College football ended several weeks ago, and Ohio State finished on top courtesy of a 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the championship game. That win was the Buckeyes’ ninth national championship, as recognized by the NCAA, tied for sixth-most all-time, and their 978th win. Only Michigan, with 1,012 wins, has more.
Top 10 Winningest College Football Programs.
Michigan, 1012
Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The Wolverines joined the Big Ten Conference at its inception in 1896 and have been members since, except for a hiatus from 1907 to 1916. Michigan has won or shared 45 league titles and has finished in the top ten 39 times since the inception of the AP poll in 1936. The Wolverines have claimed twelve national championships.
Ohio State, 978
The Buckeyes currently claim nine national championships. They have won 41 conference championships (2 OAC and 39 Big Ten), 10 division championships, and 10 undefeated seasons, including six perfect seasons (no losses or ties). They have also produced seven Heisman winners, including Archie Griffin, the only two-time winner.
Alabama, 974
The Crimson Tide is among the most storied and decorated football programs in NCAA history. Since 1892, the program has claimed 18 national championships. Alabama has 974 official victories in NCAA Division I, with an additional 21 victories vacated, and eight victories and one tie forfeited. Alabama has won 34 conference championships (4 Southern Conference and 30 SEC championships) and has made an NCAA-record 78 postseason bowl appearances.
Notre Dame, 962
The Fighting Irish are among the most prestigious college football teams of all time. Notre Dame has won 11 national championships, and they have produced seven Heisman Trophy winners. Notre Dame has 948 official victories, with an additional 21 having been vacated by the NCAA in 2016 for self-reported academic misconduct.
Texas, 961
Texas has won four national championships and 33 conference championships. It has also produced 100 First-Team All-Americans (62 consensus and 25 unanimous) and two Heisman Trophy winners.
Oklahoma, 950
Since its inception in 1895, Oklahoma has been one of the most successful programs in history, having won 950 games. Oklahoma has appeared in the AP poll 905 times, including 101 No. 1 rankings, which is the third all-time. The program has seven national championships, 50 conference championships, 167 first-team All-Americans (82 consensus, 35 unanimous), and seven Heisman Trophy winners.
The Sooners also hold the record for the longest winning streak in Division I history with 47 straight victories.
Penn State, 943
The Nittany Lions have two consensus national championships, in 1982 and 1986, and four Big Ten Conference Championships. They have 13 undefeated seasons and 53 appearances in college bowl games, with an all-time postseason bowl record of 32–20–2. The team ranks seventh among NCAA Division I college football programs in all-time total wins.
Yale, 943
Yale football is one of the oldest in the world. Since its inception, the Bulldogs have won 27 national championships and have two of the first three Heisman Trophy winners. Yale has produced 100 consensus All-Americans, 28 College Football Hall of Fame inductees, including the “Father of American Football” Walter Camp, and the first professional football player, Pudge Heffelfinger.
Nebraska, 924
Nebraska has the eighth-most all-time victories among FBS teams. The Cornhuskers have won forty-six conference championships and five national championships. They have 24 players in the College Football Hall of Fame, including Heisman winners Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier, and Eric Crouch.
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Harvard, 909
Harvard’s football program is one of the oldest in the world, having begun competing in the sport in 1873. The Crimson have won 13 national championships and 20 College Football Hall of Fame inductees. They are the tenth-winningest team in NCAA Division I football history.
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