NCAA Division I-A Football National Champions

Unlike all other sports sponsored by the NCAA (or for that matter, all other divisions of NCAA football), Division I-A does not have a tournament to determine its national champion. Also, there have been a variety of sources used to determine the "national champion" (see Poll Legend) All national champions before 1936 are retroactively awarded, as contemporary polling did not begin until the 1936 season.

Poll Legend

 * H- Helms Athletic Foundation
 * D- Dickinson System
 * AP- Associated Press
 * UPI- United Press
 * CNN- USA Today/CNN
 * ESPN- USA Today/ESPN
 * BCS- Bowl Champion Series Champion (USA Today/ESPN poll required to vote for BCS winner)