AP Trophy

American college football trophy

Associated Press Trophy

The Associated Press Trophy that was awarded to the 1997 Michigan Wolverines

Awarded for| the Associated Press college football National Champion
Country| United States
Presented by| Associated Press
History
First award| 1936
Most recent| Ohio State

The Associated Press (AP) Trophy is the annual award given by the Associated Press (AP) to the team ranked No. 1 in the season's final AP Poll. The trophy is emblematic of the college football national championship as awarded by the Associated Press.

The current version of trophy consists of a silver or gold football suspended above a base which contains the letters "AP" (for Associated Press), along with the information on who the recipient of the trophy was.[1]

Until the 1968 college football season, the final AP poll of the season was released following the end of the regular season,[2] with the exception of the 1965 season.[3]

Prior to the College Football Playoff (CFP) and Bowl Championship Series (BCS), the NCAA had not held a tournament or championship game to determine the national champion of what is now the highest level, NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) due to the long-standing historical ties between individual college football conferences and high-paying bowl games like the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl. The NCAA did, however, recognize a national champion based upon the final results of major "wire-service" (AP and Coaches') polls. The extent of that recognition came in the form of acknowledgment in the annual NCAA Football Guide of the "unofficial" national champions. As a result, the public and the media began to acknowledge the leading vote-getter in the final AP Poll as the national champion for that season.[4][5]

The Associated Press was not tied to the BCS, and the trophy could be awarded to a team which did not win the BCS National Championship Game. This has happened once after the 2003 season when LSU won the BCS title game, but USC received a higher total of votes in the final AP Poll, and therefore received the AP National Championship Trophy.[6] Teams serving NCAA postseason bans are still eligible for the AP National Championship. This has occurred twice, following the 1957 and 1974 seasons.[7][8]

## Trophies

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### No trophy (1936–1940)

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In its initial years, the AP Poll did not award a trophy.[9]

The preeminent national championship trophy of the era was the Knute Rockne Memorial Trophy awarded by the Dickinson System.[9] Following the retirement of Frank G. Dickinson and his rating system in 1940, Minnesota tasked the AP Poll with awarding the new trophy it put into play.

### Williams Trophy (1941–1947)

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From 1941–1947, the No. 1 team in the final Associated Press poll was awarded the Dr. Henry L. Williams Trophy.[10] The trophy, named in honor of Minnesota head coach Henry L. Williams, was donated by the Golden Gophers after they permanently retired the Dickinson System's Rockne Trophy by winning it for the third time in 1940.

The Williams trophy was retired when it was won for the third time by Notre Dame in 1947.

### O'Donnell Trophy (1948–1956)

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Following their retirement of the Williams trophy, Notre Dame donated the Rev. J. Hugh O'Donnell Memorial Trophy to be presented to the 1948 national champion as determined by the Associated Press poll.[10] Like the previous college football national championship trophies, it was to be permanently retired by the first team to win it three times.

Oklahoma retained permanent possession of the O'Donnell trophy after winning it for the third time in 1956.[11]

### Bryant Trophy (1957–1965)

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A dedicated Associated Press Trophy was commissioned following the retirement of the O'Donnell Trophy by Oklahoma.[12] The AP Trophy was first awarded to Auburn for their 1957 AP national championship.[13] Like the previous national championship trophies, the "huge, 40-inch high, bronze" Associated Press trophy would be kept by the first school to win it three times.[14]

This original "big, silver" AP trophy was retired by Alabama in 1965, upon winning their third AP title in five years.[15] Upon permanently awarding the trophy to Alabama, the Associated Press named it the Paul W. Bryant Trophy.[16] This AP trophy is still held by Alabama and is on display at the Paul W. Bryant Museum on the university campus in Tuscaloosa.[9]

### AP Trophy (1966–1977)

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Another traveling Associated Press Trophy was awarded from 1966–1977.[17] It was retired permanently by Notre Dame following their third win of the trophy.[18]

### Bryant Trophy (1978–1989)

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A new traveling Associated Press Trophy was put into competition for the 1978 season.[18][19] Following the death of the great coach in January 1983, this trophy was renamed the Paul W. "Bear" Bryant Trophy.[20] This same name had previously been given to the AP trophy used from 1957–1965, upon it being won 3 times and retired by the coach's Alabama team.[16]

This Bryant trophy was retired by the University of Miami, which gained permanent possession after their 3 wins in 1983, 1987, and 1989.[19] The trophy currently resides at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

### AP Trophy (1990–present)

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Since the conclusion of the 1990 season, the AP has annually awarded an individual Associated Press Trophy to the school that finishes No. 1 in the final AP Poll (signifying that team as the national champion in Division I-A / FBS).

## Winners

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The following teams have finished in the No. 1 spot in the final AP Poll of the season for college football:[21]

### By year

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Season  | School  | Head Coach

|
|

1936 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman
1937 | Pittsburgh | Jock Sutherland
1938 | TCU | Dutch Meyer
1939 | Texas A&M | Homer Norton
1940 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman
1941 | Minnesota | Bernie Bierman
1942 | Ohio State | Paul Brown
1943 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy
1944 | Army | Earl Blaik
1945 | Army | Earl Blaik
1946 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy
1947 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy
1948 | Michigan | Bennie Oosterbaan
1949 | Notre Dame | Frank Leahy
1950 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson
1951 | Tennessee | Robert Neyland
1952 | Michigan State | Biggie Munn
1953 | Maryland | Jim Tatum
1954 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes
1955 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson
1956 | Oklahoma | Bud Wilkinson
1957 | Auburn | Ralph Jordan
1958 | LSU | Paul Dietzel
1959 | Syracuse | Ben Schwartzwalder
1960 | Minnesota | Murray Warmath
1961 | Alabama | Bear Bryant
1962 | USC | John McKay
1963 | Texas | Darrell Royal
1964 | Alabama | Bear Bryant
1965 | Alabama | Bear Bryant
1966 | Notre Dame | Ara Parseghian
1967 | USC | John McKay
1968 | Ohio State | Woody Hayes
1969 | Texas | Darrell Royal
1970 | Nebraska | Bob Devaney
1971 | Nebraska | Bob Devaney
1972 | USC | John McKay
1973 | Notre Dame | Ara Parseghian
1974 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer
1975 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer
1976 | Pittsburgh | Johnny Majors
1977 | Notre Dame | Dan Devine
1978 | Alabama | Bear Bryant
1979 | Alabama | Bear Bryant
1980 | Georgia | Vince Dooley
1981 | Clemson | Danny Ford
1982 | Penn State | Joe Paterno
1983 | Miami (FL) | Howard Schnellenberger
1984 | BYU | LaVell Edwards
1985 | Oklahoma | Barry Switzer
1986 | Penn State | Joe Paterno
1987 | Miami (FL) | Jimmy Johnson
1988 | Notre Dame | Lou Holtz
1989 | Miami (FL) | Dennis Erickson
1990 | Colorado | Bill McCartney
1991 | Miami (FL) | Dennis Erickson
1992 | Alabama | Gene Stallings
1993 | Florida State | Bobby Bowden
1994 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne
1995 | Nebraska | Tom Osborne
1996 | Florida | Steve Spurrier
1997 | Michigan | Lloyd Carr
1998 | Tennessee | Phillip Fulmer
1999 | Florida State | Bobby Bowden
2000 | Oklahoma | Bob Stoops
2001 | Miami (FL) | Larry Coker
2002 | Ohio State | Jim Tressel
2003 | USC | Pete Carroll
2004 | USC | Pete Carroll
2005 | Texas | Mack Brown
2006 | Florida | Urban Meyer
2007 | LSU | Les Miles
2008 | Florida | Urban Meyer
2009 | Alabama | Nick Saban
2010 | Auburn | Gene Chizik
2011 | Alabama | Nick Saban
2012 | Alabama | Nick Saban
2013 | Florida State | Jimbo Fisher
2014 | Ohio State | Urban Meyer
2015 | Alabama | Nick Saban
2016 | Clemson | Dabo Swinney
2017 | Alabama | Nick Saban
2018 | Clemson | Dabo Swinney
2019 | LSU | Ed Orgeron
2020 | Alabama | Nick Saban
2021 | Georgia | Kirby Smart
2022 | Georgia | Kirby Smart
2023 | Michigan | Jim Harbaugh
2024 | Ohio State | Ryan Day

### By team

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Team  | Number  | Seasons

|
|

Alabama | 12  | 1961, 1964, 1965, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020
Notre Dame | 8  | 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988
Oklahoma | 7  | 1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000
Ohio State | 6  | 1942, 1954, 1968, 2002, 2014, 2024
Miami (FL) | 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
Clemson | 3  | 1981, 2016, 2018
Florida | 3  | 1996, 2006, 2008
Florida State | 3  | 1993, 1999, 2013
Georgia | 3  | 1980, 2021, 2022
LSU | 3  | 1958, 2007, 2019
Michigan | 3  | 1948, 1997, 2023
Texas | 3  | 1963, 1969, 2005
Army | 2  | 1944, 1945
Auburn | 2  | 1957, 2010
Penn State | 2  | 1982, 1986
Pittsburgh | 2  | 1937, 1976
Tennessee | 2  | 1951, 1998
BYU | 1  | 1984
Colorado | 1  | 1990
Maryland | 1  | 1953
Michigan State | 1  | 1952
Syracuse | 1  | 1959
TCU | 1  | 1938
Texas A&M | 1  | 1939

## References

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1. ^ College Football Awards: All National and Conference Winners Through 2010. McFarland. 31 August 2012. ISBN 9780786448678.
2. ^ "Poll Matches Rose Foes – 'One-Two' Fracas Set". Moberly Monitor–Index. Moberly, Missouri. Associated Press. December 3, 1968. p. 8. Retrieved August 25, 2022. "That Dream Match—the No. 1 team against the No. 2 outfit in the Rose Bowl—remained a reality today... but just barely. [...] Because the race is so tight, the final AP poll of the season won't be released until after the Jan. 1 bowl games."
3. ^ Green, Bob (January 4, 1966). "Crimson Tide Named National Collegiate Football Champions — Third Title in Five Years". Fort Collins Coloradoan. Associated Press. Retrieved August 17, 2022. "Ironically, when the Tide won last year, the poll was taken at the close of the regular season and 'Bama went on to lose to Texas in the Orange Bowl. This year the final poll of the season was conducted after the New Year's bowl games—the first time it had been held until after the bowls—because the six top teams were in action New Year's Day."
4. ^ Sports in America from Colonial Times to the Twenty-First Century: An Encyclopedia: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. 26 March 2015. ISBN 9781317459477.
5. ^ College Football Awards: All National and Conference Winners Through 2010. McFarland. 31 August 2012. ISBN 9780786448678.
6. ^ Miller, Ted (May 20, 2008). "BCS system leaves long trail of wounded victims". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 20, 2008.
7. ^ Irvine, Steve. "Defense, lobbying helped 1957 Auburn team to Tigers only national title". AL.com.
8. ^ Tramel, Berry. "USC poll ban: OU football started it all". The Oklahoman.
9. ^ a b c Inabinett, Mark (November 23, 2017). "Auburn's 1957 national-championship team: 'There wasn't a lot of hoopla about it'". AL.com. Retrieved August 20, 2022. "But there was a trophy for the Dickinson System, and there was a trophy for the AP poll when Minnesota's lettermen's club sponsored the Williams Trophy. With the Dickinson System dead, Minnesota shifted its responsibility to replace the national-championship trophy that it retired to the AP poll, naming the award after Henry Williams, the Golden Gophers' football coach from 1900 through 1921."
10. ^ a b Written at South Bend, Indiana. "Fighting Irish Grid Team Retires Williams Trophy". The News and Observer. Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press. March 13, 1948. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
11. ^ "Sooners To Get Trophy Feb. 1". The Norman Transcript. January 2, 1957. Retrieved August 16, 2022. "The Sooners will keep the trophy, having won it three times, in 1950, 1955, and 1956. Whether the University or the Associated Press will sponsor the next trophy is still undecided. In the past the school which retired a trophy sponsored the replacement."
12. ^ Written at Oklahoma City. "Sooners Given AP Grid Award". The Terre Haute Tribune. Terre Haute, Indiana. Associated Press. February 2, 1957. Retrieved August 17, 2022. "The Associated Press Friday night announced it will award a huge bronze trophy to future collegiate football champions ... Like the O'Donnell Trophy awarded by Notre Dame, the Associated Press Trophy will become the permanent possession of the team which wins the national title three times."
13. ^ "Auburn Is Voted Football Champ". The Norman Transcript. Associated Press. December 3, 1957. Retrieved August 16, 2022. "Auburn will be the first national champion to receive the Associated Press Trophy, put into competition this season as a successor to the Father Hugh O'Donnell Memorial trophy that was retired by Oklahoma last fall."
14. ^ Written at Oklahoma City. "Sports Briefs — Associated Press awarding 40 inch high bronze trophy". The Oneonta Star. Oneonta, New York. Associated Press. February 1, 1957. Retrieved August 17, 2022. "The Associated Press is awarding a 40 inch high bronze trophy emblematic of the national collegiate football championship to replace the famous O'Donnell Trophy retired by the University of Oklahoma."
15. ^ Green, Bob (January 4, 1966). "Crimson Tide Named National Collegiate Football Champions — Third Title in Five Years". Fort Collins Coloradoan. Associated Press. Retrieved August 17, 2022. "...and gives 'Bama permanent possession of the big, silver AP trophy. [...] Keeps Trophy — The three championships give Alabama permanent possession of the AP trophy, which goes to the first team to win three titles since the trophy has been up for competition. The trophy was put up for competition in 1957. Another trophy will be put up next season."
16. ^ a b Thompson, Wayne (May 17, 1966). Written at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. "'Spartan Effort' Won For Tide". Clarion-Ledger. Jackson, Mississippi. Retrieved September 19, 2022. "Ted Smits, general sports editor of the Associated Press, presented the wire service's national championship award. And, Smits was truly on the ball. First, he brought down the house with the announcement that said trophy—which the Tide retired with titles in 1961–64–65—has been named the Paul W. Bryant Trophy."
17. ^ The Associated Press Trophy (Trophy). Joyce Center, University of Notre Dame: Associated Press. 1966–1977. Archived from the original on November 27, 2023. "The National Collegiate Football Championship Award — Based on the Top Ten Championship Poll of Nation's Sports Writers and Sportscasters — 1966: Notre Dame; 1967: USC; 1968: Ohio State; 1969: Texas; 1970: Nebraska; 1971: Nebraska; 1972: USC; 1973: Notre Dame; 1974: Oklahoma; 1975: Oklahoma; 1976: Pitt; 1977: Notre Dame"
18. ^ a b "To the Victor Belongs the Spoils". The Selma Times-Journal. April 15, 1979. Retrieved September 21, 2022. "the AP retires a championship trophy once a school wins the national crown three times. The trophy used Saturday afternoon was the original AP trophy which was to be given permanently to Alabama. "I would have brought last year's trophy down here today to present to you but I didn't think you would want the same trophy that Notre Dame had," Nissenson said with a smile. Nissenson informed the crowd that the Associated Press was having a new trophy made and after it was obtained from the jewelers it would be taken to Tuscaloosa."
19. ^ a b The Paul W. "Bear" Bryant Trophy Presented By The Associated Press (Trophy inscription). University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame: Associated Press. 1978–1989. "National College Football Championship: 1978 Alabama; 1979 Alabama; 1980 Georgia; 1981 Clemson; 1982 Penn State; 1983 Miami, 1984 Brigham Young; 1985 Oklahoma; 1986 Penn State; 1987 Miami; 1988 Notre Dame; 1989 Miami"
20. ^ Nissenson, Hershel (January 4, 1984). "Miami earns top spot in AP poll". The Desert Sun. Associated Press. Retrieved September 20, 2022. "It was the first national championship for Miami and the first for any team since The AP Trophy was renamed the Paul "Bear" Bryant Trophy, after the late Alabama coach."
21. ^ "AP National Championships | Football | College Poll Archive".

* v
* t
* e

College football national championship trophies

Current NCAA Division I FBS|

* The Coaches' Trophy (est. 1986)
* AP Trophy (est. 1957)
* CFP National Championship Trophy (est. 2014)
* MacArthur Bowl (est. 1959)

Former NCAA Division I FBS|

* Albert Russel Erskine Trophy (1929–1931)
* Toledo Cup (1934–1936)
* Grantland Rice Trophy (1954–2013)

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