Editor’s note: Stay tuned for live updates, scores, and highlights from the national championship game featuring Ohio State and Notre Dame.

The College Football Playoff championship game is here, showcasing a clash between two of the most prestigious and celebrated teams in college football history.

On Monday night, No. 7 Notre Dame faces off against No. 8 Ohio State, with both teams eager to break long-standing national championship dry spells: Notre Dame, having not won in 36 years, and Ohio State, returning after a 10-year gap since their last title.

A victory for Notre Dame would bring them into a tie with Michigan for the second-most national championships claimed in college football history. In contrast, Ohio State would add its ninth title overall if they secure a win.

It’s important to note that there isn’t a widespread agreement in college football regarding national championship titles, with some titles recognized and others disputed. The Associated Press began officially recognizing national championships in 1936, when Minnesota was designated as the first champion. The UPI, which later became known as the Coaches Poll, awarded its first title to Oklahoma in 1950.

The sport didn’t host its first official championship game until the 1998 season, when Tennessee triumphed over Florida State in the BCS championship game. Moreover, the year 2003 saw a split national championship, with LSU winning the Coaches Poll national championship and USC receiving the AP title. It wasn’t until 16 years later that the highest division of the sport introduced a playoff system with the CFP.

With that context in mind, here’s a brief overview of the teams with the most claimed national championships as we approach Monday’s College Football Playoff championship game:

Which college football team has the most national championships?

Among Division I FBS teams, Alabama holds the title for the most claimed national championships with a total of 18 titles.

The Crimson Tide achieved their first championship in 1925 under coach Wallace Wade, defeating Washington in the Rose Bowl, and repeated this success the following year. Under the leadership of legendary coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant (with six titles from 1961 to 1979) and Nick Saban (with six titles from 2009 to 2020), Alabama has solidified its status as a football powerhouse.

However, when considering titles recognized by the NCAA, Yale, an Ivy League institution competing in the FCS, also claims 18 championships, more than Alabama’s 16 recognized titles.

Most college football national championships

As Notre Dame and Ohio State prepare to compete in Monday’s CFP national championship game, they rank third and sixth respectively in terms of national titles claimed.

The Irish are aiming for their first championship trophy since 1988, while the Buckeyes seek to capture their first title since 2014, the inaugural year of the College Football Playoff.

Here’s a summary of the current Division I FBS teams with the highest number of claimed national titles:

Seasons listed in parentheses

• 1. Alabama: 18 (1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020)
• 2. Michigan: 12 (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997, 2023)
• T-3. Notre Dame: 11 (1924, 1929, 1930, 1943, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1966, 1973, 1977, 1988)
• T-3. USC: 11 (1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004)
• 5. Pitt: 9 (1915, 1916, 1918, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1976)
• 6. Ohio State: 8 (1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014)
• T-7. Oklahoma: 7 (1950, 1955, 1956, 1974, 1975, 1985, 2000)
• T-7. Minnesota: 7 (1903, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960)
• T-9. Tennessee: 6 (1938, 1940, 1950, 1951, 1967, 1998)
• T-9 Michigan State: 6 (1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966)

Previous College Football Playoff champions

Here’s a list of past champions from the College Football Playoff since it began in 2014:

• 2014: Ohio State
• 2015: Alabama
• 2016: Clemson
• 2017: Alabama
• 2018: Clemson
• 2019: LSU
• 2020: Alabama
• 2021: Georgia
• 2022: Georgia
• 2023: Michigan