The list of Southern Conference football champions includes 20 distinct teams that have won the college football championship awarded by the Southern Conference since its creation. In total, forty-one teams have sponsored football in the conference.Current member UNC Greensboro does not sponsor football. Only Western Carolina has never won a Southern Conference football championship.

The conference was formed in 1921 when fourteen members from the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAA) met in Atlanta, Georgia with the purpose of creating a workable number of conference games for each member. The Southern Conference is notable for having spawned two other major conferences. In 1933, thirteen schools located south and west of the Appalachians (Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, and Vanderbilt) departed to form the Southeastern Conference. Twenty years later, in 1953, seven schools (Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, and Wake Forest) withdrew to form the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Currently the conference competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level in athletics, with the football teams playing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). There are nine football playing members of the Southern Conference: Chattanooga, The Citadel, East Tennessee State, Furman, Mercer, Samford, Virginia Military Institute, Western Carolina, and Wofford. Southern Conference teams have been successful in the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs, leading all conferences with an 87–49 record. Current and former Southern Conference teams have won a total of 12 national championships.

Champions by year

Undefeated teams claiming championships: 1922–1981 The Southern Conference competed in the FBS during the 1922–81 seasons.

Year Undefeated team(s) Conference record Notes1922Georgia TechNorth Carolina Vanderbilt4–05–0 3–0This was the inaugural Southern Conference football season with 20 teams participating. Vanderbilt was also a member of the SIAA until 1924, and defeated both Sewanee and Mercer. Vanderbilt tied Michigan 0-0 at the dedication of Dudley Field. Auburn upset Centre, previously undefeated in conference play. Vanderbilt end Lynn Bomar and Tech running back Red Barron were unanimous All-Southern and Walter Camp All-America second-team.1923VanderbiltWashington and Lee 3–0–14–0–1Florida upset Alabama, previously undefeated in conference play. Board of sportswriters awarded Vanderbilt the Champ Pickens Cup as Southern champions.1924Alabama5–0Board of sportswriters awarded Alabama the Champ Pickens Cup as Southern champions.1925Alabama Tulane7–0 5–0Alabama wins national championship; the first Southern team to win a Rose Bowl. Board of sportswriters awarded Alabama the Champ Pickens Cup as Southern champions.1926Alabama8–0Alabama wins national championship. Board of sportswriters awarded Alabama the Champ Pickens Cup as Southern champions.1927 NC State 4–0NC State wins conference title with undefeated and untied record. 1928Georgia Tech7–0Georgia Tech finishes No. 3.1929Tulane6–01930Alabama Tulane8–0 5–0Alabama wins national championship.1931Tulane8–0Tulane lost the Rose Bowl to USC.1932Auburn LSUTennessee6–0–1 4–0 7–0–1Thirteen teams leave after this season to form the Southeastern Conference.1933Duke South Carolina4–0 3-01934Washington and Lee4–01935Duke5–01936Duke7–0The Citadel, Furman, George Washington, and Richmond join the Southern Conference.1937Maryland2–0Virginia leaves the Southern Conference before the start of the 1937 season.1938Duke5–01939Duke5–01940Clemson4–01941Duke South Carolina5–0 4-0-11942William & Mary5–01943Duke4–01944Duke4–01945Duke4–01946North Carolina4–0–11947William & Mary7–11948Clemson5–01949North Carolina5–01950Washington and Lee6–0West Virginia joins the Southern Conference.1951MarylandVMI5–01952Duke5–0Seven teams leave after this season to form the Atlantic Coast Conference.1953West Virginia4–01954West Virginia3–01955West Virginia4–01956West Virginia5–01957VMI6–01958West Virginia4–0Washington and Lee leaves the Southern Conference.1959VMI6–0–11960VMI4–11961The Citadel5–11962VMI6–01963Virginia Tech5–01964West Virginia5–0East Carolina joins the Southern Conference.1965West Virginia4–0Virginia Tech leaves the Southern Conference.1966East CarolinaWilliam & Mary4–1–11967West Virginia4–0–11968Richmond6–0West Virginia leaves the Southern Conference.1969DavidsonRichmond5–11970William & Mary3–1George Washington leaves the Southern Conference.1971Richmond5–1Appalachian State joins the Southern Conference.1972East Carolina7–01973East Carolina7–01974VMI5–11975Richmond5–11976East Carolina4–1Chattanooga, Marshall, and Western Carolina join the Southern Conference.East Carolina and Richmond leave the Southern Conference.1977ChattanoogaVMI4–1William & Mary leaves the Southern Conference.1978FurmanChattanooga4–1Division I splits into I-A and I-AA subdivisions.On August 1, 1973 the NCAA's membership was divided into three legislative and competitive divisions at the first special convention ever held. All major schools were reclassified as Division I and other schools were divided into Division II and Division III. Roman numerals were chosen to be used rather than the Arabic 1, 2, 3. In 1978, Division I members voted to create subclassifications I-A, I-AA, and I-AAA for the sport of football. The major difference (at this point) besides sponsorship is the amount of scholarships allotted. I-A gets 85, I-AA gets 63, and I-AAA is for institutions that do not sponsor football. Only NCAA Division I is divided into subclassifications and only in the sport of football. East Tennessee State joins the Southern Conference.1979Chattanooga5–11980Furman7–01981Furman5–2

Champions: 1982–present In 1978 Division I football was split into two classifications: the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A) and Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA). The Southern Conference moved to the FCS in 1982 where its members compete for the NCAA Division I Football Championship.

Year Champion(s) Conference record Notes1982Furman6–1Southern Conference drops from I-A to the I-AA classification in football.1983Furman6–0–11984Chattanooga5–11985Furman6–01986Appalachian State6–0–11987Appalachian State7–01988FurmanMarshall6–1Furman wins NCAA Division I-AA national championship. 1989Furman7–01990Furman6–11991Appalachian State6–1Georgia Southern joins the Southern Conference.1992The Citadel6–1Marshall wins NCAA Division I-AA national championship.1993Georgia Southern7–11994Marshall7–11995Appalachian State8–01996Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible.Marshall8–0Marshall wins NCAA Division I-AA national championship.1997Georgia Southern7–1Marshall leaves the Southern Conference.Wofford joins the Southern Conference.1998Georgia Southern8–01999FurmanGeorgia SouthernAppalachian State7–1Georgia Southern wins NCAA Division I-AA national championship.2000Georgia Southern7–1Georgia Southern wins NCAA Division I-AA national championship.2001Georgia SouthernFurman7–12002Georgia Southern7–12003Wofford8–0Elon joins the Southern Conference.VMI leaves the Southern Conference.2004FurmanGeorgia Southern6–12005Appalachian State6–1Appalachian State wins NCAA Division I-AA national championship.East Tennessee State leaves the Southern Conference.2006Appalachian State7–0Appalachian State wins NCAA Division I FCS national championship.2007WoffordAppalachian State5–2Appalachian State wins NCAA Division I FCS national championship.2008Appalachian State8–0Samford joins the Southern Conference.2009Appalachian State8–02010Appalachian StateWofford7–12011Georgia Southern7–12012Appalachian StateGeorgia SouthernWofford6–22013FurmanChattanoogaSamford6–2Appalachian State, Elon, and Georgia Southern leave the Southern Conference.2014Chattanooga7–0Mercer joins the Southern Conference. East Tennessee State and VMI rejoin the Southern Conference. East Tennessee State to resume football in 2015.2015ChattanoogaThe Citadel6–1East Tennessee State plays as FCS independent in first year of program return.2016The Citadel8–0East Tennessee State rejoins conference in football.2017Wofford7–12018East Tennessee StateWoffordFurman6–22019Wofford7–12020VMI6–1Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 conference season was conducted from February 20 - April 17, 2021.2021East Tennessee State7–12022Samford8–02023Furman7–12024Mercer7–12025Mercer8-0

Championships by team Current members School Championships Years Furman 15 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2013, 2018, 2023 VMI 8 1951, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1974, 1977, 2020 Chattanooga 7 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 2013, 2014, 2015 Wofford 7 2003, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019 The Citadel 4 1961, 1992, 2015, 2016 East Tennessee State 2 2018, 2021 Samford 2 2013, 2022 Mercer 22024, 2025 Western Carolina 0

Former members School Championships Years Appalachian State 12 1986, 1987, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 Duke 10 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1952 Georgia Southern 10 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2011, 2012 West Virginia 8 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1964, 1965, 1967 East Carolina 4 1966, 1972, 1973, 1976 Richmond 4 1968, 1969, 1971, 1975 William & Mary 4 1942, 1947, 1966, 1970 Marshall 3 1988, 1994, 1996 Clemson 2 1940, 1948 Maryland 2 1937, 1951 North Carolina 2 1946, 1949 Washington and Lee 2 1934, 1950 South Carolina 1 1933 Virginia Tech 1 1963 Davidson 1 1969 Elon 0

References