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Deciding a college football national champion was a complicated endeavor for decades. The sport implemented the College Football Playoff in 2014 to simplify the process. Only one FBS team (Georgia) has won back-to-back national titles in the College Football Playoff era. Alabama and USC are the only teams that claimed back-to-back national championships during the Bowl Championship Series era that preceded it, beginning in 1998. USC has a rightful claim to the 2003 title despite not playing in the Sugar Bowl (that season's designated national championship game). The Trojans were one of three one-loss teams vying for a spot in the title game but were held out despite finishing No. 1 in the Associated Press and coaches' polls. LSU and Oklahoma played for the national championship that year, with LSU winning the game. But USC remained in the top spot in the final AP poll after beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl. The NCAA recognizes LSU and USC as 2003 co-national champions. USC won a second straight title in 2004, but that championship was vacated due to NCAA violations. Fourteen teams can claim back-to-back national championships since the AP began naming a champion in 1936. Prior to 1936, five teams can claim at least a share of three straight national titles. Here's a look at the major college football teams that have won consecutive national championships. Georgia - 2021, 2022 Alabama - 2011, 2012 Nebraska - 1994, 1995 Alabama - 1978 (co-champion), 1979 Oklahoma - 1974 (co-champion), 1975 Nebraska - 1970 (co-champion), 1971 Texas - 1969, 1970 (co-champion) Michigan State - 1965, 1966 (co-champion both seasons) Alabama - 1964, 1965 (co-champion both seasons) Oklahoma - 1955, 1956 Notre Dame - 1946, 1947 Army - 1944, 1945 Minnesota - 1940, 1941 Minnesota - 1934, 1935, 1936 USC - 1931, 1932 Notre Dame - 1929, 1930 (co-champion) Alabama - 1925, 1926 (co-champion) California - 1920, 1921 (co-champion), 1922 (co-champion) Cornell - 1921 (co-champion), 1922 (co-champion) Harvard - 1912 (co-champion), 1913 Michigan - 1901, 1902, 1903 (co-champion), 1904 (co-champion) Harvard - 1898, 1899 Yale - 1891, 1892 Yale - 1886, 1887, 1888 Yale - 1880 (co-champion), 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884 Princeton - 1878, 1879, 1880 (co-champion) Yale - 1876, 1877 Princeton - 1872, 1873 Princeton - 1869, 1870 Check out the ESPN college football hub page for breaking news, analysis, scores, schedules and more.
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