It is not every year you see an undefeated national champion in college football. Part of why we love college football is because every game matters. One loss in October could ruin a team’s championship hopes and dreams.
There have been 28 undefeated national champions in college football since 1980. This list includes USC’s vacated national title.
Nebraska, Miami and Alabama have each had three undefeated national championship teams since 1980. The Georgia Bulldogs are joined by several other schools with two undefeated national championship teams over the past 40-plus years.
Can you remember every undefeated college football national champion since 1980?
1980: Georgia Bulldogs
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Georgia 17, Notre Dame 10 (Sugar Bowl)
1981: Clemson Tigers
1984: BYU Cougars
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: BYU 24, Michigan 17 (Holiday Bowl)
1986: Penn State Nittany Lions
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Penn State 14, Miami 10 (Fiesta Bowl)
1987: Miami Hurricanes
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Miami 20, Oklahoma 14 (Orange Bowl)
1988: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Notre Dame 34, West Virginia 21 (Fiesta Bowl)
1990: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Record: 11-0-1
Bowl game: Georgia Tech 45, Nebraska 21 (Citrus Bowl)
1991: Washington Huskies
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Washington 34, Michigan 14 (Rose Bowl)
1991: Miami Hurricanes
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Miami 22, Nebraska 0 (Orange Bowl)
1992: Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Alabama 34, Miami 13 (Sugar Bowl)
1994: Nebraska Cornhuskers
1995: Nebraksa Cornhuskers
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Nebraska 64, Florida 24 (Fiesta Bowl)
1997: Michigan Wolverines
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Michigan 21, Washington State 16 (Rose Bowl)
1997: Nebraksa Cornhuskers
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Nebraska 42, Tennessee 17 (Orange Bowl)
1998: Tennssee Volunteers
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Tennessee 23, Florida State 16 (BCS national championship)
1999: Florida State Seminoles
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Florida State 46, Virginia Tech 29 (BCS national championship)
2000: Oklahoma Sooners
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Oklahoma 13, Florida State 2 (BCS national championship)
2001: Miami Hurricanes
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Miami 37, Nebraska 14 (BCS national championship)
2002: Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 14-0
Bowl game: Ohio State 31, Miami 24 (BCS national championship)
2004: USC Trojans (vacated)
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: USC 55, Oklahoma 19 (BCS national championship)
2005: Texas Longhorns
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Texas 41, USC 38 (BCS national championship)
2009: Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 14-0
Bowl game: Alabama 37, Texas 21 (BCS national championship)
2010: Auburn Tigers
Record: 14-0
Bowl game: Auburn 22, Oregon 19 (BCS national championship)
2013: Florida State Seminoles
Record: 14-0
Bowl game: Florida State 34, Auburn 31 (BCS national championship)
2018: Clemson Tigers
Record: 15-0
Bowl game: Clemson 44, Alabama 16 (College Football Playoff national championship)
2019: LSU Tigers
Record: 15-0
Bowl game: LSU 42, Clemson 25 (CFP national championship)
2020: Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Alabama 52, Ohio State 24 (CFP national championship)
2022: Georgia Bulldogs
Record: 15-0
Bowl game: Georgia 65, TCU 7 (CFP national championship)
