Time to make some space in the Ohio State trophy case.
The Buckeyes added another piece of hardware to their storied program with another title, this time winning the College Football Playoff national championship game over Notre Dame on Monday night.
Winning national championships isn’t something new to Ohio State — it is in the top 10 of most titles won in Division I history and a major reason why it is one of the powerhouse programs in the country. However, it might feel like it’s been quite some time for Buckeye fans, who have waited more than a decade for another moment to raise the trophy to end the college football season. Now after a long road down the 12-team playoff, Ryan Day has captured his first championship as head coach in Columbus.
Shop Ohio State national championship gear
With another championship secured, here is how many total titles the Buckeyes have in their history:
How many national championships has Ohio State football won?
Ohio State can now claim nine national championships thanks to Monday’s victory.
The Buckeyes have won national championships in:
- 1942: 9-1, head coach: Paul Brown
- 1954: 10-0, head coach: Woody Hayes
- 1957: 9-1, head coach: Woody Hayes
- 1961: 8-0-1, head coach: Woody Hayes
- 1968: 10-0, head coach: Woody Hayes
- 1970: 9-1, head coach: Woody Hayes
- 2002: 14-0, head coach: Jim Tressel
- 2014: 14-1, head coach: Urban Meyer
- 2024: 14-2, head coach: Ryan Day
However, two of those titles could be disputed.
The Columbus Dispatch, part of the USA TODAY Network, only recognizes seven of those victories because of how national champions were selected prior to the implementation of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1998. Prior to that, in most years, Ohio State was awarded the title of national champion by the Associated Press, United Press International or coaches polls.
Buy Ohio State CFP championship books and posters
However, in 1961, the Buckeyes were awarded the national championship by the Football Writers Association of America and in 1970, they were named champions by the National Football Foundation. In 1961, Alabama was also named national champions, and in 1970, Nebraska and Texas also got the honor.
In 2002, 2014 and 2024, Ohio State won the national championship game.
Who has the most national championships in college football?
Ohio State’s victory now moves it into a tie with Southern California for the sixth most national championships the NCAA recognizes. Here is the top 10 per the NCAA:
- 1. Yale: 18
- 2. Alabama: 16
- 3. Princeton: 15
- 4. Notre Dame: 13
- 5. Michigan: 10
- T-6 Southern California: 9
- T-6 Ohio State: 9
- 8. Harvard: 8
- 9. Oklahoma: 7
- 10. Minnesota: 6
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
