Because it is no longer part of the Bowl Championship Series formula, the Associated Press college football poll plays no role in determining college football's national champion.
But the long-running AP poll still carries some cache. And with good reason: For decades, the AP poll was the final world on college football rankings. Being named the AP’s No. 1 meant being named national champion.
Below is a list the schools who won the most AP titles since the poll’s inception in 1936. Not surprisingly, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish lead the way with eight. Oklahoma is right on their heels with seven.
Notre Dame: 8 (1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988)
Oklahoma: 7 (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000)
Alabama: 6 (1961, 1964, 1965, 1978, 1979, 1992)
Miami (Fla.): 5 (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, 2001)
USC: 5 (1962, 1967, 1972, 2003, 2004)
Minnesota: 4 (1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
Nebraska: 4 (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995)
Ohio State: 4 (1942, 1954, 1968, 2002)
Texas: 3 (1963, 1969, 2005)
Florida: 3 (1996, 2006, 2008)
Army: 2 (1944, 1945)
Florida State: 2 (1993, 1999)
LSU: 2 (1958, 2007)
Michigan: 2 (1948, 1997)
Penn State: 2 (1982, 1986)
Pittsburgh: 2 (1937, 1976)
Tennessee: 2 (1951, 1998)
Auburn: 1 (1957)
BYU: 1 (1984)
Clemson: 1 (1981)
Colorado: 1 (1990)
Georgia: 1 (1980)
Maryland: 1 (1953)
Michigan State: 1 (1952)
Syracuse: 1 (1959)
Texas A&M: 1 (1939)
TCU: 1 (1938)
