College Football National Championship

College Football National Championship
Name	College Football National Championship
Founded	1936
Most champs	Alabama Crimson Tide (claimed)
Current champion	Michigan Wolverines
Current season	2023

College Football National Championship. The title awarded annually to the top NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision team in the United States. Unlike other major North American sports, the champion is not determined by a single, unified playoff system for most of its history, leading to various selectors and postseason bowls naming winners. The modern era is defined by the College Football Playoff, a four-team tournament established in 2014, though its format is scheduled to expand.

History

The concept of a national champion dates to the late 19th century, with early titles often retroactively awarded by historical selectors like the Helms Athletic Foundation. The Associated Press poll, first published in 1936, became a primary authority, with its final ranking crowning an unofficial champion. This era saw dynasties like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish under Knute Rockne and the Army Black Knights of the 1940s. The Bowl Championship Series, implemented for the 1998 season, created a title game between the top two ranked teams, merging the traditional Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl system with computer rankings. This system was replaced by the College Football Playoff in 2014, marking a shift to a multi-team tournament format.

Selection process

For decades, the selection process relied on subjective polls, most notably the AP Poll and the Coaches' Poll. The Bowl Coalition and later the Bowl Alliance in the 1990s attempted to create more definitive title matchups before the Bowl Championship Series formalized a process using a complex average of human polls and computer rankings like the Anderson & Hester and Colley Matrix. The current College Football Playoff uses a selection committee, composed of athletic directors and former coaches, to rank teams and choose the four participants. This committee considers strength of schedule, conference championships won, head-to-head results, and other criteria, sparking annual debate over its choices.

Championship games

Championship games have been staged in various iconic NFL and neutral-site venues. Under the Bowl Championship Series, the title game rotated among host bowls like the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. Memorable contests include the 2006 Rose Bowl between the Texas Longhorns and USC Trojans and the 2013 BCS National Championship Game featuring the Alabama Crimson Tide and Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Since 2015, the College Football Playoff National Championship has been a standalone event at sites such as Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The 2018 title game, a thrilling overtime victory for the Alabama Crimson Tide over the Georgia Bulldogs, is a modern classic.

Trophy

The premier trophy awarded to the champion is the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy, a gold football made by Tiffany & Co. that stands 26.5 inches tall. Prior trophies included the AFCA National Championship Trophy, presented by the American Football Coaches Association to the Coaches' Poll winner, and the AP national championship plaque. The iconic Waterford Crystal football trophy was associated with the Bowl Championship Series. Individual programs often commission their own trophies to commemorate titles, such as the Alabama Crimson Tide's stadium signage and the Clemson Tigers' Howard's Rock celebrations.

Media coverage

National championship games are among the highest-rated television events annually. The Bowl Championship Series games were broadcast on Fox and ABC, while the College Football Playoff is under a long-term contract with ESPN. The College Football Playoff National Championship consistently draws over 20 million viewers, with the semifinal games airing on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Radio coverage is extensive through networks like Westwood One. The rise of social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram has transformed fan engagement, with real-time commentary from figures like Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard.

Controversies

The lack of a playoff system historically generated major controversies, such as the split national championship in 1997 between the Michigan Wolverines and Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Bowl Championship Series was frequently criticized for excluding undefeated teams from non-power conferences, exemplified by the 2004 Auburn Tigers and 2009 TCU Horned Frogs. The subjective nature of the College Football Playoff selection committee's decisions annually sparks debate, notably the exclusion of the 2014 TCU Horned Frogs and 2017 UCF Knights. Ongoing debates concern the proposed expansion of the playoff, the influence of the Power Five conferences, and the role of Name, Image and Likeness policies in competitive balance.

Category:American football trophies and awards Category:NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Category:College football competitions in the United States