College Football Heavyweight Championship

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 326th (and current) Heavyweight Champion of College Football is Baylor.

Current Champ

School	Baylor
Number of Reigns	7
National Titles	2 — (2012, 2021)
Record in Bouts	22-14-0
As Belt Holder	15-6-0
As Challenger	7-8-0

Current Reign

1 game

Oct 30, 2026 Baylor 41:9 UCF

Previous Reigns:

Reign #6

Jan 1, 2022 Baylor 21:7 Ole Miss
Sep 10, 2022 Baylor 20:26 BYU

Reign #5

Nov 21, 2015 Baylor 45:35 Oklahoma State
Nov 27, 2015 Baylor 21:28 TCU

Reign #4

Oct 11, 2014 Baylor 61:58 TCU
Oct 18, 2014 Baylor 27:41 West Virginia

Reign #3

Nov 17, 2012 Baylor 52:24 Kansas State
Nov 24, 2012 Baylor 52:45 Texas Tech
Dec 1, 2012 Baylor 41:34 Oklahoma State
Dec 27, 2012 Baylor 49:26 UCLA
Sep 7, 2013 Baylor 70:13 Buffalo
Sep 21, 2013 Baylor 70:7 Louisiana-Monroe
Oct 5, 2013 Baylor 73:42 West Virginia
Oct 12, 2013 Baylor 35:25 Kansas State
Oct 19, 2013 Baylor 71:7 Iowa State
Oct 26, 2013 Baylor 59:14 Kansas
Nov 7, 2013 Baylor 41:12 Oklahoma
Nov 16, 2013 Baylor 63:34 Texas Tech
Nov 23, 2013 Baylor 17:49 Oklahoma State

Reign #2

Oct 26, 1991 Baylor 26:9 TCU
Nov 2, 1991 Baylor 9:5 Arkansas
Nov 16, 1991 Baylor 24:31 Texas Tech

Reign #1

Sep 14, 1991 Baylor 16:14 Colorado
Sep 21, 1991 Baylor 47:21 Missouri
Sep 28, 1991 Baylor 45:7 SMU
Oct 5, 1991 Baylor 38:21 Houston
Oct 12, 1991 Baylor 17:20 Rice

Challenges:

Baylor has challenged 15 times, winning 7:

Nov 14, 1959 Baylor 8:17 USC
Nov 9, 1963 Baylor 0:7 Texas
Oct 9, 1965 Baylor 7:38 Arkansas
Sep 11, 1982 Baylor 14:21 Ohio State
Sep 14, 1991 Baylor 16:14 Colorado
Oct 26, 1991 Baylor 26:9 TCU
Oct 11, 1997 Baylor 21:49 Nebraska
Oct 17, 1998 Baylor 14:35 Texas A&M
Oct 18, 2008 Baylor 6:34 Oklahoma State
Sep 29, 2012 Baylor 63:70 West Virginia
Nov 17, 2012 Baylor 52:24 Kansas State
Oct 11, 2014 Baylor 61:58 TCU
Nov 21, 2015 Baylor 45:35 Oklahoma State
Jan 1, 2022 Baylor 21:7 Ole Miss
Oct 30, 2026 Baylor 41:9 UCF

Reports:

All-Time Rankings School Reports Longest Reigns Belt Lineage

Top 25 (Active FBS) Yearly National Champions All Bouts

Compiled 2026-11-03

***Current Reign***