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
1987: Miami Hurricanes
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Miami 20, Oklahoma 14 (Orange Bowl)
1988: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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
1994: Nebraska Cornhuskers
1995: Nebraksa Cornhuskers
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Nebraska 64, Florida 24 (Fiesta Bowl)
1997: Michigan Wolverines
1997: Nebraksa Cornhuskers
Record: 13-0
Bowl game: Nebraska 42, Tennessee 17 (Orange Bowl)
1998: Tennssee Volunteers
1999: Florida State Seminoles
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Florida State 46, Virginia Tech 29 (BCS national championship)
2000: Oklahoma Sooners
2001: Miami Hurricanes
Record: 12-0
Bowl game: Miami 37, Nebraska 14 (BCS national championship)
2002: Ohio State Buckeyes
2004: USC Trojans (vacated)
2005: Texas Longhorns
2009: Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 14-0
Bowl game: Alabama 37, Texas 21 (BCS national championship)
2010: Auburn Tigers
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
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)