Record and AP final ranking | Notes
| Season | Team | Previous | Next |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Michigan | 13-1 / #3 | TBD |
| 2022 | Georgia | 14-1 / #1 | 13-1 / #4 |
| 2021 | Georgia | 8-2 / #7 | 15-0 / #1 |
| 2020 | Alabama | 11-2 / #8 | 13-2 / #2 |
| 2019 | LSU | 10-3 / #6 | 5-5 / NR |
| 2018 | Clemson | 12-2 / #4 | 14-1 / #2 |
| 2017 | Alabama | 14-1 / #2 | 14-1 / #2 |
| 2016 | Clemson | 14-1 / #2 | 12-2 / #4 |
| 2015 | Alabama | 12-2 / #4 | 14-1 / #2 |
| 2014 | Ohio State | 12-2 / #12 | 12-1 / #4 |
| 2013 | Florida State | 12-2 / #10 | 13-1 / #5 |
| 2012 | Alabama | 12-1 / #1 | 11-2 / #7 |
| 2011 | Alabama | 10-3 / #10 | 13-1 / #1 |
| 2010 | Auburn | 8-5 / NR | 8-5 / NR |
| 2009 | Alabama | 12-2 / #6 | 10-3 / #10 |
| 2008 | Florida | 9-4 / #13 | 13-1 / #3 |
| 2007 | LSU | 11-2 / #3 | 8-5 / NR |
| 2006 | Florida | 9-3 / #12 | 9-4 / #13 |
| 2005 | Texas | 11-1 / #5 | 10-3 / #13 |
| 2004 | USC | 12-1 / #1 | 12-1 / #2 |
| 2003 | USC | 11-2 / #4 | 13-0 / #1 |
| 2002 | Ohio State | 7-5 / NR | 11-2 / #4 |
| 2001 | Miami (FL) | 11-1 / #2 | 12-1 / #2 |
| 2000 | Oklahoma | 7-5 / NR | 11-2 / #6 |
| 1999 | Florida State | 11-2 / #3 | 11-2 / #5 |
| 1998 | Tennessee | 11-2 / #7 | 9-3 / #9 |
| 1997 | Michigan | 8-4 / #20 | 10-3 / #12 |
| 1996 | Florida | 12-1 / #2 | 10-2 / #4 |
| 1995 | Nebraska | 13-0 / #1 | 11-2 / #6 |
| 1994 | Nebraska | 11-1 / #3 | 12-0 / #1 |
| 1993 | Florida State | 11-1 / #2 | 10-1-1 / #4 |
| 1992 | Alabama | 11-1 / #5 | 9-3-1 / #14 |
| 1991 | Miami (FL) | 10-2 / #3 | 11-1 / #3 |
| 1990 | Colorado | 11-1 / #4 | 8-3-1 / #20 |
| 1989 | Miami (FL) | 11-1 / #2 | 10-2 / #3 |
| 1988 | Notre Dame | 8-4 / #17 | 12-1 / #2 |
| 1987 | Miami (FL) | 11-1 / #2 | 11-1 / #2 |
| 1986 | Penn State | 11-1 / #3 | 8-4 / NR |
| 1985 | Oklahoma | 9-2-1 / #6 | 11-1 / #3 |
| 1984 | BYU | 11-1 / #7 | 11-3 / #16 |
| 1983 | Miami (FL) | 7-4 / NR | 8-5 / #18 |
| 1982 | Penn State | 10-2 / #3 | 8-4-1 / NR |
| 1981 | Clemson | 6-5 / NR | 9-1-1 / #8 |
| 1980 | Georgia | 6-5 / NR | 10-2 / #6 |
| 1979 | Alabama | 11-1 / #1 | 10-2 / #6 |
| 1978 | Alabama | 11-1 / #2 | 12-0 / #1 |
| 1977 | Notre Dame | 9-3 / #12 | 9-3 / #7 |
| 1976 | Pittsburgh | 8-4 / #15 | 9-2-1 / #8 |
| 1975 | Oklahoma | 11-0 / #1 | 9-2-1 / #5 |
| 1974 | Oklahoma | 10-0-1 / #3 | 11-1 / #1 |
| 1973 | Notre Dame | 8-3 / #14 | 10-2 / #6 |
| 1972 | USC | 6-4-1 / #20 | 9-2-1 / #8 |
| 1971 | Nebraska | 11-0-1 / #1 | 9-2-1 / #4 |
| 1970 | Nebraska | 9-2 / #11 | 13-0 / #1 |
| 1969 | Texas | 9-1-1 / #3 | 10-1 / #3 |
| 1968 | Ohio State | 6-3 / NR | 8-1 / #4 |
| 1967 | USC | 7-4 / NR | 9-1-1 / #4 |
| 1966 | Notre Dame | 7-2-1 / #9 | 8-2 / #5 |
| 1965 | Alabama | 10-1 / #1 | 11-0 / #3 |
| 1964 | Alabama | 9-2 / #8 | 9-1-1 / #1 |
| 1963 | Texas | 9-1-1 / #4 | 10-1 / #5 |
| 1962 | USC | 4-5-1 / NR | 7-3 / NR |
| 1961 | Alabama | 8-1-2 / #9 | 10-1 / #5 |
| 1960 | Minnesota | 2-7 / NR | 8-2 / #6 |
| 1959 | Syracuse | 8-2 / #9 | 7-2 / #19 |
| 1958 | LSU | 5-5 / NR | 9-2 / #3 |
| 1957 | Auburn | 7-3 / NR | 9-0-1 / #4 |
| 1956 | Oklahoma | 11-0 / #1 | 10-1 / #4 |
| 1955 | Oklahoma | 10-0 / #3 | 10-0 / #1 |
| 1954 | Ohio State | 6-3 / NR | 7-2 / #5 |
| 1953 | Maryland | 7-2 / #13 | 7-2-1 / #8 |
| 1952 | Michigan State | 9-0 / #2 | 9-1 / #3 |
| 1951 | Tennessee | 11-1 / #4 | 8-2-1 / #8 |
| 1950 | Oklahoma | 11-0 / #2 | 8-2 / #10 |
| 1949 | Notre Dame | 9-0-1 / #2 | 4-4-1 / NR |
| 1948 | Michigan | 10-0 / #2 | 6-2-1 / #7 |
| 1947 | Notre Dame | 8-0-1 / #1 | 9-0-1 / #2 |
| 1946 | Notre Dame | 7-2-1 / #9 | 9-0 / #1 |
| 1945 | Army | 9-0 / #1 | 9-0-1 / #2 |
| 1944 | Army | 7-2-1 / #11 | 9-0 / #1 |
| 1943 | Notre Dame | 7-2-2 / #6 | 8-2 / #9 |
| 1942 | Ohio State | 6-1-1 / #13 | 3-6 / NR |
| 1941 | Minnesota | 8-0 / #1 | 5-4 / #19 |
| 1940 | Minnesota | 3-4-1 / NR | 8-0 / #1 |
| 1939 | Texas A&M | 4-4-1 / NR | 9-1 / #6 |
| 1938 | TCU | 4-4-2 / #16 | 3-7 / NR |
| 1937 | Pittsburgh | 8-1-1 / #3 | 8-2 / #8 |
| 1936 | Minnesota | 8-0 / N/A | 6-2 / #5 |