Fans of every school love to debate which team has the most national championships, and which titles "count" the most in terms of prestige; of course, fans also like to bitch and moan about their teams getting screwed out of national championships (Penn State, 1994, comes immediately to mind). Even the schools themselves get into the mix, often claiming titles that are not generally "recognized" by the college football intelligentsia (Ohio State, for example, for the years 1961 and 1970).
Of course, the two main polls are the AP (college football writers) and the coaches' poll, which has been run by a number of organizations (currently, ESPN / USAToday). Of course, the two organizations don't always agree; and for several years, they cast their respective polls prior to the bowl games, which were once thought to be mere exhibitions whose results shouldn't be counted toward a team's final record. To complicate the problem further, the two major polls haven't been in existence for the same number of years (AP: 1934, 1936-present; coaches': 1935, 1950-present). For these reasons, there have been "consensus" national champs only 41 times during the 73 years since the advent of the AP poll in 1934.
I have come up with a method to try to weigh each championship to determine which program has been the most successful during the era of the major polls. I have awarded 1 point for every consensus national championship (both AP and coaches'); 3/4 of a point for every AP championship prior to 1950 (the year that the coaches' poll began to "compete" with the AP poll); and 1/2 point for each "split" championship (either AP or coaches'). To adjust for pre-bowl game titles that were awarded to schools who ultimately lost their bowl games (or didn't play in one), I have subtracted a quarter point for each title awarded (for example, Alabama in 1964, which won both the AP and coaches' polls, but lost their bowl game); points subtracted from the poll winners have been given to the team that is generally recognized as being the post-bowl champs.
AP = Associated Press
CP = coaches' poll
CC = consensus championship
PB = post-bowl adjustment
Here's the complete list of schools:
Notre Dame
1943: AP +0.75
1946: AP +0.75
1947: AP +0.75
1947: PB -0.25 (no bowl game; Michigan routed USC in Rose Bowl)
1949: AP +0.75
1953: PB +0.50 (consensus champ Maryland lost Orange Bowl)
1966: CC +1.00
1973: AP +0.50
1973: PB +0.25 (coaches' champ Alabama lost Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame)
1977: CC +1.00
1988: CC +1.00
Total points: 7.00
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 9
Oklahoma
1950: AP +0.50
1950: CP +0.50
1950: PB -0.50 (Oklahoma lost Orange Bowl; Tennessee won Cotton Bowl)
1955: CC +1.00
1956: CC +1.00
1974: AP +0.50
1975: CC +1.00
1985: CC +1.00
2000: CC +1.00
Total points: 6.00
Consensus championships: 5
Total national title seasons: 7
Southern Cal
1962: CC +1.00
1967: CC +1.00
1972: CC +1.00
1974: CP +0.50
1978: CP +0.50
2003: AP +0.50
2004: CC +1.00
Total points: 5.50
Consensus championships: 4
Total national title seasons: 7
Alabama
1961: CC +1.00
1964: AP +0.50
1964: CP +0.50
1964: PB -0.50 (lost Orange Bowl; Arkansas finished with perfect record)
1965: AP +0.50
1965: PB +0.25 (coaches' champ, Michigan State, lost Rose Bowl)
1973: CP +0.50
1973: PB -0.25 (lost Sugar Bowl to AP champ Notre Dame)
1978: AP +0.50
1979: CC +1.00
1992: CC +1.00
Total points: 5.00
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 7
Miami
1983: CC +1.00
1987: CC +1.00
1989: CC +1.00
1991: AP +0.50
2001: CC +1.00
Total points: 4.50
Consensus championships: 4
Total national title seasons: 5
Nebraska
1970: AP +0.50
1970: PB +0.25 (coaches' champ Texas lost Cotton Bowl)
1971: CC +1.00
1994: CC +1.00
1995: CC +1.00
1997: CP +0.50
Total points: 4.25
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 5
Minnesota
1934: AP +0.75
1935: CP +0.75 (no AP poll in 1935)
1936: AP +0.75
1940: AP +0.75
1941: AP +0.75
1960: AP +0.50
1960: CP +0.50
1960: PB -0.50 (lost Rose Bowl; Ole Miss finished 10-0-1 and won Sugar Bowl)
Total points: 4.25
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 6
Ohio State
1942: AP +0.75
1954: AP +0.50
1957: CP +0.50
1968: CC +1.00
2002: CP +1.00
Total points: 3.75
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 5
Texas
1963: CC +1.00
1969: CC +1.00
1970: CP +0.50
1970: PB -0.25
2005: CC +1.00
Total points: 3.25
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 4
Penn State
1982: CC +1.00
1986: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 2
Florida State
1993: CC +1.00
1999: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 2
Florida
1996: CC +1.00
2006: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 2
Tennessee
1950: PB +0.50 (Oklahoma lost Orange Bowl; Tennessee won Cotton Bowl)
1951: AP +0.50
1951: CP +0.50
1951: PB -0.50 (Tennessee lost to Maryland in Sugar Bowl)
1998: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 3
Pitt
1937: AP +0.75
1976: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.75
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 2
Michigan
1947: PB +0.25 (Michigan won Rose Bow; Notre Dame didn't play in a bowl)
1948: AP +0.75
1997: AP +0.50
Total points: 1.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 3
Army
1944: AP +0.75
1945: AP +0.75
Total points: 1.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 2
Louisiana State
1958: CC +1.00
2003: CP +0.50
Total points: 1.50
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 2
Michigan State
1952: CC +1.00
1965: CP +0.50
1965: PB -0.25 (Michigan State lost Rose Bowl; Alabama won Orange Bowl)
Total points: 1.25
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 2
Maryland
1951: PB +0.50 (Maryland beat AP/CP champ in Sugar Bowl)
1953: AP +0.50
1953: CP +0.50
1953: PB -0.50 (Maryland lost Orange Bowl; Notre Dame finished 9-0-1)
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 2
Syracuse
1959: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Georgia
1980: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Clemson
1981: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Brigham Young
1984: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Texas Christian
1938: AP +0.75
Total points: 0.75
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Texas A+M
1939: AP +0.75
Total points: 0.75
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
UCLA
1954: CP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Auburn
1957: AP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Colorado
1990: AP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Georgia Tech
1990: CP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Washington
1991: CP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Ole Miss
1960: PB +0.50 (AP/CP champ Minnesota lost Rose Bowl)
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Arkansas
1964: PB +0.50 (AP/CP champ Alabama lost Orange Bowl)
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
So, Notre Dame is the overall points leader (7.00), and also wins the most national titles (9, followed by Southern Cal, Oklahoma, and Alabama with 7 each). However, Oklahoma has the most consensus national titles (5, followed by Southern Cal and Miami with 4 each).
Of course, this method doesn't solve the "problem" of who won national championships prior to 1934, and it doesn't give any weight to various and sundry unrecognized championships (Ohio State can claim 15 unregonized titles in addition to their 5 recognized championships). But that's a (very long) topic for a different day....
Of course, the two main polls are the AP (college football writers) and the coaches' poll, which has been run by a number of organizations (currently, ESPN / USAToday). Of course, the two organizations don't always agree; and for several years, they cast their respective polls prior to the bowl games, which were once thought to be mere exhibitions whose results shouldn't be counted toward a team's final record. To complicate the problem further, the two major polls haven't been in existence for the same number of years (AP: 1934, 1936-present; coaches': 1935, 1950-present). For these reasons, there have been "consensus" national champs only 41 times during the 73 years since the advent of the AP poll in 1934.
I have come up with a method to try to weigh each championship to determine which program has been the most successful during the era of the major polls. I have awarded 1 point for every consensus national championship (both AP and coaches'); 3/4 of a point for every AP championship prior to 1950 (the year that the coaches' poll began to "compete" with the AP poll); and 1/2 point for each "split" championship (either AP or coaches'). To adjust for pre-bowl game titles that were awarded to schools who ultimately lost their bowl games (or didn't play in one), I have subtracted a quarter point for each title awarded (for example, Alabama in 1964, which won both the AP and coaches' polls, but lost their bowl game); points subtracted from the poll winners have been given to the team that is generally recognized as being the post-bowl champs.
AP = Associated Press
CP = coaches' poll
CC = consensus championship
PB = post-bowl adjustment
Here's the complete list of schools:
Notre Dame
1943: AP +0.75
1946: AP +0.75
1947: AP +0.75
1947: PB -0.25 (no bowl game; Michigan routed USC in Rose Bowl)
1949: AP +0.75
1953: PB +0.50 (consensus champ Maryland lost Orange Bowl)
1966: CC +1.00
1973: AP +0.50
1973: PB +0.25 (coaches' champ Alabama lost Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame)
1977: CC +1.00
1988: CC +1.00
Total points: 7.00
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 9
Oklahoma
1950: AP +0.50
1950: CP +0.50
1950: PB -0.50 (Oklahoma lost Orange Bowl; Tennessee won Cotton Bowl)
1955: CC +1.00
1956: CC +1.00
1974: AP +0.50
1975: CC +1.00
1985: CC +1.00
2000: CC +1.00
Total points: 6.00
Consensus championships: 5
Total national title seasons: 7
Southern Cal
1962: CC +1.00
1967: CC +1.00
1972: CC +1.00
1974: CP +0.50
1978: CP +0.50
2003: AP +0.50
2004: CC +1.00
Total points: 5.50
Consensus championships: 4
Total national title seasons: 7
Alabama
1961: CC +1.00
1964: AP +0.50
1964: CP +0.50
1964: PB -0.50 (lost Orange Bowl; Arkansas finished with perfect record)
1965: AP +0.50
1965: PB +0.25 (coaches' champ, Michigan State, lost Rose Bowl)
1973: CP +0.50
1973: PB -0.25 (lost Sugar Bowl to AP champ Notre Dame)
1978: AP +0.50
1979: CC +1.00
1992: CC +1.00
Total points: 5.00
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 7
Miami
1983: CC +1.00
1987: CC +1.00
1989: CC +1.00
1991: AP +0.50
2001: CC +1.00
Total points: 4.50
Consensus championships: 4
Total national title seasons: 5
Nebraska
1970: AP +0.50
1970: PB +0.25 (coaches' champ Texas lost Cotton Bowl)
1971: CC +1.00
1994: CC +1.00
1995: CC +1.00
1997: CP +0.50
Total points: 4.25
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 5
Minnesota
1934: AP +0.75
1935: CP +0.75 (no AP poll in 1935)
1936: AP +0.75
1940: AP +0.75
1941: AP +0.75
1960: AP +0.50
1960: CP +0.50
1960: PB -0.50 (lost Rose Bowl; Ole Miss finished 10-0-1 and won Sugar Bowl)
Total points: 4.25
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 6
Ohio State
1942: AP +0.75
1954: AP +0.50
1957: CP +0.50
1968: CC +1.00
2002: CP +1.00
Total points: 3.75
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 5
Texas
1963: CC +1.00
1969: CC +1.00
1970: CP +0.50
1970: PB -0.25
2005: CC +1.00
Total points: 3.25
Consensus championships: 3
Total national title seasons: 4
Penn State
1982: CC +1.00
1986: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 2
Florida State
1993: CC +1.00
1999: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 2
Florida
1996: CC +1.00
2006: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 2
Total national title seasons: 2
Tennessee
1950: PB +0.50 (Oklahoma lost Orange Bowl; Tennessee won Cotton Bowl)
1951: AP +0.50
1951: CP +0.50
1951: PB -0.50 (Tennessee lost to Maryland in Sugar Bowl)
1998: CC +1.00
Total points: 2.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 3
Pitt
1937: AP +0.75
1976: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.75
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 2
Michigan
1947: PB +0.25 (Michigan won Rose Bow; Notre Dame didn't play in a bowl)
1948: AP +0.75
1997: AP +0.50
Total points: 1.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 3
Army
1944: AP +0.75
1945: AP +0.75
Total points: 1.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 2
Louisiana State
1958: CC +1.00
2003: CP +0.50
Total points: 1.50
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 2
Michigan State
1952: CC +1.00
1965: CP +0.50
1965: PB -0.25 (Michigan State lost Rose Bowl; Alabama won Orange Bowl)
Total points: 1.25
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 2
Maryland
1951: PB +0.50 (Maryland beat AP/CP champ in Sugar Bowl)
1953: AP +0.50
1953: CP +0.50
1953: PB -0.50 (Maryland lost Orange Bowl; Notre Dame finished 9-0-1)
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 2
Syracuse
1959: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Georgia
1980: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Clemson
1981: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Brigham Young
1984: CC +1.00
Total points: 1.00
Consensus championships: 1
Total national title seasons: 1
Texas Christian
1938: AP +0.75
Total points: 0.75
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Texas A+M
1939: AP +0.75
Total points: 0.75
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
UCLA
1954: CP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Auburn
1957: AP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Colorado
1990: AP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Georgia Tech
1990: CP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Washington
1991: CP +0.50
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Ole Miss
1960: PB +0.50 (AP/CP champ Minnesota lost Rose Bowl)
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
Arkansas
1964: PB +0.50 (AP/CP champ Alabama lost Orange Bowl)
Total points: 0.50
Consensus championships: 0
Total national title seasons: 1
So, Notre Dame is the overall points leader (7.00), and also wins the most national titles (9, followed by Southern Cal, Oklahoma, and Alabama with 7 each). However, Oklahoma has the most consensus national titles (5, followed by Southern Cal and Miami with 4 each).
Of course, this method doesn't solve the "problem" of who won national championships prior to 1934, and it doesn't give any weight to various and sundry unrecognized championships (Ohio State can claim 15 unregonized titles in addition to their 5 recognized championships). But that's a (very long) topic for a different day....
LSU fans may hate on you also for crediting them with half a championship. Thinking it through historically, though, their win isn't any different than a team splitting a title after winning any major bowl game (eg. Sugar) against another top ranked team.
