Here are the nine schools with the most wins in college football history, based on the NCAA’s official win-loss records.
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Note: To qualify for this list, schools had to play in the major football league for at least 25 years, which may have been the case before teams were separated into FBS and FCS levels. This explains the inclusion of a school on this list whose presence may come as a surprise to many.
* This was updated through August 8, 2024.
9. Nebraska
All-time record: 917-424-40
Winning percentage: .678
First season: 1890
Nebraska is trying to build on its success from the 1970s to the late 1990s, when the Huskers won five national championships and produced three Heisman Trophy winners. The Cornhuskers’ last 10-win season was 2012, and the team will look to end its eight-year bowl drought in 2024 after finishing 5-7 in 2023.
8. Penn State
All-time record: 930-409-41
Winning percentage: .689
First season: 1887
Penn State has a rich football history, including two national championships and a Heisman winner. Since 2010, the Nittany Lions have won one Big Ten championship (2016) and posted five 10-win seasons. Penn State will look to post three consecutive 10-win seasons in 2024 and join a loaded Big Ten Conference.
7.Yale
All-time record: 936-390-55
Winning percentage: .698
First season: 1872
Yale played its first football game at least seven years before any other school on this list. The Bulldogs joined the Ivy League in 1956, and the Ivy League moved to Division I-AA in 1982. Yale now plays at the FCS level, and the Bulldogs have won the Ivy League four times since 2015.
Oklahoma has seven Heisman winners, making it the team with the most awards of all time.
6. Oklahoma
All-time record: 944-341-53
Winning percentage: .725
First season: 1895
Oklahoma has established itself as one of the best programs of all time and of this century. The Sooners have seven national championships and as many Heisman winners, including back-to-back Heisman titles in 2017-18. The program has posted 11 double-digit winning seasons since 2010 and will look to carry its prestige into 2024, which will be its first year in the SEC.
Texas won at least 10 games every year from 2001 to 2009
5. Texas
All-time record: 948-392-33
Winning percentage: .702
First season: 1893
The Longhorns are one of the most popular teams in history, producing four national titles and two Heisman winners. From 2001 to 2009, Texas posted nine consecutive double-digit win seasons, culminating in a 13-0 national championship victory in 2005. Since 2010, the Longhorns have posted just two 10-win seasons, but Texas fans are optimistic after a 12-2 College Football Playoff berth in the 2023 season.
Notre Dame’s nine championships in the poll era are the second most of all time
4. Notre-Dame
All-time record: 948-337-42
Winning percentage: .730
First season: 1887
Notre Dame has won nine national championships in the poll era since 1936, trailing only Alabama in that span. The Irish have also produced seven Heisman winners, most recently Tim Brown in 1987. Since 2010, Notre Dame has posted eight 10-win seasons, including a national championship appearance in 2012. The team has made seven consecutive bowl games and will look to extend that streak through 2024.
Ohio State’s Archie Griffin is the only player in history to win two Heisman trophies
3. State of Ohio
All-time record: 964-333-53
Winning percentage: .734
First season: 1890
Winners of the first College Football Playoff in 2014, the Buckeyes have been national title contenders year after year since the mid-1990s. Since 1995, Ohio State has finished in the top six of the AP poll 15 times, with two national championships and two runner-up finishes. The program boasts eight national titles and seven Heisman winners, including the only two-time winner, Archie Griffin. The Buckeyes finished second in the CFP during the 2020 season, and Ohio State has posted 12 double-digit win seasons since 2010.
Alabama has won six national championships since 2009
2. Alabama
All-time record: 965-337-43
Winning percentage: .733
First season: 1892
Alabama was the most dominant program of the 21st century, winning six national titles under legendary coach Nick Saban. The Crimson Tide has appeared in nine title games since 2009 and produced four Heisman winners. They will look to continue that dominance in the program’s first season without Saban.
Michigan is the most successful team in college football history.
1. Michigan
All-time record: 1004-353-36
Winning percentage: .734
First season: 1879
In 2024, Michigan put it all together to capture its first national title since 1997, finishing the year with a perfect record of 15-0. The Wolverines have won three titles in the poll era and will look to ride that wave of recent success into the 2024 season.
