Location | College Football Hall of Fame, Atlanta, Georgia [1] |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Presented by | Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation |
History | |
First award | 1959 |
Most recent | Michigan |
Website | National Football Foundation |
The MacArthur Bowl is a trophy awarded annually by the National Football Foundation (NFF) (owners and operators of the College Football Hall of Fame) to the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football team(s) that are recognized by the NFF as the National Champions for that season.
Much like the NHL's Stanley Cup, the trophy is kept by the winning institution for one year, then passed on to the next year's winner. The trophy, manufactured by Tiffany & Co., is made of 400 ounces (11,000 g) of silver and is fashioned in the shape of a football stadium measuring 25 by 18 inches (64 cm × 46 cm) on its base, and 10 inches (25 cm) in height.
The trophy was the gift of an anonymous donor in honor of General Douglas MacArthur, a founder of National Football Foundation. The trophy features his famous quote: "There is no substitute for victory." [2] MacArthur was known to have a keen interest in college football, Army Cadet football in particular. [3] MacArthur had served as student manager of the Army team during his cadet days. During World War II, he sent a telegram congratulating Army on an undefeated 1944 College football season and defeat of Navy in the Army–Navy Game. The telegram read, "The greatest of all Army teams. We have stopped the war to celebrate your magnificent success." [3] [4] [5]
The trophy was first presented in 1959, [1] [2] and has been presented annually since then. Since its inception, there have been occasions where the MacArthur trophy winner differed from the AP Poll winner, Coaches' Poll winner or both. From 1998 to 2013 during the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) era, the trophy was awarded to the winner of the BCS National Championship Game.
With the advent of the College Football Playoff (CFP), the winner of the CFP National Championship automatically wins the MacArthur Bowl; the trophy is presented to the winning head coach in a ceremony held at the College Football Hall of Fame in the spring following the championship game. [6] [2]
School | Number | Seasons |
---|---|---|
Alabama | 10 | 1961, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020 |
USC | 5 | 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 2004 |
Notre Dame | 5 | 1964, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988 |
Ohio State | 5 | 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014, 2024 |
Miami (FL) | 4 | 1983, 1987, 1989, 2001 |
Texas | 4 | 1963, 1969, 1970, 2005 |
Clemson | 3 | 1981, 2016, 2018 |
Florida | 3 | 1996, 2006, 2008 |
Florida State | 3 | 1993, 1999, 2013 |
LSU | 3 | 2003, 2007, 2019 |
Nebraska | 3 | 1971, 1994, 1995 |
Oklahoma | 3 | 1975, 1985, 2000 |
Georgia | 3 | 1980, 2021, 2022 |
Michigan | 2 | 1997, 2023 |
Michigan State | 2 | 1965, 1966 |
Penn State | 2 | 1982, 1986 |
Auburn | 1 | 2010 |
BYU | 1 | 1984 |
Colorado | 1 | 1990 |
Minnesota | 1 | 1960 |
Pittsburgh | 1 | 1976 |
Syracuse | 1 | 1959 |
Tennessee | 1 | 1998 |
Washington | 1 | 1991 |
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Ohio State football Coach Woody Hayes and Texas coach Darrell Royal accept the MacArthur Bowl which was awarded jointly to their teams as the best of 1970 at the award dinner of the National Football Foundation
...it was decided not to award a championship by ballot but rather to let these teams meet on the field and play for the MacArthur Bowl.
"A championship can only truly be settled on the playing field." Richard Kazmaier, chairman of the awards committee, said in announcing that this year the committee would not vote for the MacArthur Bowl winner.
As national champion, Washington will receive the MacArthur Bowl, given by the National Football Foundation to its champion since 1959. The UPI NFF ratings panel consists of 104 National Football Foundation members
With the advent of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1998, the national BCS championship game now determines which team is presented the MacArthur Bowl and ADT National Championship Trophies and have their named etched alongside the greatest teams of all time.
During college football's Poll Era, the NFF MacArthur Bowl Committee selected the recipient of the trophy. With the advent of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1998, the national championship game has determined which team claimed the MacArthur Bowl, a tradition that will continue with the adoption of the College Football Playoff.