National Championship Foundation

Last updated

The National Championship Foundation (NCF) was established by Mike Riter of Hudson, New York. The NCF retroactively selected [ citation needed ] college football national champions for each year from 1869 to 1979, [1] and its selections are among the historic national champions recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in its Football Bowl Subdivision record book. [2] [3]

Contents

Champions

The following list identifies the college football national champions as selected by the National Championship Foundation. [4]

SeasonChampion(s)RecordCoachRef.
1869 Princeton 1–1 [4] :118
1870 Princeton 1–0 [4] :118
1871 NoneNo games played
1872 Princeton 1–0 [4] :118
1873 Princeton 2–0 [4] :118
1874 Yale 3–0 [4] :118
1875 Harvard 4–0 [4] :118
1876 Yale 3–0 [4] :118
1877 Yale 3–0–1 [4] :118
1878 Princeton 6–0 [4] :118
1879 Princeton 4–0–1 [4] :118
1880 Princeton
Yale
4–0–1
4–0–1
[4] :118
1881 Yale 5–0–1 [4] :118
1882 Yale 8–0 [4] :118
1883 Yale 9–0 [4] :118
1884 Yale 8–0–1 [4] :118
1885 Princeton 9–0 [4] :118
1886 Yale 9–0–1 [4] :118
1887 Yale 9–0 [4] :118
1888 Yale 13–0 Walter Camp [4] :118
1889 Princeton 10–0 [4] :118
1890 Harvard 11–0 George C. Adams, George A. Stewart [4] :118
1891 Yale 13–0 Walter Camp [4] :118
1892 Yale 13–0 Walter Camp [4] :118
1893 Princeton 11–0 [4] :118
1894 Yale 16–0 William Rhodes [4] :118
1895 Penn 14–0 George Washington Woodruff [4] :118
1896 Lafayette
Princeton
11–0–1
10–0–1
Parke H. Davis
[4] :118
1897 Penn
15–0 George Washington Woodruff [4] :118
1898 Harvard 11–0 William Cameron Forbes [4] :118
1899 Harvard 10–0–1 Benjamin Dibblee [4] :119
1900 Yale 12–0 Malcolm McBride [4] :119
1901 Michigan 11–0 Fielding H. Yost [4] :119
1902 Michigan 11–0 Fielding H. Yost [4] :119
1903 Michigan
Princeton
11–0–1
11–0
Fielding H. Yost
Art Hillebrand
[4] :119
1904 Michigan
Penn
10–0
12–0
Fielding H. Yost
Carl S. Williams
[4] :119
1905 Chicago 10–0 Amos Alonzo Stagg [4] :119
1906 Princeton 9–0–1 William Roper [4] :119
1907 Yale 9–0–1 William F. Knox [4] :119
1908 LSU
Penn
10–0
11–0–1
Edgar Wingard
Sol Metzger
[4] :119
1909 Yale 10–0 Howard Jones [4] :119
1910 Harvard
Pittsburgh
8–0–1
9–0
Percy Haughton
Joseph H. Thompson
[4] :119
1911 Penn State
Princeton
8–0–1
8–0–2
Bill Hollenback
William Roper
[4] :119
1912 Harvard
Penn State
9–0
8–0
Percy Haughton
Bill Hollenback
[4] :119
1913 Harvard 9–0 Percy Haughton [4] :119
1914 Army 9–0 Charles Daly [4] :119
1915 Cornell 9–0 Albert Sharpe [4] :119
1916 Pittsburgh 8–0 Glenn "Pop" Warner [4] :119
1917 Georgia Tech 9–0 John Heisman [4] :119
1918 Michigan
Pittsburgh
5–0
4–1
Fielding H. Yost
Glenn "Pop" Warner
[4] :119
1919 Harvard
Notre Dame
Texas A&M
9–0–1
9–0
10–0
Bob Fisher
Knute Rockne
Dana X. Bible
[4] :119
1920 California 9–0 Andy Smith [4] :119
1921 Cornell 8–0 Gil Dobie [4] :119
1922 California
Princeton
9–0
8–0
Andy Smith
William Roper
[4] :119
1923 Illinois
Michigan
8–0
8–0
Robert Zuppke
Fielding H. Yost
[4] :119
1924 Notre Dame 10–0 Knute Rockne [4] :119
1925 Alabama 10–0 Wallace Wade [4] :119
1926 Alabama
Stanford
9–0–1
10–0–1
Wallace Wade
Glenn "Pop" Warner
[4] :119
1927 Illinois 7–0–1 Robert Zuppke [4] :116
1928 Georgia Tech 10–0 William Alexander [4] :116
1929 Notre Dame 9–0 Knute Rockne [4] :116
1930 Notre Dame 10–0 Knute Rockne [4] :116
1931 USC 10–1 Howard Jones [4] :116
1932 USC 10–0 Howard Jones [4] :116
1933 Michigan 7–0–1 Harry Kipke [4] :116
1934 Minnesota 8–0 Bernie Bierman [4] :116
1935 Minnesota 8–0 Bernie Bierman [4] :116
1936 Minnesota 7–1 Bernie Bierman [4] :116
1937 Pittsburgh 9–0–1 Jock Sutherland [4] :116
1938 TCU 11–0 Dutch Meyer [4] :116
1939 Texas A&M 11–0 Homer Norton [4] :116
1940 Minnesota 8–0 Bernie Bierman [4] :116
1941 Minnesota 8–0 Bernie Bierman [4] :116
1942 Ohio State 9–1 Paul Brown [4] :116
1943 Notre Dame 9–1 Frank Leahy [4] :116
1944 Army
Ohio State
9–0
9–0
Earl Blaik
Carroll Widdoes
[4] :116
1945 Alabama
Army
10–0
9–0
Frank Thomas
Earl Blaik
[4] :116
1946 Notre Dame 8–0–1 Frank Leahy [4] :116
1947 Michigan 10–0 Fritz Crisler [4] :116
1948 Michigan 9–0 Bennie Oosterbaan [4] :116
1949 Notre Dame 10–0 Frank Leahy [4] :116
1950 Tennessee 11–1 Robert Neyland [4] :117
1951 Maryland 10–0 Jim Tatum [4] :117
1952 Michigan State 9–0 Biggie Munn [4] :117
1953 Notre Dame 9–0–1 Frank Leahy [4] :117
1954 Ohio State
UCLA
10–0
9–0
Woody Hayes
Henry Sanders
[4] :117
1955 Oklahoma 11–0 Bud Wilkinson [4] :117
1956 Oklahoma 10–0 Bud Wilkinson [4] :117
1957 Auburn 10–0 Ralph Jordan [4] :117
1958 LSU 11–0 Paul Dietzel [4] :117
1959 Syracuse 11–0 Ben Schwartzwalder [4] :117
1960 Ole Miss 10–0–1 Johnny Vaught [4] :117
1961 Alabama 11–0 Paul "Bear" Bryant [4] :117
1962 USC 11–0 John McKay [4] :117
1963 Texas 11–0 Darrell Royal [4] :117
1964 Arkansas 11–0 Frank Broyles [4] :117
1965 Alabama 9–1–1 Paul "Bear" Bryant [4] :117
1966 Notre Dame 9–0–1 Ara Parseghian [4] :117
1967 USC 10–1 John McKay [4] :117
1968 Ohio State 10–0 Woody Hayes [4] :117
1969 Texas 11–0 Darrell Royal [4] :117
1970 Nebraska 11–0–1 Bob Devaney [4] :117
1971 Nebraska 13–0 Bob Devaney [4] :117
1972 USC 12–0 John McKay [4] :117
1973 Michigan
Notre Dame
Ohio State
10–0–1
11–0
10–0–1
Bo Schembechler
Ara Parseghian
Woody Hayes
[4] :117
1974 Oklahoma
USC
11–0
10–1–1
Barry Switzer
John McKay
[4] :118
1975 Arizona State
Oklahoma
12–0
11–1
Frank Kush
Barry Switzer
[4] :118
1976 Pittsburgh 12–0 Johnny Majors [4] :118
1977 Notre Dame 11–1 Dan Devine [4] :118
1978 Alabama
USC
11–1
12–1
Paul "Bear" Bryant
John Robinson
[4] :118
1979 Alabama 12–0 Paul "Bear" Bryant [4] :118
1980 Georgia 12–0 Vince Dooley [4] :118
1981 Clemson
Nebraska
Pittsburgh
SMU
Texas
12-0
9–3
11–1
10–1
10–1–1
Danny Ford
Tom Osborne
Jackie Sherrill
Ron Meyer
Fred Akers
[4] :118
1982 Penn State 11–1 Joe Paterno [4] :118
1983 Miami (FL) 11–1 Howard Schnellenberger [4] :118
1984 BYU
Washington
13–0
11–1
LaVell Edwards
Don James
[4] :118
1985 Oklahoma 11–1 Barry Switzer [4] :118
1986 Penn State 12–0 Joe Paterno [4] :118
1987 Miami (FL) 12–0 Jimmy Johnson [4] :118
1988 Notre Dame 12–0 Lou Holtz [4] :118
1989 Miami (FL) 11–1 Dennis Erickson [4] :118
1990 Colorado
Georgia Tech
11–1–1
11–0–1
Bill McCartney
Bobby Ross
[4] :118
1991 Miami (FL)
Washington
12–0
12–0
Dennis Erickson
Don James
[4] :118
1992 Alabama 13–0 Gene Stallings [4] :118
1993 Auburn
Florida State
Nebraska
Notre Dame
11–0
12–1
11–1
11–1
Terry Bowden
Bobby Bowden
Tom Osborne
Lou Holtz
[4] :118
1994 Nebraska
Penn State
13–0
12–0
Tom Osborne
Joe Paterno
[4] :118–119
1995 Nebraska 12–0 Tom Osborne [4] :119
1996 Florida 12–1 Steve Spurrier [4] :119
1997 Michigan
Nebraska
12–0
13–0
Lloyd Carr
Tom Osborne
[4] :119
1998 Tennessee 13–0 Phillip Fulmer [4] :119
1999 Florida State 12–0 Bobby Bowden [4] :119
2000 Oklahoma 13–0 Bob Stoops [4] :119

See also

Related Research Articles

A mythical national championship is national championship recognition that is not explicitly competitive. This phrase has often been invoked in reference to American college football, because the NCAA does not sponsor a playoff-style tournament or recognize official national champions for the Football Bowl Subdivision. The relevant recognition before 1998 came from various entities, including coach polls and media ballots, which each voted to recognize their own national champions, and is similar to the newspaper decision used in early boxing matches. The contrary term would be an undisputed national championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornell Big Red football</span> Football team of Cornell University

The Cornell Big Red football team represents Cornell University in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) college football competition as a member of the Ivy League. It is one of the oldest and most storied football programs in the nation. The team has attained five national championships and has had seven players inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The 1994 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1994 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS</span> Annual selection of best U.S. team

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".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Princeton Tigers football</span> Football team of Princeton University

The Princeton Tigers football program represents Princeton University and competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Ivy League. Princeton's football program—along with the football program at nearby Rutgers University—began in 1869 with a contest that is often regarded as the beginnings of American football.

The 1966 Michigan State Spartans football team represented Michigan State University in the 1966 Big Ten Conference football season. Michigan State lodged a 9–0–1 record, with a season-concluding tie against Notre Dame in the "game of the century", considered among the greatest games in college football history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team</span> American college football season

The 1990 Colorado Buffaloes football team represented the University of Colorado Boulder as a member of the Big Eight Conference during the 1990 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Buffaloes offense scored 338 points while the defense allowed 160 points. Led by head coach Bill McCartney, Colorado defeated Notre Dame 10–9 in the 1991 Orange Bowl to conclude the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Washington Huskies football team</span> American college football season

The 1984 Washington Huskies football team was an American football team that represented the University of Washington during the 1984 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its tenth season under head coach Don James, the team compiled an 11–1 record, was ranked a close second in the two major polls, and outscored its opponents 352 to 145.

The 1922 Cornell Big Red football team was an American football team that represented Cornell University as an independent during the 1922 college football season. In its third season under head coach Gil Dobie, Cornell compiled an 8–0 record, shut out five of nine opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 339 to 27. The 1922 season was part of 26-game winning streak that began in October 1921 and ended in October 1924 and included national championship claims for 1921, 1922, and 1923.

The 1896 Princeton Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Princeton University as an independent during the 1896 college football season. The team finished with a 10–0–1 record, shut out 10 of 12 opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 266 to 5. Franklin Morse was the head coach, and Garrett Cochran was the team captain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1903 Princeton Tigers football team</span> American college football season

The 1903 Princeton Tigers football team was an American football team that represented Princeton University as an independent during the 1903 college football season. In their first season under head coach Art Hillebrand, the Tigers compiled a perfect 11–0 record, shut out 10 of 11 opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 259 to 6. John DeWitt was the team captain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1906 Yale Bulldogs football team</span> American college football season

The 1906 Yale Bulldogs football team was an American football team that represented Yale University as an independent during the 1906 college football season. The team compiled a 9–0–1 record, shut out nine of ten opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 144 to 7. Four Yale players were selected as consensus All-Americans, and the team was retroactively selected by multiple selectors as the national champion for 1906.

The Billingsley Report is a college football rating system developed in the late 1960s to determine a national champion. Billingsley has actively rated college football teams on a current basis since 1970. Beginning in 1999, Billingsley's ratings were included as one of seven mathematical formulas included in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings.

The Houlgate System, also known as the Deke Houlgate collegiate football rating system, was a mathematical rating system for determining annual college football national championships. The ratings, which rated teams according to the strength of their opponents, were created by Carroll Everard "Deke" Houlgate, Sr., a sports publicist and statistician. Houlgate used his system to select national champions on a current basis from 1927 to 1958. He also applied his ratings methodology retroactively to select national champions for each year from 1885 to 1926. His selections were published in newspapers in the 1930s and 1940s.

Berryman QPRS, also known as the Berryman Quality Point Rating System is a mathematical rating system developed by Clyde P. Berryman to rate sports teams and competitors. The Berryman QPRS system considers strength of schedule, win–loss record, points scored, and points allowed. Berryman applied his QPRS system to select college football national champions on a current basis from 1990 to 2011. He also applied the QPRS system retroactively to select national champions for each year from 1920 to 1989. The Berryman QPRS is one of the rating systems used to select historic national champions that is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in its Football Bowl Subdivision record book.

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.

The 1905 Western Conference football season was the tenth season of college football played by the member schools of the Western Conference and was a part of the 1905 college football season.

References

  1. Vautravers, James. "National Championship Foundation" . Retrieved 2022-06-02. They retroactively selected national championships by member vote for every season through 1980, then named national champions every year thereafter through the year 2000. … More bothersome is the fact that for the 1901-1910 seasons, the NCF is easily the worst selector listed in the NCAA Records Book. They frequently select teams that have no business sharing the title, while dismissing truly powerful teams (such as Harvard 1901) completely. Their research for this time appears to be very shoddy, and probably in fact nonexistent. Conclusion: Not considered an authoritative selector.
  2. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2015). "National Poll Rankings" (PDF). NCAA Division I Football Records. NCAA. pp. 105–106. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  3. Christopher J. Walsh (2007). Who's #1?: 100-Plus Years of Controversial National Champions in College Football. Taylor Trade Publishing. p. 20. ISBN   1461734762.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. July 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2021.