Alabama won its sixth national championship under Nick Saban with a 52-24 victory against defending national champion Alabama in the College Football Playoff championship game Monday.
Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith had 12 receptions for 215 yards and three TDs. Mac Jones passed for 464 yards and five TDs, and running back Najee Harris totaled 158 all-purpose yards with three TDs.
Alabama won its third national title of the College Football Playoff era and continued its long-running dynasty under Saban.
So who is next? When did your school last win a national championship in the Poll Era, which began in 1936 when the Associated Press awarded Minnesota with a national championship? The AFCA National Championship Trophy (1945) and Grantland Rice Trophy (1954) also have been used to determine national championships in the past.
Here’s a closer look at all those national championship teams since then:
Alabama (2020)
Alabama won its sixth national championship under Nick Saban and 18th as a program with a 52-24 win against Ohio State in the 2021College Football Playoff national championship game. Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith led a cast that included six consensus All-Americans.
LSU (2019)
Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow led LSU to its fourth national championship in a convincing 42-25 victory over defending national champ Clemson in the College Football Playoff championship game in New Orleans. Burrow passed for 463 yards and five TDs in the victory.
Clemson (2018)
Clemson beat Alabama 44-16 in the 2019 College Football Playoff championship game to become the first team to finish 15-0 since 1897. That gave the Tigers two national championships in three seasons under Dabo Swinney.
Ohio State (2014)
Urban Meyer led the Buckeyes to a victory in the first College Football Playoff national championship game against Oregon. The Buckeyes won 42-20 for the program’s first national title since 2002.
The Seminoles, led by Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, beat Auburn forthe final BCS championship, 34-31. Jimbo Fisher gave the program its first national title since 1999.
Auburn (2010)
Cam Newton’s unbelievable season propelled Auburn to the national championship in 2010. Newton led the Tigers to a perfect season and a 22-19 win against Oregon in the BCS championship game.
Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer helped lead the Gators to their second national championship in three seasons. The Gators beat Oklahoma 24-14 in the BCS championship game.
Texas (2005)
Vince Young’s transcendent performance in the 2006 Rose Bowl led the Longhorns to a 41-38 victory against USC. Mack Brown delivered a national championship to the program with an undefeated season.
USC (2004)
This national championship was vacated by the Coaches Poll and BCS, but it still happened on the field. USC, led by Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, beat Oklahoma 55-19. The Trojans also won the AP national championship in 2003.
Miami (Fla.) (2001)
The Hurricanes enjoyed a 12-0 season and dominated Nebraska 37-14 in the Rose Bowl. That gave the program its fifth national championship since 1983.
Oklahoma (2000)
Oklahoma won the national championship in Bob Stoops’ second season, defeating Florida State 13-2 in the BCS championship game.
Tennessee (1998)
Tennessee kicked off the Bowl Championship Series era with an undefeated season under Phillip Fulmer. The Volunteers defeated Florida State 23-16 in the Fiesta Bowl to win that national championship.
Michigan (1997)
Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson and coach Lloyd Carr guided the Wolverines to a 12-0 season and a 21-16 victory against Washington State in the Rose Bowl, winning the AP national title.
Nebraska (1997)
Nebraska earned a split of the national championship in 1997 in Tom Osborne’s final season. The Cornhuskers finished 13-0 and defeated Tennessee 42-17 in the Orange Bowl. Nebraska won the Coaches Poll as a result.
Washington (1991)
Washington, led by Steve Emtman and a nasty defense, won the Coaches Poll in 1991 after an undefeated season capped, by a 34-14 victory against Michigan in the Rose Bowl. That gave Don James his first national championship.
Colorado (1990)
Colorado lost early in the season to Illinois, but the Buffaloes bounced back to win the rest of their games for the AP national championship. Colorado beat Notre Dame 10-9 in the Orange Bowl, a game best remembered for the clipping call on Raghib Ismail’s punt return for a touchdown in the final minute.
Georgia Tech (1990)
Bobby Ross guided the Yellow Jackets to the Coaches Poll national championship in 1990 after an 11-0-1 season that Yellow Jackets capped with a 45-21 victory against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
Notre Dame (1988)
Lou Holtz led the Irish to an undefeated season, with the marquee victory a 31-30 victory against Miami(Fla.)in South Bend in the regular season. Notre Dame beat West Virginia 34-21 in the Fiesta Bowl to cap a 12-0 season.
The Nittany Lions finished 12-0 to give Joe Paterno a second national championship. Penn State capped the season with a 14-10 victory against Miami (Fla.)in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl.
BYU (1984)
The Cougars enjoyed a fantastic season in 1984 under LaVell Edwards and Robbie Bosco. BYU is the last Group of 5 school to win a national title, and they did that with a 24-17 win against Michigan in the Holiday Bowl.
Georgia (1980)
Georgia, led by freshman phenom Herschel Walker, embarked on a perfect 12-0 season under coach Vince Dooley that ended with a 17-10 victory against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
Pittsburgh (1976)
The Panthers, led by Johnny Majors and Tony Dorsett, won the national championship after a 12-0 season that featured a 27-3 win against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
