College Football's Championship Belt

Alabama was college football's 2017 national champion, which means they are the "defending" national champion in one sense. In another sense, however, everyone's 0-0. It's a new season. Every team, losing seniors and gaining freshmen, are starting over with substantially different rosters than the year before. That's the way Nick Saban sees it. It's how every team should see the new season.

But let's remember these are colleges, not just teams. Colleges are institutions with institutional memories. The teams change over year after year, but the name of the school is what is recorded as the winner of the game.

And if your school beat the school who beat the school who beat the school who beat the very first champion, shouldn't your school be recognized as the champion? Or at least a champion?

College football didn't evolve out of the midst and mysteries of pre-history, it had a definitive beginning. A first game. A first winner. That is, a first champion. The first team to beat it became the next champion.

It's like the lineal champion in boxing, but with an established, undisputed lineage starting with an undisputed beginning.

In that way, it's like international soccer. In December, 2012, Bill Barnwell wrote at Grantland:

I’m fond of the Unofficial Football World Championship, a title bestowed on the English national soccer team when it won a match between two international teams in 1873 — after a draw in 1872. It would lose the title to Scotland shortly thereafter, and it went on and on, defended in much the same way that a boxing title might be defended. This has led to a situation where the current champion of the world, amazingly, is the North Korean men’s national soccer team.

Since then, a lot has happened and France - who is also the World Cup holder - owns this unofficial championship as the "team that beat the team that beat the team..." that won the first game ever played.

Shortly after I read Barnwell's observation, I knew college football was just like it, and I wondered who might be the unofficial champion of college football? In early 2013, I wrote College Football's Crown.  But I hadn't updated it since.

I would rename it the College Football Championship Belt, or the Blog Boy Belt, to distinguish it from teams that are "crowned" national champions at the end of a season. And unlike the national championship, this Belt is played for every week. I really think it should be a thing.

So, who holds the Belt today? Who has won the Belt in the past?

As I wrote in 2013,

I discovered a site, cfreference.net/, which pointed the way. Curiously, it seems to have disappeared from the web sometime over the past 13 days or so, after I completed my research. But it appears its info is duplicated, though in a somewhat more roundabout manner, at http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/. I believe most of these results can be verified at that site. The only incomplete data I had were from the 1953 games concerning Memphis and Arkansas State. Information was verified via their media guides, available online.  I've also googled to see if anyone else did this research. Finding none, I believe my findings should be considered official unless they can be falsified.  To determine the current crown-holder, I will start with the first game played, putting the victor as the first to take the crown. The number in parentheses is the number of times that school had taken the crown by that date. So, here's the history. I've also included, for the last 50 seasons, the times in which the holder of the Belt at the end of the season was also that season's National Champion: Nov 6, 1869 Rutgers (1) beats Princeton Nov 13, 1869 Princeton (1) beats Rutgers Nov 30, 1876, Yale (1) beats Princeton Nov 28 1878, Princeton (2) beats Yale Nov 18, 1882, Harvard (1) beats Princeton Nov 25, 1882, Yale (2) beats Harvard Nov 21, 1885, Princeton (3) beats Yale Nov 12, 1887, Harvard (2) beats Princeton Nov 24, 1887 Yale (3) beats Harvard Nov 28 1889 Princeton (4) beats Yale Nov 27 1890 Yale (4) beats Princeton Nov 30 1893 Princeton (5) beats Yale Nov 10 1894 Penn (1) beats Princeton Oct 24, 1896 Lafayette (1) beats Penn Oct 23, 1897 Penn (2) beats Lafayette Nov 5 1898 Harvard (3) beats Penn Nov 24, 1900 Yale (5) beats Harvard Nov 23, 1901 Harvard (4) beats Yale Nov 22, 1902 Yale (6) beats Harvard Nov 14, 1903 Princeton (6) beats Yale Oct 15, 1904 Navy (1) beats Princeton Oct, 1904 Swarthmore (1) beats Navy Oct 7, 1905 Penn (3) beats Swarthmore Oct13, 1906 Swarthmore (2) beats Penn Nov 10, 1906 Navy (2) beats Swarthmore Oct 19, 1907 Harvard (5) beats Navy Nov 9, 1907 Carlisle Indian (1) beats Harvard Nov 7 1908 Harvard (6) beats Carlisle Indian Nov 20, 1909 Yale (7) beats Harvard Oct 5, 1910, Army (1) beats Yale Oct 29, 1910 Harvard (7) beats Army Nov 4, 1911 Princeton (7) beats Harvard Nov 2, 1912 Harvard (8) beats Princeton Oct 23, 1915 Cornell (1) beats Harvard Oct 28, 1916 Harvard (9) beats Cornell Nov 18, 1916 Brown (1) beats Harvard Nov 25, 1916 Colgate (1) beats Brown Oct 27, 1917 Brown (2) beats Colgate Nov 3, 1917 Syracuse (1) beats Brown Nov 16, 1918, Michigan (1) beats Syracuse Oct 25, 1919 Ohio State (1) beats Michigan Nov 22, 1919 Illinois (1) beats Ohio State Nov 13, 1920 Wisconsin (1) beats Illinois Nov 19, 1921 Chicago (1) beats Wisconsin Oct 28, 1922 Princeton (8) beats Chicago Oct 20, 1923 Notre Dame (1) beats Princeton Nov 10 1923 Nebraska (1) beats Notre Dame Nov 24, 1923 Syrcuse (2) beats Nebraska Nov 8 1924 West Virginia Wesleyan (1) beats Syracuse Oct 24 1925 West Virginia (1) beats West Virginia Wesleyan Oct 30 1926 Missouri (1) beats West Virginia Nov 6 1926 Oklahoma (1) beats Missouri Nov 11 1926 Kansas (1) beats Oklahoma Nov 20 1926 Missouri (2) beats Kansas Oct 22 1927 Southern Methodist (1) beats Missouri Nov 5 1927 Texas A&M (1) beats Southern Methodist Oct 13 1928 Centenary (1) beats Texas A&M Oct 20 1928 Baylor (1) beats Centenary Nov 10 1928 Texas (1) beats Baylor Sept 28 1929 Hardin-Simmons (1) beats Texas Oct 5 1929 Texas Christian (1) beats Hardin-Simmons Nov 15, 1930 Texas (2) beats Texas Christian Oct 10 1931 Rice (1) beats Texas Oct 17 1931 Southern Methodist (2) beats Rice Dec 5 1931 St. Mary's (1) beats Southern Methodist Nov 5 1932 Fordham (1) beats St. Mary's Nov 4 1933 St. Mary's (2) beats Fordham Nov 30 1933 Oregon (1) beats St. Mary's Oct 13 1934 Washington (1) beats Oregeon Nov 10 1934 Stanford (1) beats Washington Jan 1 1935 Alabama (1) beats Stanford Oct 12 1935 Mississippi State (1) beats Alabama Nov 9 1935 LSU (1) beats Mississippi State Jan 1 1936 Texas Christian (TCU)(2) beats LSU Sept 26 1936 Texas Tech (1) beats TCU Oct 9 1936 Wichita St (1) beats Texas Tech Oct 31 1936 St. Louis (1) beats Wichita St Nov 7 1936 Missouri (3) beats St. Louis Oct 2 1937 Colorado (1) beats Missouri Jan 1 1938 Rice (2) beats Colorado Oct 1 1938 Oklahoma (2) beats Rice Jan 2 1939 Tennessee (1) beats Oklahoma Jan 1 1940 USC (1) beats Tennessee Oct 26 1940 Stanford (2) beats USC Oct 11 1941 Oregon St (1) beats Stanford Oct 25 1941 Washington St (1) beats Oregon St Dec 6 1941 Texas A&M (2) beats Washington St Jan 1, 1942 Alabama (2) beats Texas A&M Oct 31 1942 Georgia (1) beats Alabama Nov 21 1942 Auburn (1) beats Georgia October 14 1944 Georgia Tech (1) beats Auburn Nov 4 1944 Duke (1) beats Georgia Tech Oct 6 1945 Navy (3) beats Duke Dec 1 1945 Army (2) beats Navy Oct 25 1947 Columbia (1) beats Army Oct 2 1948 Harvard (10) beats Columbia Oct 9 1948 Cornell (2) beats Harvard Oct 23 1948 Army (3) beats Cornell Dec 2 1950 Navy (4) beats Army Oct 6 1951 Princeton (9) beats Navy Oct 11 1952 Penn (4) beats Princeton Nov 1 1952 Penn St (1) beats Penn Nov 8 1952 Syracuse (3) beats Penn St Jan 1 1953 Alabama (3) beats Syracuse Sept 18 1953 Southern Miss (1) beats Alabama October 31, 1953 Memphis (1) beats Southern Miss November 7, 1953 Arkansas State (1) beats beats Memphis Oct 02 1954 Mississippi St (2) beats Arkansas St; Oct 15 1954 Miami FL (1) beats Miss State Nov 6 1954 Auburn (2) beats Miami Fl. Oct 29 1955 Tulane (1) beats Auburn Nov 12 1955 Vanderbilt (1) beats Tulane Nov 26 Tennessee (2) beats Vanderbilt Jan 1 1957 Baylor (2) beats Tennessee Oct 5 Miami FL (2) beats Baylor October 11 North Carolina (1) beats Miami FL Oct 19 Maryland (1) beats North Carolina Oct 26 Tennessee (3) beats Maryland Nov 16 Mississippi (Ole Miss) (1) beats Tennessee Nov 1 1958 LSU (2) beats Mississippi Nov 7 1959 Tennessee (4) beats LSU Nov 14 1959 Ole Miss (2) beats Tennessee Nov 4 1961 LSU (3) beats Ole Miss Nov 3 1962 Ole Miss (3) beats LSU Jan 1 1964 Alabama (4) beats Miss Jan 1 1965 Texas (3) beats (3) Alabama Oct 16 1965 Arkansas (1) beats Texas Jan 1 1966 LSU (4) beats Arkansas Sept 24 1966 Rice (3) beats LSU Oct 1 Tennessee (5) beats Rice Oct 8 1966 Georgia Tech (2) beats Tennessee Nov 26 1966 Georgia (2) beats GA Tech Oct 14 1967 Ole Miss (4) beats Georgia Nov 18 1967 Tennessee (6) beats Miss Jan 1 1968 Oklahoma (3) beats Tennessee Sept 21 1868 Notre Dame (2) beats Oklahoma Sept 28 1968 Purdue (1) beats ND Oct 12 1968 Ohio St (2) beats Purdue Nov 22 1969 Michigan (2) beats Ohio St Jan 1 1970 USC (2) beats Mich OCt 10 1970 Stanford (3) beats USC Nov 14 1970 Air Force (1) beats Stanford Nov 21 1970 Colorado (1) beats Air Force Dec 12 1970 Tulane (2) beats Colorado Sept 18 1971 Georgia (3) beats Tulane Nov 13 Auburn (3) beats Georgia Nov 27 Alabama (5) beats Auburn Jan 1 1972 Nebraska (2) beats Alabama (Nebraska becomes 1971 National Champion) Sept 9 1972 UCLA (1) beats Nebraska Sept 23 1972 Michigan (3) beats UCLA Nov 25 Ohio St (3) 1972 beats Mich Jan 1 1973 USC (3) beats Ohio St (USC becomes 1972 National Champion) Oct 27 1973 Notre Dame (3) beats USC Sept 24 1974 Purdue (2) beats ND Oct 5 1974 Duke (2) beats Purdue Oct 19 1974 Clemson (1) beats Duke Oct 26 1974 Tennessee (7) beats Clemson Sept 20 1975 UCLA (2) beats Tennessee Oct 4 1975 Ohio St (4) beats UCLA Jan 1 1976 UCLA (3) beats Ohio St Nov 20 1976USC (4) beats UCLA OCt 8 1977 Alabama (6) beats USC Sept 23 1978 USC (5) beats Bama Oct 14 1978 Arizona St (1) beats USC Oct 28 1978 Washington (2) beats Arizona St Nov 11 1978 USC (6) beats Washington Nov 15 1980 Washington (3) beats USC Jan 1 1981 Michigan (4) beats Wash Sept 12 1981 Wisconsin (2) beats Mich Sept 19 1981 UCLA (4) beats Wisc Sept 26 1981 Iowa (1) beats UCLA Oct 24 1981 Minnesota (1) beats Iowa Oct 31 1981 Michigan (5) beats Minn Nov 21 1981 Ohio St (5) beats Mich Sept 25, 1982 Stanford (4) beats Ohio St Oct 9, 1982 Arizona St (2) beats Stanford Nov 13, 1982 Washington (4) beats AZ St Nov 20, 1982 Washington St (2) beats Wash Sept 10, 1983 Michigan (6) beats Wash St Oct 29 Illinois, 1983 (2) beats Mich Jan 2 1984 UCLA (5) beats Illinois Sept 22, 1984 Nebraska (3) beats UCLA Sept 29, 1984 Syracuse (4) beats Nebraska OCt 6, 1984 Florida (1) beats Syracuse Nov 9, 1985 Georgia (4) beats Florida Nov 16, 1985 Auburn (4) beats Georgia Nov 30, 1985 Alabama (7) beats Auburn Oct 25, 1986 Penn St (2) beats Alabama (Penn St becomes 1986 National Champion) Sept 12, 1987 Alabama (8) beats Penn St Sept 19, 1987 Florida (2) beats Bama Oct 3, 1987 LSU (5) beats Florida Nov 7, 1987 Alabama (9) beats LSU Nov 14, 1987 Notre Dame (4) beats Bama Nov 21, 1987 Penn St (3) beats ND Jan 1 1988 Clemson (2) beats Penn St Sept 17, 1988 Florida State (1) beats Clemson Sept 2, 1989 Southern Miss (2) beats Fla St Sept 9, 1989 Mississipi St (2) beats Southern Miss Sept 23, 1989 Georgia (5) beats Miss St Sept 30, 1989 South Carolina (1) beats Georgia Oct 28, 1989 NC St (1) beats South Carolina Nov 4, 1989 Virginia (1) beats NC St Jan 1 1990 Illinois (3) beats Virginia Sep 8, 1990 Arizona (1) beats Illinois Sept 29, 1990 California (1) beats Arizona Oct 27, 1990 Washington (5) beats Cal Nov 10, 1990 UCLA (6) beats Wash Nov 17, 1990 USC (7) beats UCLA Nov 24, 1990 Notre Dame (5) beats USC Jan 1 1991 Colorado (2) beats ND (Colorado is 1990 co-National Champion) Sept 14, 1991 Baylor (3) beats Colorado Oct 12, 1991 Rice (4) beats Baylor Oct 19, 1991 TCU (3) beats Rice Oct 26, 1991 Baylor (4) beats TCU Nov 16, 1991 Texas Tech (2) beats Baylor Sep 3, 1992 Oklahoma (4) beat Tx Tech Sept 18, 1992 USC (8) beats Oklahoma Oct 3, 1992 Washington (6) beats USC Nov 7, 1992 Arizona (2) beats Wash Nov 14, 1992 USC (9) beats AZ Nov 21, 1992 UCLA (7) beats USC Sept 4, 1993 California (2) beats UCLA Oct 9, 1993 Washington (7) beats Cal Oct 16, 1993 UCLA (8) beats Wash Nov 13, 1993 Arizona State (3) beats UCLA Nov 26, 1993 Arizona (3) beats AZ St Oct 08, 1994 Colorado St (1) St beats AZ Oct 22, 1994 Utah (1) beats CO St Nov 5, 1994 New Mexico (1) beats Utah Nov 12, 1994 Wyoming (1) beats New Mex Sept 9, 1995 Air Force (2) beats Wyoming Sept 16, 1995 Colorado S (2)t beats Air Force Sept 30, 1995 BYU (1) beats Co St Oct 14, 1995 Arizona St (4) beats BYU Nov 24, 1995 Arizona (4) beats AZ St Sept 07, 1996 Iowa (2) beats Arizona Sept 21, 1996 Tulsa (1) beats Iowa Oct 19, 1996 BYU (2) beats Tulsa Sept 6, 1997 Washington (8) beats BYU Sept 20, 1997 Nebraska (4) beats Washington (Nebraska is 1997 co-National Champion) Oct 10, 1998 Texas A&M (3) beats Nebraska Nov 27, 1998 Texas (4) beats TX AM Aug 28, 1999 NC St (2) beats Texas Sept 18, 1999 Florida St (2) beats NC St (Florida St is 1999 National Champion) Oct 7, 2000 Miami FL (3) beats Fla St Jan 3 2003 Ohio St (6) beats Miami FL (Ohio St is 2002 National Champion) Oct 11, 2003 Wisconsin (3) beat OH St Oct 18, 2003 Purdue (3) beats Wisconsin Oct 25, 2003 Michigan (7) beats Purdue Jan 1 2004 USC (10) beat Mich (USC is 2004 National Champion) Jan 4 2006 Texas (5) beats USC (Texas is 2005 National Champion) Sept 10, 2006 Ohio St (7) beats Texas Jan 08, 2007 Florida (3) beats Oh St (Florida is 2006 National Champion) Sept 29, 2007 Auburn (5) beats Florida Oct 20, 2007 LSU (6) beats Auburn Nov 23, 2007 Arkansas (2) beats LSU Jan 1 2008 Missouri (4) beats Arkansas Oct 11, 2008 Oklahoma St (1) beats Missouri Oct 25, 2008 Texas (6) beats Okla St Nov 1, 2008 Texas Tech (3) beats Texas Nov 22, 2008 Oklahoma (5) beats Tx Tech Jan 8 2009 Florida (4) beats Okla (Florida is 2008 National Champion) Dec 5, 2009 Alabama (10) beats Florida (Alabama is 2009 National Champion) Oct 9, 2010 South Carolina (2) beats Alabama Oct 16, 2010 Kentucky (1) beats SC Oct 23, 2010 Georgia (6) beats Kentucky Oct 30, 2010 Florida (5) beats Georgia Nov 13, 2010 South Carolina (3) beats Florida Dec 4, 2010 Auburn (6) beats South Carolina (Auburn is 2010 National Champion) Sep 17, 2011 Clemson (3) beats Auburn Oct 29, 2011 Georgia Tech (3) beats Clemson Nov 10, 2011 Virginia Tech (1) beats Ga Tech Dec 3, 2011 Clemson (4) beats Va Tech Jan 4, 2012 West Virginia (2) beats Clemson Oct 13, 2012 Texas Tech (4) beats W Va Oct 22, 2012 Kansas St (1) beats Texas Tech Nov 17, 2012 Baylor (5) beats Kan St Nov 23, 2013, Okla St. (2) beats Baylor Dec 7 2013, Okla (6) beats Okla St. Oct 4, 2014 TCU (4) beats Okla Oct 11, 2014, Baylor (6) beats TCU Oct 18, 2014 West Va (3) beats Baylor Nov 1, 2014 TCU (5) beats West Va Nov 7, 2015 Oka St. (3) beats TCU Nov 21, 2015 Baylor (7) beats Okla St Nov 27, 2015 TCU (6) beats Baylor Sept 10, 2016 Arkansas (3)  beats TCU Sept 24, 2016 Tex A&M (4) beats Arkansas Oct 22, 2016 Alabama (11) beats Tex A&M Jan 9, 2017 Clemson(5) beats Alabama (and wins national championship) Oct 13, 2017 Syracuse (5) beats Clemson Oct 21, 2017 Miami FL (4) beats Syracuse Nov 24, 2017 Pitt (1) beats Miami FL It is odd that Pitt, who was a power in the early days of college football, didn't attain the belt until last season. But they hold it now, and the Albany Great Danes of the lower-division FCS has the opportunity to take it away on September 1. My prediction, however, is that it will go to Clemson by the end of the regular season as both play in the ACC, and Clemson will enter the College Football Playoff with it. I suspect at the end of the season, the Belt holder will be National Champion, as it has been several times in the past.