The College Football Researchers Association (CFRA) was founded in 1982 by Anthony Cusher of Reeder, North Dakota, and Robert Kirlin of Spokane, Washington. The CFRA took a vote of its members from 1982 to 1992 to select an annual college football national champion. Members were asked to rank the top 10 teams, and a point system was used to determine a national champion based on the members' votes. The CFRA also conducted a retroactive poll to determine historical national champions for each year from 1919 to 1981. The CFRA is listed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as one of 40 former and current selectors of college football national champions, and the CFRA selections are included in the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision record book. [1]
In the fall of 2009, under the coordination of Brad Matthews of Wilmington, North Carolina, and with the involvement of past members, the College Football Researchers Association was reorganized, and a group of both new and original CFRA voters was assembled to recreate this poll. The CFRA then retroactively crowned champions from 1993 to 2008, thus covering the period of time when the CFRA was dormant and did not recognize a national champion. According to NCAA records, [2] the College Football Researchers Association has elected more national champions than any other multi-voter poll in the country.
In its current form, the College Football Researchers Association releases four rankings each year, rather than on a weekly basis like more traditional polls: a preseason ranking, a mid-season ranking, an end of regular season ranking, and a final postseason ranking. The CFRA also recognizes one player annually as the CFRA Player of the Year. This player is recognized based on votes submitted by each member of the CFRA.
The rankings and awards are published on cfrapoll.com
The following list identifies the college football national champions as selected by the College Football Researchers Association. [1]
1869- Princeton
1870- Princeton
1871- no college games
1872- Princeton
1873- Princeton
1874- Yale
1875- Princeton
1876- Yale
1877- Yale
1878- Princeton
1879- Princeton
1880- Yale
1881- Yale
1882- Yale
1883- Yale
1884- Yale
1885- Princeton
1886- Yale
1887- Yale
1888- Yale
1889- Princeton
1890- Harvard
1891- Yale
1892- Yale
1893- Princeton
1894- Yale
1895- Penn
1896- Princeton
1897- Penn
1898- Harvard
1899- Princeton
1900- Yale
1901- Harvard
1902- Michigan
1903- Princeton
1904- Penn
1905- Chicago
1906- Princeton
1907- Yale
1908- Penn
1909- Yale
1910- Harvard
1911- Princeton
1912- Harvard
1913- Harvard
1914- Army
1915- Cornell
1916- Pittsburgh
1917- Georgia Tech
1918- Pittsburgh
1919- Harvard/Illinois (tie)
1920- California
1921- California
1922- Princeton
1923- Illinois
1924- Notre Dame
1925- Alabama
1926- Alabama
1927- Yale
1928- Georgia Tech
1929- Notre Dame
1930- Alabama
1931- Southern California
1932- Southern California
1933- Michigan
1934- Minnesota
1935- Minnesota
1936- Pittsburgh
1937- Pittsburgh
1938- Tennessee
1939- Texas A & M
1940- Minnesota
1941- Minnesota
1942- Ohio State
1943- Notre Dame
1944- Army
1945- Army
1946- Army
1947- Michigan
1948- Michigan
1949- Oklahoma
1950- Tennessee
1951- Maryland
1952- Michigan State
1953- Oklahoma
1954- Ohio State
1955- Oklahoma
1956- Iowa
1957- Auburn
1958- LSU
1959- Syracuse
1960- Ole Miss
1961- Alabama
1962- Southern California
1963- Texas
1964- Arkansas
1965- Alabama
1966- Michigan State
1967- Southern California
1968- Ohio State
1969- Texas
1970- Nebraska
1971- Nebraska
1972- Southern California
1973- Oklahoma
1974- Oklahoma
1975- Oklahoma
1976- Southern California
1977- Notre Dame/Alabama (tie)
1978- Alabama
1979- Southern California
1980- Pittsburgh
1981- Clemson
1982- Penn State
1983- Auburn
1984- Brigham Young
1985- Oklahoma
1986- Oklahoma
1987- Miami (FL)
1988- Notre Dame
1989- Miami (FL)
1990- Colorado
1991- Miami (FL)
1992- Alabama
1993- Florida State
1994- Nebraska
1995- Nebraska
1996- Florida
1997- Michigan
1998- Tennessee
1999- Florida State
2000- Oklahoma
2001- Miami (FL)
2002- Ohio State
2003- LSU
2004- Southern California
2005- Texas
2006- Florida
2007- LSU
2008- Florida
2009- Alabama
2010- Auburn
2011- Alabama
2012- Alabama
2013- Florida State
2014- Ohio State
2015- Alabama
2016- Clemson
2017- Alabama
2018- Clemson
2019- LSU
Season | Champion |
---|---|
1919 | Harvard Illinois |
1920 | California |
1921 | California |
1922 | Princeton |
1923 | Illinois |
1924 | Notre Dame |
1925 | Alabama |
1926 | Alabama |
1927 | Yale |
1928 | Georgia Tech |
1929 | Notre Dame |
1930 | Alabama |
1931 | USC |
1932 | USC |
1933 | Michigan |
1934 | Minnesota |
1935 | Minnesota |
1936 | Pittsburgh |
1937 | Pittsburgh |
1938 | Tennessee |
1939 | Texas A&M |
1940 | Minnesota |
1941 | Minnesota |
1942 | Ohio State |
1943 | Notre Dame |
1944 | Army |
1945 | Army |
1946 | Army |
1947 | Michigan |
1948 | Michigan |
1949 | Oklahoma |
1950 | Tennessee |
1951 | Maryland |
1952 | Michigan State |
1953 | Oklahoma |
1954 | UCLA |
1955 | Oklahoma |
1956 | Iowa |
1957 | Auburn |
1958 | LSU |
1959 | Syracuse |
1960 | Ole Miss |
1961 | Alabama |
1962 | Southern Cal |
1963 | Texas |
1964 | Arkansas |
1965 | Alabama |
1966 | Michigan State |
1967 | Southern Cal |
1968 | Ohio State |
1969 | Texas |
1970 | Nebraska |
1971 | Nebraska |
1972 | Southern Cal |
1973 | Oklahoma |
1974 | Oklahoma |
1975 | Oklahoma |
1976 | Southern Cal |
1977 | Notre Dame |
1978 | Alabama |
1979 | Alabama |
1980 | Pittsburgh |
1981 | Clemson |
1982 | Penn State |
1983 | Auburn |
1984 | Brigham Young |
1985 | Oklahoma |
1986 | Oklahoma |
1987 | Miami (FL) |
1988 | Notre Dame |
1989 | Miami (FL) |
1990 | Colorado |
1991 | Miami (FL) |
1992 | Alabama |
1993 | Florida State |
1994 | Nebraska |
1995 | Nebraska |
1996 | Florida |
1997 | Michigan |
1998 | Tennessee |
1999 | Florida State |
2000 | Oklahoma |
2001 | Miami (FL) |
2002 | Ohio State |
2003 | LSU |
2004 | Southern Cal |
2005 | Texas |
2006 | Florida |
2007 | LSU |
2008 | Florida |
2009 | Alabama |
2010 | Auburn |
2011 | Alabama |
2012 | Alabama |
2013 | Florida State |
2014 | Ohio State |
2015 | Alabama |
2016 | Clemson |
2017 | Alabama |
2018 | Clemson |
The NCAA was without a playoff for the major college football teams in the University Division, later known as Division I-A, during the 20th century. The NCAA recognizes Division I-A national champions based on the final results of polls including the "wire service", FWAA and NFF. The 1964 AP poll continued to rank only ten teams, compiling the votes of 55 sportswriters, each of whom would give their opinion of the ten best. Under a point system of 10 points for first place, 9 for second, etc., the "overall" ranking was determined.
The 1993 NCAA Division I-A football season saw Florida State crowned national champions, in both the AP and Coaches poll.
The 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with Penn State winning the national championship. Coached by Joe Paterno, they defeated Miami (Fl) 14–10 in the Fiesta Bowl. This Fiesta Bowl was the first in the game's history to decide the national championship, launching it into the top tier of bowls.
The 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the Clemson Tigers, unbeaten and untied, claiming the national championship after a victory over Nebraska in the Orange Bowl. This was also the first year of the California Bowl, played in Fresno, California; this game fancied itself as a "junior" version of the Rose Bowl as it pitted the Big West Conference champion vs. the Mid-American Conference champion.
The 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season saw a university from the state of Georgia take its first national title since 1942.
In the 1968 NCAA University Division football season, the system of "polls and bowls" changed. The Associated Press returned to its pre-1961 system of ranking the Top 20 rather than the Top 10, and voted on the national champion after the bowl games, rather than before. During the 20th century, the NCAA had no playoff for the major college football teams in the University Division, later known as Division I-A.
The 1973 NCAA Division I football season was the first for the NCAA's current three-division structure. Effective with the 1973–74 academic year, schools formerly in the NCAA "University Division" were classified as Division I. Schools in the former "College Division" were classified into Division II, which allowed fewer athletic scholarships than Division I, and Division III, in which athletic scholarships were prohibited.
The 1924 college football season was the year of the Four Horsemen as the Notre Dame team, coached by Knute Rockne, won all of its games, including the Rose Bowl, to be acclaimed as the best team in the nation. Notre Dame and Stanford were both unbeaten at season's end, with the Fighting Irish winning the Rose Bowl contest 27–10. The Penn Quakers were retroactively awarded a national championship by Parke H. Davis.
A national championship in the highest level of college football in the United States, currently the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), is a designation awarded annually by various organizations to their selection of the best college football team. Division I FBS football is the only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sport for which the NCAA does not sanction a yearly championship event. As such, it is sometimes unofficially referred to as a "mythical national championship".
The 1953 college football season finished with the Maryland Terrapins capturing the AP, INS, and UPI national championship after Notre Dame held the top spot for the first nine weeks. The No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners defeated Maryland in the Orange Bowl, but there was no further polling after the November 30 results were released. However, Notre Dame was selected as the National Champions by 10 other polls and the Oklahoma Sooners received first in two polls. However, despite the team receiving National Championship rings, the University of Notre Dame does not recognize this title due to their policy of only recognizing AP or coaches' poll titles during the polling era (1936–present). Maryland was also the first champion of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which had been formed earlier in 1953 by seven colleges formerly with the Southern Conference. The year 1953 also saw the Michigan State Spartans, previously an independent, join the Big Nine Conference, which then became the Big Ten; MSU won the conference title in that first year and was the conference representative to the Rose Bowl, which it won 28–20 over UCLA.
The 1951 college football season finished with seven unbeaten major college teams, of which five were unbeaten and untied. Ultimately, the Tennessee Volunteers were voted the best team by the Associated Press, followed by the Michigan State Spartans, with the Vols having a plurality of first place votes. Tennessee lost in the Sugar Bowl to the equally undefeated and untied No. 3 Maryland Terrapins, but the postseason games were not taken into account by the major polls. Tennessee, Michigan State, and Illinois all claim national championships for 1951.
The 1946 college football season was the 78th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. Competition included schools from the Big Ten Conference, the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Big Six Conference, the Southern Conference, the Southwestern Conference, and numerous smaller conferences and independent programs. The season saw the return of many programs which had suspended play during World War II, and also the enrollment of many veterans returning from the war.
The 1937 college football season ended with the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh being named the nation's No. 1 team by 30 of the 33 voters in the Associated Press writers' poll. The AP poll was in its second year, and seven votes were taken during the final weeks of the 1937 season, starting with October 18. Each writer listed his choice for the top ten teams, and points were tallied based on 10 for first place, 9 for second, etc., and the AP then ranked the twenty teams with the highest number of points. With 33 writers polled, Pitt received 30 first place votes and 3 second-place, for a total of 327 points.
One human poll comprised the 1939 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1940 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
One human poll comprised the 1941 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Coaches' Poll began operation in 1950; in addition, the AP Poll did not begin conducting preseason polls until that same year.
Two human polls comprised the 1950 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1951 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
Two human polls comprised the 1953 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football rankings. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a national championship, instead that title is bestowed by one or more different polling agencies. There are two main weekly polls that begin in the preseason—the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll.
The 2022 NCAA Division I women's soccer tournament was the 41st edition of the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Tournament, a postseason tournament to determine the national champion of NCAA Division I women's college soccer. The College Cup was played on December 2 and December 5 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.