The Georgia Bulldogs are again on top of the college football world after winning the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship.
UGA defeated the TCU Horned Frogs 65-7, fueled by an outstanding performance from Stetson Bennett. He finished with 304 yards passing, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. Bennett’s sensational outing helped Georgia secure its second straight national title — quite the turnaround after going 40 seasons without winning a championship (1981-2020).
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, only a few teams have won back-to-back titles in college football since 1990. Georgia’s consecutive championships put the school on a shortlist of programs who have achieved the feat.
Alabama Crimson Tide – 2011-12
Bama went 11-1 in the 2011 regular season, with its only loss against the LSU Tigers in overtime on Nov. 5, 2011. When the two teams met again in the BCS Championship Game, Alabama beat LSU 21-0 to win the national title.
In 2012, Bama again finished with an 11-1 regular-season record, the lone blemish was a loss against the Texas A&M Aggies on Nov. 10, 2012. The Crimson Tide outscored their opponents 172-42 the rest of the year, which included a 42-14 thrashing of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for the championship.
USC Trojans – 2003-04
The 2003 Trojans offense was a machine, scoring 30 or more points in 11 of their 13 games that season. USC finished the regular season 11-1, its only defeat against the California Golden Bears in triple overtime.
After a 28-14 win against the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl, USC ended up splitting national championship rights with LSU. The Tigers defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in the BCS national title game and earned the No. 1 spot in the coaches poll. But USC was ranked No. 1 in the AP poll, which produced the co-championship outcome.
In 2004, USC logged a 12-0 regular-season record and a place in the BCS title game. The Trojans trounced the Oklahoma Sooners 55-19, becoming the first team since the 1994-95 Nebraska Cornhuskers to repeat as AP national champions.
Nebraska Cornhuskers – 1994-95
Speaking of Nebraska, the Cornhuskers put together a historic two-year stretch. In 1994, they compiled a 12-0 regular-season record, scoring 40 or more points in six of 12 games, while the defense gave up 15 points or fewer in seven contests. In the national championship game at the Orange Bowl, the Cornhuskers were down 17-9 to the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter, but Nebraska orchestrated a memorable comeback to win 24-17.
Read more: Epic Miami-Nebraska games
The Cornhuskers had an 11-0 regular-season record in 1995. They faced little resistance from their opponents, winning by an average of 38.7 points per game. According to Nebraska’s 1995 team page, it led the country in rushing yards (399.8) and scoring (52.4).
In the national championship at the Fiesta Bowl, the Cornhuskers’ offense reigned supreme, scoring 62 points en route to a 62-24 win against the Florida Gators. The 86 combined points was a game record until the TCU Horned Frogs and Michigan Wolverines scored 96 in the 2022 CFP semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. Nebraska’s 25 straight wins from 1994-95 became a school record.