| School | Notre Dame |
|---|---|
| Number of Reigns | 13 |
| National Titles | 3 — (1930, 1936, 1973) |
| Record in Bouts | 31-26-6 |
| As Belt Holder | 18-12-4 |
| 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***
1 game
- Nov 29, 2025 Notre Dame 49:20 Stanford
Previous Reigns:
Reign #12
- Nov 24, 1990 USC 6:10 Notre Dame
- Jan 1, 1991 Notre Dame 9:10 Colorado
Reign #11
- Nov 14, 1987 Alabama 6:37 Notre Dame
- Nov 21, 1987 Penn State 21:20 Notre Dame
Reign #10
- Oct 27, 1973 Notre Dame 23:14 USC
- Nov 3, 1973 Navy 7:44 Notre Dame
- 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 Georgia Tech 7:31 Notre Dame
- Sep 21, 1974 Notre Dame 49:3 Northwestern
- Sep 28, 1974 Purdue 31:20 Notre Dame
Reign #9
- Sep 21, 1968 Notre Dame 45:21 Oklahoma
- Sep 28, 1968 Purdue 37:22 Notre Dame
Reign #8
- Nov 18, 1961 Notre Dame 17:15 Syracuse
- Nov 25, 1961 Iowa 42:21 Notre Dame
Reign #7
- Nov 16, 1957 Notre Dame 7:0 Oklahoma
- Nov 23, 1957 Iowa 21:13 Notre Dame
Reign #6
- Nov 21, 1936 Northwestern 6:26 Notre Dame
- Dec 5, 1936 USC 13:13 Notre Dame
- Oct 2, 1937 Notre Dame 21:0 Drake
- Oct 9, 1937 Illinois 0:0 Notre Dame
- Oct 16, 1937 Carnegie Mellon 9:7 Notre Dame
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 Northwestern 0:0 Notre Dame
- 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 USC 16:14 Notre Dame
Reign #3
- Nov 10, 1928 Army 6:12 Notre Dame
- Nov 17, 1928 Notre Dame 7:27 Carnegie Mellon
Reign #2
- Oct 29, 1927 Georgia Tech 7:26 Notre Dame
- Nov 5, 1927 Notre Dame 7:7 Minnesota
- Nov 12, 1927 Army 18:0 Notre Dame
Reign #1
- Oct 20, 1923 Notre Dame 25:2 Princeton
- Oct 27, 1923 Georgia Tech 7:35 Notre Dame
- Nov 3, 1923 Purdue 7:34 Notre Dame
- 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 Georgia Tech 7:26 Notre Dame
- Nov 10, 1928 Army 6:12 Notre Dame
- Dec 6, 1930 Notre Dame 27:0 USC
- Dec 10, 1932 USC 13:0 Notre Dame
- Nov 10, 1934 Notre Dame 6:10 Navy
- Oct 19, 1935 Notre Dame 9:6 Pitt
- Nov 21, 1936 Northwestern 6:26 Notre Dame
- Nov 3, 1945 Notre Dame 6:6 Navy
- Nov 9, 1946 Army 0:0 Notre Dame
- Oct 27, 1956 Oklahoma 40:0 Notre Dame
- Nov 16, 1957 Notre Dame 7:0 Oklahoma
- Nov 5, 1960 Pitt 20:13 Notre Dame
- Nov 18, 1961 Notre Dame 17:15 Syracuse
- Dec 1, 1962 USC 25:0 Notre Dame
- Sep 21, 1968 Notre Dame 45:21 Oklahoma
- Oct 27, 1973 Notre Dame 23:14 USC
- Nov 27, 1976 USC 17:13 Notre Dame
- Nov 25, 1978 USC 27:25 Notre Dame
- Oct 20, 1979 USC 42:23 Notre Dame
- Oct 4, 1986 Alabama 28:10 Notre Dame
- Nov 15, 1986 Penn State 24:19 Notre Dame
- Nov 14, 1987 Alabama 6:37 Notre Dame
- Nov 24, 1990 USC 6:10 Notre Dame
- Nov 27, 2004 USC 41:10 Notre Dame
- Oct 15, 2005 USC 34:31 Notre Dame
- Nov 11, 2017 Notre Dame 8:41 Miami
- Jan 1, 2021 Alabama 31:14 Notre Dame
- Nov 29, 2025 Notre Dame 49:20 Stanford
Reports:
Compiled 2026-02-03