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Games that decided the national championship through the years...
Posted on 2/8/25 at 12:36 pm
Posted on 2/8/25 at 12:36 pm
I'm bored and decided to find games on YouTube that decided the national championship of college football through the years. Some are full games, some are partial, all are historical. The stipulation for this list is that it has to be a game where, should either team have won, they likely would have captured at least a share of the national championship. So games like the 1981 Sugar Bowl where #1 Georgia faced off against #7 Notre Dame do not qualify.
POLL ERA
1944 #1 Army vs. #2 Navy
1963 Rose Bowl - #1 USC vs. #2 Wisconsin
1964 Cotton Bowl - #1 Texas vs. #2 Navy
1966 Orange Bowl - #3 Nebraska vs. #4 Alabama
1966 #1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Michigan State
1968 Rose Bowl - #1 Ohio State vs. #2 USC
1969 #1 Texas vs. #2 Arkansas
1971 #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Oklahoma
1972 Orange Bowl - #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Alabama
1973 Rose Bowl - #1 USC vs. #3 Ohio State
1973 Sugar Bowl - #1 Alabama vs. #3 Notre Dame
1975 Rose Bowl - #3 Ohio State vs. #5 USC
1976 Orange Bowl - #3 Oklahoma vs. #5 Michigan
1978 Cotton Bowl - #1 Texas vs. #5 Notre Dame
1979 Sugar Bowl - #1 Penn State vs. #2 Alabama
1983 Sugar Bowl - #1 Georgia vs. #2 Penn State
1984 Orange Bowl - #1 Nebraska vs. #5 Miami
1986 Orange Bowl - #1 Penn State vs. #3 Oklahoma
1987 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Penn State
1988 Orange Bowl - #1 Oklahoma vs. #2 Miami
1989 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Notre Dame vs. #3 West Virginia
1991 Orange Bowl - #1 Colorado vs. #5 Notre Dame
1993 Sugar Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Alabama
1994 Orange Bowl - #1 Florida State vs. #2 Nebraska
1996 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Florida
1997 Sugar Bowl - #1 Florida State vs. #3 Florida
BCS ERA
1999 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Tennessee vs. #2 Florida State
2000 Sugar Bowl - #1 Florida State vs. #2 Virginia Tech
2001 Orange Bowl - #1 Oklahoma vs. #2 Florida State
2002 Rose Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Nebraska
2003 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Ohio State
2004 Sugar Bowl - #1 Oklahoma vs. #2 LSU
2005 Orange Bowl - #1 USC vs. #2 Oklahoma
2006 Rose Bowl - #1 USC vs. #2 Texas
2007 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Ohio State vs. #2 Florida
2008 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Ohio State vs. #2 LSU
2009 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Florida vs. #2 Oklahoma
2010 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Texas
2011 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Auburn vs. #2 Oregon
2012 BCS National Championship Game - #1 LSU vs. #2 Alabama
2013 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Alabama
2014 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Florida State vs. #2 Auburn
CFP ERA
2015 CFP National Championship Game - #2 Oregon vs. #4 Ohio State
2016 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Clemson vs. #2 Alabama
2017 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Clemson
2018 CFP National Championship Game - #3 Georgia vs. #4 Alabama
2019 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Clemson
2020 CFP National Championship Game - #1 LSU vs. #3 Clemson
2021 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #3 Ohio State
2022 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Georgia
2023 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Georgia vs. #3 TCU
2024 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Michigan vs. #2 Washington
2025 CFP National Championship Game - #7 Notre Dame vs. #8 Ohio State
POLL ERA
1944 #1 Army vs. #2 Navy
1963 Rose Bowl - #1 USC vs. #2 Wisconsin
1964 Cotton Bowl - #1 Texas vs. #2 Navy
1966 Orange Bowl - #3 Nebraska vs. #4 Alabama
1966 #1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Michigan State
1968 Rose Bowl - #1 Ohio State vs. #2 USC
1969 #1 Texas vs. #2 Arkansas
1971 #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Oklahoma
1972 Orange Bowl - #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Alabama
1973 Rose Bowl - #1 USC vs. #3 Ohio State
1973 Sugar Bowl - #1 Alabama vs. #3 Notre Dame
1975 Rose Bowl - #3 Ohio State vs. #5 USC
1976 Orange Bowl - #3 Oklahoma vs. #5 Michigan
1978 Cotton Bowl - #1 Texas vs. #5 Notre Dame
1979 Sugar Bowl - #1 Penn State vs. #2 Alabama
1983 Sugar Bowl - #1 Georgia vs. #2 Penn State
1984 Orange Bowl - #1 Nebraska vs. #5 Miami
1986 Orange Bowl - #1 Penn State vs. #3 Oklahoma
1987 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Penn State
1988 Orange Bowl - #1 Oklahoma vs. #2 Miami
1989 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Notre Dame vs. #3 West Virginia
1991 Orange Bowl - #1 Colorado vs. #5 Notre Dame
1993 Sugar Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Alabama
1994 Orange Bowl - #1 Florida State vs. #2 Nebraska
1996 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Nebraska vs. #2 Florida
1997 Sugar Bowl - #1 Florida State vs. #3 Florida
BCS ERA
1999 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Tennessee vs. #2 Florida State
2000 Sugar Bowl - #1 Florida State vs. #2 Virginia Tech
2001 Orange Bowl - #1 Oklahoma vs. #2 Florida State
2002 Rose Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Nebraska
2003 Fiesta Bowl - #1 Miami vs. #2 Ohio State
2004 Sugar Bowl - #1 Oklahoma vs. #2 LSU
2005 Orange Bowl - #1 USC vs. #2 Oklahoma
2006 Rose Bowl - #1 USC vs. #2 Texas
2007 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Ohio State vs. #2 Florida
2008 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Ohio State vs. #2 LSU
2009 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Florida vs. #2 Oklahoma
2010 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Texas
2011 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Auburn vs. #2 Oregon
2012 BCS National Championship Game - #1 LSU vs. #2 Alabama
2013 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Notre Dame vs. #2 Alabama
2014 BCS National Championship Game - #1 Florida State vs. #2 Auburn
CFP ERA
2015 CFP National Championship Game - #2 Oregon vs. #4 Ohio State
2016 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Clemson vs. #2 Alabama
2017 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Clemson
2018 CFP National Championship Game - #3 Georgia vs. #4 Alabama
2019 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Clemson
2020 CFP National Championship Game - #1 LSU vs. #3 Clemson
2021 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #3 Ohio State
2022 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Alabama vs. #2 Georgia
2023 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Georgia vs. #3 TCU
2024 CFP National Championship Game - #1 Michigan vs. #2 Washington
2025 CFP National Championship Game - #7 Notre Dame vs. #8 Ohio State
8
Posted on 2/8/25 at 12:40 pm to RollTide1987
Better thread would have been non-championship games that ultimately decided the national championship.
Would have allowed for a discussion
Would have allowed for a discussion
Posted on 2/8/25 at 12:46 pm to RollTide1987
1989 Alabama?
1990 Georgia Tech?
1990 Georgia Tech?
Posted on 2/8/25 at 12:51 pm to MizzouTrue
quote:
1989 Alabama?
Alabama was on the outside looking in at the end of the '89 season.
quote:
1990 Georgia Tech?
See the rules in the thread. Nebraska had no shot at winning a share of the national championship had they beaten Georgia Tech in their bowl game.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 1:30 pm to The Eric
quote:
Better thread would have been non-championship games that ultimately decided the national championship. Would have allowed for a discussion
WVU/Pitt 2007
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:07 pm to RollTide1987
How did the 63 Rose and 64 Cotton decide anything when both the AP and Coaches had already voted?
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:11 pm to RollTide1987
Also the 96 Fiesta and 97 Sugar were Bowl Alliance which had its own trophy.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:16 pm to GoGators1995
quote:
How did the 63 Rose and 64 Cotton decide anything when both the AP and Coaches had already voted?
The FWAA and NFF are major selectors and traditionally awarded their trophies AFTER the bowl games.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:19 pm to TackySweater
quote:Pitt was this close to the title that year.
WVU/Pitt 2007
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:21 pm to GoGators1995
quote:
Also the 96 Fiesta and 97 Sugar were Bowl Alliance which had its own trophy.
Yes and no.
I included the Bowl Coalition/Alliance in the "Poll Era" because there was still controversy surrounding some of those titles.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:27 pm to RollTide1987
Those don't count though according to Bama.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 2:28 pm to RollTide1987
quote:
Yes and no.
No what, exactly?
Posted on 2/8/25 at 4:07 pm to GoGators1995
quote:
No what, exactly?
Well, they didn't come with their own trophy for starters. The CFP was the first iteration of the national championship to produce its own trophy. Prior to that, the BCS awarded the Coaches Trophy and the Bowl Coalition/Alliance trusted that one of the two major selectors would make the winner of the game their national champion for the calendar year.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 4:08 pm to GoGators1995
quote:
Those don't count though according to Bama.
Oh, really? I have failed to see where The University of Alabama has denied Ohio State's ability to claim 1961 or Arkansas's ability to claim 1964.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 4:38 pm to RollTide1987
1959 LSU vs Tennessee. LSU wins that they finish the regular season undefeated and went back to back. Yes they lost the Sugar Bowl that season to Ole Miss but obviously Champions were decided before the bowls
Posted on 2/8/25 at 7:38 pm to RollTide1987
quote:
Well, they didn't come with their own trophy for starters. The CFP was the first iteration of the national championship to produce its own trophy.
False. We have one and so does Nebraska.
Also do you even NCAA 97, bro? It was literally subtitled The Road to New Orleans.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 7:39 pm to RollTide1987
Y'all always complain about Arkansas' 1964 claim on SEC Rant. "Both trophies are in Tuscaloosa so suck it!" Don't play dumb. 
Posted on 2/8/25 at 9:11 pm to GoGators1995
quote:
False. We have one and so does Nebraska.
Yes. You have what is called the AFCA Coaches' Trophy. It looks something like this:
When Nebraska won it in 1995 and Florida in 1996, it was better known as the Sears Trophy. Bottom line, the Coaches have been awarding this trophy in its current form since the mid-80s.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 9:14 pm to GoGators1995
quote:
Y'all always complain about Arkansas' 1964 claim on SEC Rant. "Both trophies are in Tuscaloosa so suck it!" Don't play dumb.
Frankly I don't care.
Posted on 2/8/25 at 9:15 pm to RollTide1987
That's not the Bowl Alliance trophy that UF and Nebraska have but cool story I guess?
You're welcome.
You're welcome.
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