| School | Notre Dame |
|---|---|
| Number of Reigns | 13 |
| National Titles | 4 — (1930, 1936, 1973, 2025) |
| Record in Bouts | 33-26-6 |
| As Belt Holder | 20-12-4 |
| As Challenger | 13-14-2 |
In boxing (and other sports), one becomes the champ by beating the champ. And they remain the champ until someone takes it from them.
What if college football did this? On November 6, 1869 Rutgers defeated Princeton 6-4 (in a game that more closely resembled soccer than
what we'd call football, but we're counting it anyway), winning the first College Football Heavyweight Bout. Princeton would win the
rematch 8-0 to take back the Belt. Since then, I've tracked the progress of the Belt and all the challenges for it. The 323rd (and current)
Heavyweight Champion of College Football is Notre Dame.
Current Champ
***Current Reign***
3 games
- Nov 29, 2025 Notre Dame 49:20 Stanford
- Sep 6, 2026 Notre Dame 41:13 Wisconsin
- Sep 12, 2026 Notre Dame 52:0 Rice
Previous Reigns:
Reign #12
- Nov 24, 1990 Notre Dame 10:6 USC
- Jan 1, 1991 Notre Dame 9:10 Colorado
Reign #11
- Nov 14, 1987 Notre Dame 37:6 Alabama
- Nov 21, 1987 Notre Dame 20:21 Penn State
Reign #10
- Oct 27, 1973 Notre Dame 23:14 USC
- Nov 3, 1973 Notre Dame 44:7 Navy
- Nov 10, 1973 Notre Dame 31:10 Pitt
- Nov 22, 1973 Notre Dame 48:15 Air Force
- Dec 1, 1973 Notre Dame 44:0 Miami
- Dec 31, 1973 Notre Dame 24:23 Alabama
- Sep 9, 1974 Notre Dame 31:7 Georgia Tech
- Sep 21, 1974 Notre Dame 49:3 Northwestern
- Sep 28, 1974 Notre Dame 20:31 Purdue
Reign #9
- Sep 21, 1968 Notre Dame 45:21 Oklahoma
- Sep 28, 1968 Notre Dame 22:37 Purdue
Reign #8
- Nov 18, 1961 Notre Dame 17:15 Syracuse
- Nov 25, 1961 Notre Dame 21:42 Iowa
Reign #7
- Nov 16, 1957 Notre Dame 7:0 Oklahoma
- Nov 23, 1957 Notre Dame 13:21 Iowa
Reign #6
- Nov 21, 1936 Notre Dame 26:6 Northwestern
- Dec 5, 1936 Notre Dame 13:13 USC
- Oct 2, 1937 Notre Dame 21:0 Drake
- Oct 9, 1937 Notre Dame 0:0 Illinois
- Oct 16, 1937 Notre Dame 7:9 Carnegie Mellon
Reign #5
- Oct 19, 1935 Notre Dame 9:6 Pitt
- Oct 26, 1935 Notre Dame 14:0 Navy
- Nov 2, 1935 Notre Dame 18:13 Ohio State
- Nov 9, 1935 Notre Dame 7:14 Northwestern
Reign #4
- Dec 6, 1930 Notre Dame 27:0 USC
- Oct 3, 1931 Notre Dame 25:0 Indiana
- Oct 10, 1931 Notre Dame 0:0 Northwestern
- Oct 17, 1931 Notre Dame 63:0 Drake
- Oct 24, 1931 Notre Dame 25:12 Pitt
- Oct 31, 1931 Notre Dame 19:0 Carnegie Mellon
- Nov 7, 1931 Notre Dame 49:0 Pennsylvania
- Nov 14, 1931 Notre Dame 20:0 Navy
- Nov 21, 1931 Notre Dame 14:16 USC
Reign #3
- Nov 10, 1928 Notre Dame 12:6 Army
- Nov 17, 1928 Notre Dame 7:27 Carnegie Mellon
Reign #2
- Oct 29, 1927 Notre Dame 26:7 Georgia Tech
- Nov 5, 1927 Notre Dame 7:7 Minnesota
- Nov 12, 1927 Notre Dame 0:18 Army
Reign #1
- Oct 20, 1923 Notre Dame 25:2 Princeton
- Oct 27, 1923 Notre Dame 35:7 Georgia Tech
- Nov 3, 1923 Notre Dame 34:7 Purdue
- Nov 10, 1923 Notre Dame 7:14 Nebraska
Challenges:
Notre Dame has challenged 29 times, winning 13:
- Oct 20, 1923 Notre Dame 25:2 Princeton
- Oct 29, 1927 Notre Dame 26:7 Georgia Tech
- Nov 10, 1928 Notre Dame 12:6 Army
- Dec 6, 1930 Notre Dame 27:0 USC
- Dec 10, 1932 Notre Dame 0:13 USC
- Nov 10, 1934 Notre Dame 6:10 Navy
- Oct 19, 1935 Notre Dame 9:6 Pitt
- Nov 21, 1936 Notre Dame 26:6 Northwestern
- Nov 3, 1945 Notre Dame 6:6 Navy
- Nov 9, 1946 Notre Dame 0:0 Army
- Oct 27, 1956 Notre Dame 0:40 Oklahoma
- Nov 16, 1957 Notre Dame 7:0 Oklahoma
- Nov 5, 1960 Notre Dame 13:20 Pitt
- Nov 18, 1961 Notre Dame 17:15 Syracuse
- Dec 1, 1962 Notre Dame 0:25 USC
- Sep 21, 1968 Notre Dame 45:21 Oklahoma
- Oct 27, 1973 Notre Dame 23:14 USC
- Nov 27, 1976 Notre Dame 13:17 USC
- Nov 25, 1978 Notre Dame 25:27 USC
- Oct 20, 1979 Notre Dame 23:42 USC
- Oct 4, 1986 Notre Dame 10:28 Alabama
- Nov 15, 1986 Notre Dame 19:24 Penn State
- Nov 14, 1987 Notre Dame 37:6 Alabama
- Nov 24, 1990 Notre Dame 10:6 USC
- Nov 27, 2004 Notre Dame 10:41 USC
- Oct 15, 2005 Notre Dame 31:34 USC
- Nov 11, 2017 Notre Dame 8:41 Miami
- Jan 1, 2021 Notre Dame 14:31 Alabama
- Nov 29, 2025 Notre Dame 49:20 Stanford
Reports:
Compiled 2026-09-15