National Champions

The annual winners of the Associated Press college football poll's top ranking with final records. Prior to 1968, with the exception of 1965, the final poll was released before the bowl games. How each team fared in those seasons is listed after the record.
2009-Alabama (14-0)
2008-Florida (13-1)
2007-LSU (12-2)
2006-Florida (13-1)
2005-Texas (13-0)
2004-Southern Cal (13-0)
2003-Southern Cal (12-1)
2002-Ohio State (14-0)
2001-Miami (12-0)
2000-Oklahoma (13-0)
1999-Florida State (12-0)
1998-Tennessee (13-0)
1997-Michigan (12-0)
1996-Florida (12-1)
1995-Nebraska (12-0)
1994-Nebraska (13-0)
1993-Florida State (12-1)
1992-Alabama (13-0)
1991-Miami (12-0)
1990-Colorado (11-1-1)
1989-Miami (11-1)
1988-Notre Dame (12-0)
1987-Miami (12-0)
1986-Penn St. (12-0)
1985-Oklahoma (11-1)
1984-Brigham Young (13-0)
1983-Miami (11-1)
1982-Penn St. (11-1)
1981-Clemson (12-0)
1980-Georgia (12-0)
1979-Alabama (12-0)
1978-Alabama (11-1)
1977-Notre Dame (11-1)
1976-Pittsburgh (12-0)
1975-Oklahoma (11-1)
1974-Oklahoma (11-0)
1973-Notre Dame (11-0)
1972-Southern Cal (12-0)
1971-Nebraska (13-0)
1970-Nebraska (11-0-1)
1969-Texas (11-0)
1968-Ohio St. (10-0)
1967-Southern Cal (9-1) def. Indiana 14-3 in the Rose Bowl.
1966-Notre Dame (9-0-1) did not play.
1965-Alabama (9-1-1)
1964-Alabama (10-0) lost to Texas 21-17 in the Orange Bowl.
1963-Texas (10-0) def. Navy 28-6 in the Cotton Bowl.
1962-Southern Cal (10-0) def. Wisconsin 42-37 in the Rose Bowl.
1961-Alabama (10-0) def. Arkansas 10-3 in the Sugar Bowl.
1960-Minnesota (8-1) lost to Washington 17-7 Rose Bowl.
1959-Syracuse (10-0) def. Texas 23-14 in the Cotton Bowl.
1958-LSU (10-0) def. Clemson 7-0 in the Sugar Bowl.
1957-Auburn (10-0) did not play.
1956-Oklahoma (10-0) did not play.
1955-Oklahoma (10-0) def. Maryland 20-6 in the Orange Bowl.
1954-Ohio St. (9-0) def. Southern Cal 20-7 in the Rose Bowl.
1953-Maryland (10-0) lost to Oklahoma 7-0 in the Orange Bowl.
1952-Michigan St. (9-0) did not play.
1951-Tennessee (10-0) lost to Maryland 28-13 in the Sugar Bowl.
1950-Oklahoma (10-0) lost to Kentucky 13-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
1949-Notre Dame (9-0) def. Southern Methodist 27-20 in final regular season game.
1948-Michigan (9-0) did not play.
1947-Notre Dame (9-0) did not play.
1946-Notre Dame (8-0-1) did not play.
1945-Army (9-0) did not play.
1944-Army (9-0) did not play.
1943-Notre Dame (9-1) did not play.
1942-Ohio St. (9-1) did not play.
1941-Minnesota (8-0) did not play.
1940-Minnesota (8-0) did not play.
1939-Texas A&M (10-0) def. Tulane 14-13 in the Sugar Bowl.
1938-Texas Christian (10-0) def. Carnegie Tech 15-7 in the Sugar Bowl.
1937-Pittsburgh (9-0-1) did not play.
1936-Minnesota (7-1) did not play.