NCAA
NCAA Football: How many times has Ohio State won a National Championship?
We will take a look at the Ohio State Buckeyes’ number of national championships in National Collegiate Athletic Association football.
Since their inaugural season in 1890, the Ohio State Buckeyes have solidified their status as a dominant force in college football, consistently asserting their supremacy within the Big Ten conference.
In recent years, the Buckeyes have firmly established themselves as regular contenders in the college football playoffs. Out of the nine playoff seasons so far, Ohio State has made appearances in five, including three out of the last four.
Ohio State football championship history
The Buckeyes have proudly claimed eight national championships throughout their storied history. Among these titles, two were secured through championship games, while the remaining six were earned during the era of the Associated Press (AP) poll.
Ohio State Championships: 1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014
Ohio State’s most recent National Championship
Ohio State’s most recent national championship was attained during the inaugural year of the College Football Playoff. The Buckeyes earned their spot in the CFP by delivering a resounding 59-0 victory over the 11th-ranked Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship, which propelled them past the competition, including the 5th-ranked Baylor and 6th-ranked TCU. This decision sparked early controversy due to Ohio State’s earlier loss to unranked Virginia Tech in the same season.
Undeterred, the Buckeyes responded by defeating the top-ranked Alabama 42-35 and subsequently overpowering the second-ranked Oregon 42-20, clinching the title in the first-ever College Football Playoff.
It’s worth noting that Ohio State’s initial six championships were secured before the advent of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS), which has evolved into the current College Football Playoff National Championship. The Buckeyes’ first championship was captured in 1942 when they were crowned champions by the AL Poll after finishing the season with a 9-1 record, which included key victories against arch-rival University of Michigan and Illinois. This achievement was followed by five more championships during the Woody Hayes era, highlighted by undefeated seasons in 1955 and 1968 and Rose Bowl victories in 1954, 1957, and 1968.