973 | Notre Dame | (AP) | Ara Parseghian |
| 1973 | Alabama | (UPI) | Paul "Bear" Bryant |
| 1972 | USC | (AP)(UPI) | John McKay |
| 1971 | Nebraska | (AP)(UPI) | Bob Devaney |
| 1970 | Nebraska | (AP) | Bob Devaney |
| 1970 | Texas | (UPI) | Darrell Royal |
| 1969 | Texas | (AP)(UPI) | Darrell Royal |
| 1968 | Ohio State | (AP)(UPI) | Woody Hayes |
| 1967 | USC | (AP)(UPI) | John McKay |
| 1966 | Notre Dame | (AP)(UPI) | Ara Parseghian |
| 1965 | Alabama | (AP) | Paul "Bear" Bryant |
| 1965 | Michigan State | (UPI) | Duffy Daugherty |
| 1964 | Alabama | (AP)(UPI) | Paul Bryant |
| 1963 | Texas | (AP)(UPI) | Darrell Royal |
| 1962 | USC | (AP)(UPI) | John McKay |
| 1961 | Alabama | (AP) (UPI) | Paul Bryant |
| 1960 | Minnesota | (AP)(UPI) | Murray Warmath |
| 1959 | Syracuse | (AP)(UPI) | Ben Schwartzwalder |
| 1958 | LSU | (AP)(UPI) | Paul Dietzel |
| 1957 | Auburn | (AP) | Ralph Jordan |
| 1957 | Ohio State | (UP) | Woody Hayes |
| 1956 | Oklahoma | (AP)(UP) | Bud Wilkinson |
| 1955 | Oklahoma | (AP)(UP) | Bud Wilkinson |
| 1954 | Ohio State | (AP) | Woody Hayes |
| 1954 | UCLA | (UP) | Red Sanders |
| 1953 | Maryland | (AP)(UP) | Jim Tatum |
| 1952 | Michigan State | (AP)(UP) | Biggie Munn |
| 1951 | Tennessee | (AP)(UP) | Robert Neyland |
| 1950 | Oklahoma | (AP)(UP) | Bud Wilkinson |
| 1949 | Notre Dame | (AP) | Frank Leahy |
| 1948 | Michigan | (AP) | Bennie Oosterbaan |
| 1947 | Notre Dame | (AP) | Frank Leahy |
| 1946 | Notre Dame | (AP) | Frank Leahy |
| 1945 | Army | (AP) | Earl Blaik |
| 1944 | Army | (AP) | Earl Blaik |
| 1943 | Notre Dame | (AP) | Frank Leahy |
| 1942 | Ohio State | (AP) | Paul Brown |
| 1941 | Minnesota | (AP) | Bernie Bierman |
| 1940 | Minnesota | (AP) | Bernie Bierman |
| 1939 | Texas A&M | (AP) | Homer Norton |
| 1938 | TCU | (AP) | Dutch Meyer |
| 1937 | Pittsburgh | (AP) | Jock Sutherland |
| 1936 | Minnesota | (AP) | Bernie Bierman |
