Every year, about 500,000 college students compete in different sports organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). With up to 22 different sports being organized annually, NCAA is arguably the biggest college sports organizer in the world. It is subdivided into three divisions – Divisions I, II, and III. Football falls under Division I where it is subdivided into the Bowl subdivision and the Championship subdivision. While the NCAA does not officially award the Bowl subdivision, it takes full responsibility for the Championships. Let’s read to know Who Won The Most NCAA College Football Championships.
Although this is disputed by some, the Princeton Tigers Football team has the most football championships in the NCAA. According to the College Football Data Warehouse, Princeton Tigers have a total of 26 championships while the university claims to have won 28 championships.
How Are The Champions Selected?
Since the inception of the collegiate football championships in 1869, there have been different ways of selecting the national champions. Some groups were referred to as ‘selectors’ who organized polls to select a national champion. Amongst them were the coaches poll, the football writers’ association of America, the hall of fame, and the AP polls. In the years that followed, there were other selectors also. None of these happened in the year 1871 as that was the only year to date that had no championships organized.
Princeton Tigers Football Program
Princeton Tigers is the football team of Princeton University. The university is a private university located in New Jersey. They have been playing in the football championships since the beginning of 1869. Donning their black and orange uniforms, the Tigers were a formidable force in the early days of American college football. They were champions twenty (20) times between 1869 and 1899. According to the College Football Data Warehouse, their last championship came as far back as 1935. There are claims that they also won in 1950.
Although the Princeton Tigers have a total of 26 championships to their name, they claim to have won 28 instead. The team claims the victories of 1894 and 1950. The Yale Bulldogs claimed the championship in 1894 while the Oklahoma Sooners won in 1950. There were times when they had to share the championships due to a tie. In 1922, the Princeton Tigers shared the college football championship with the California Golden Bears and the Cornell Big Red football teams.
They have also maintained a fierce rivalry with the Harvard Crimson Football team, with whom they have shared the college football championships three times – 1875, 1989, and 1899. They have shared the championships with the Yale Bulldogs about six (6) times – 1874, 1877, 1880, 1881, 1884, and 1886. Since the joint introduction of the AP and coach polls in 1950, the Princeton Tigers have won the conference championships twelve (12) times.
Other Colleges That Have Won The Football Championships
Many colleges have won the football championships since 1869. With Princeton University topping the list, there have been 46 different winners over 153 years. Below are the previous winners:
- Princeton Tigers Football program – Representing Princeton University, New Jersey, they have won the college football championships 26 times.
- Yale Bulldogs Football – They have 18 championship trophies to their name.
- Alabama Crimson Tide Football – They have won the championships 15 times.
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football – From Indiana, they have carried the championship trophy 13 times.
- Michigan Wolverine Football – They have been college football champions 11 times.
- USC Trojans Football – University of South California football program has ten championships to its name.
Others who have won the college football championships are Pittsburgh Panthers (9), Harvard Crimson (8), Ohio State Buckeyes (8), Oklahoma Sooners (7), Minnesota Golden Gophers (6), Penn Quakers (6), Army Black Knights (5), Miami Hurricanes (5), Nebraska Cornhuskers (5), California Golden Bears (4), and many others.
Conclusion
The NCAA college football championships have brought together many universities and colleges across the United States of America. It has formed the career of many football greats like Herschel Walker from the University of Georgia, Doak Walker of South Methodist University, Tommie Frazier of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Barry Sanders, the Archie Griffin, and many others. Many of the present-day players in the NFL were drafted in from the NCAA championships. Players like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Donald, Derrick Henry, and Travis Kelce all had awesome college careers before they got drafted into the NFL.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long does the NCAA college football championship last?
The regular season begins in August and ends in December, while the postseason begins immediately after and ends in January. That is five months in all.
2. Can a high school student compete in the football championships?
No, a high school student cannot compete in the NCAA championships. You have to be in college or university to do so.
