I originally posted this on CFB, never saw the light of day. Perhaps you all may appreciate it.
This is a superficial examination or listing of NCAA FBS (formerly Div 1-A) National Football Champions over the last 50 years (1970-2019).
Superficial because, at the end of the day, isn’t it of the most importance to know who has won and/or staked claim to a National Championship? And from what Conference?
Fifty years because a) it’s a half century and b) it was at about that time when college football began to integrate.
To the History:
On Nov. 29, 1969, a groundbreaking college football game occurred in the South between black coach Jake Gaither’s all-black Florida A&M Rattlers squad and Fran Curci’s virtually all-white Spartans team of the University of Tampa before a crowd of 45,000, an act of concerted mass integration of a public facility considered to be the first and largest of its kind and of great political import. The Rattlers bested the Spartans 34-28, outplaying and outcoaching them for the win.
And in the standard narrative of integration and college football, another pivotal, and more populist, moment occurred on September 12, 1970, when Paul “Bear” Bryant’s all-white Alabama Crimson Tide squad, the flagship team of the South, was routed, 42-21, on its home field by John McKay’s USC Trojans team starring a black quarterback and fullback named Sam Cunningham, amongst others.
And to add context, colleges and football teams had been integrated before, but these were the moments that shattered the protective bubble of massive resistance that shrouded the South’s most beloved secular Religion, FOOTBALL.
Further, I recognize that the 1970’s also produced scholarship limits of 105, Title IX, and Divisions I, II and III, as well as further Divisions I-A and I-AA and a later scholarship limit of 95. The 1980’s gave us further NCAA regulation, Cable TV, and Sportsmarketing. The 1990’s came up with scholarship limits of 85 and the FBS, the Bowl Coalition, the Bowl Alliance, and the BCS, Bowl Championship Series, and National Championship game. And now in the 2010’s, we have the CFP, College Football Playoff Invitational and National Championship Game.
But it was these moments in 1969 and 1970 that convinced college football fandom of the need for integration, a need for CHANGE.
To the Data:
There have been 59 claimed titles in the last 50 years. So title/s by year/decade aren’t clear cut. So the comparisons that will be made will be based on percentage. Championships by team and by conference, or independents, will be compared for quantity. Titles will also be broken down by decade. There is one exception in 1970 when the Texas Longhorns claimed a title as part of the Southwest Conference, SWC. That one title will be added to the Big8/BigXII numbers.
Information was pulled from this site, https://www.ncaa.com/history/football/fbs.
The Conferences are the SEC, ACC/Big East, Big8/BigXII, PAC10/PAC12, B1G10, and Independents (IND).
To the Decades:
In the 2010’s (2010-2019), national championships were won 60% by the SEC (6 times), 30% by the ACC (3 times), and 10% by the B1G10 (1 time). Claimed Titles total 10.
In the 2000’s (2000-2009), national championships were won 44% by the SEC (5 times), 18% by the BigXII (2 times), 18% by the PAC12 (2 times), 10% by the Big East (1 time), and 10% by the B1G10 (1 time). Claimed Titles total 11.
In the 1990’s (1990-1999), national championships were won 31% by the ACC/Big East (4 times), 31% by the Big8/BigXII (4 times), 22% by the SEC (3 times), 8% by the PAC10 (1 time), and 8% by the B1G10 (1 time). Claimed Titles total 13.
In the 1980’s (1980-1989), national championships were won 70% by the IND (7 times), 10% by SEC(1 time), 10% by the Big8 (1 time), and 10% by the ACC (1 time). Claimed Titles total 10.
In the 1970’s (1970-1979), national championships were won 33% by the Big8 (5 times), 20% by the SEC (3 times), 20% by IND (3 times), 20% by the PAC10 (3 times), and 7% by the B1G10 (1 time). Claimed Titles total 15.
To the Conferences/Teams:
Of 59 total National Championships claimed in the last 50 years (1970-2019), 31% were claimed by the SEC (18 times), 20% were claimed by the Big8/BigXII (12 times), 17% were claimed by IND (10 times), 15% were claimed by the ACC/Big East (9 times), 10% were claimed by the PAC10/12 (6 times), and 7% were claimed by the B1G10 (4 times).
The SEC had 6 teams win; Alabama (9), Florida (3), LSU (3), Auburn (1), Tennessee (1), and Georgia (1).
The Big8/BigXII/SWC had 4 teams; Nebraska(5), Oklahoma (4), Texas (2), and Colorado (1). Nebraska and Colorado have not won it as members of the B1G10 and PAC12, respectively.
The IND(ependents) had 5 teams win; Miami (3), Notre Dame (3), Penn State (2), BYU (1), and Pitt (1). Penn State has not won it as a member of the B1G10. Miami has won as part of thr Big East and ACC, 1 each.
The ACC/Big East had 4 teams win; Florida State (3), Clemson (3), Miami (2), and Georgia Tech(1). The ACC has not won it in the 2000’s, Miami was Big East.
The PAC10/PAC12 had 2 teams; USC (5), and Washington (1). No PAC12 has won it yet.
The B1G10 has 2 teams, tOSU (3), and Michigan (1).
If all things were equal, each of the six conference groups would be at 16.67 or 17%.
To the Conclusion:
Under this observation using a sliding grade scale, the SEC have been good; the BigXII and IND(ependents) have been average; the ACC and PAC12 have been fair; and the B1G10 have been poor. No one has been excellent.
For all of you that like to boast about your conference, or team, now you can do so with data behind it and a little bit of history!
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