A list of NCAA college football seasons at the highest level, now known as the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), since Division I split for football only in 1978. The split created the new Divisions I-A and I-AA; in 2006, they were respectively renamed FBS and FCS (with FCS standing for Football Championship Subdivision).
Division I-A
Division I FBS
The following table summarizes the articles linked above.
Year Conference champions National champions Heisman Trophy 1978ACC: Clemson Big 8: Nebraska and Oklahoma Big Ten: Michigan and Michigan State Ivy: Dartmouth MAC: Ball State Missouri Valley: New Mexico State Pac-10: USC PCAA: San Jose State and Utah State SEC: Alabama Southern: Tennessee-Chattanooga and Furman Southland: Louisiana Tech Southwest: Houston WAC: BYUAP: Alabama Coaches: USC Billy Sims (RB, Oklahoma) 1979ACC: NC State Big 8: Oklahoma Big Ten: Ohio State Ivy: Yale MAC: Central Michigan Missouri Valley: West Texas State Pac-10: USC PCAA: Utah State SEC: Alabama Southern: Tennessee-Chattanooga Southland: McNeese State Southwest: Houston and Arkansas WAC: BYU Alabama Charles White (RB, USC) 1980ACC: North Carolina Big 8: Oklahoma Big Ten: Michigan Ivy: Yale MAC: Central Michigan Missouri Valley: Tulsa Pac-10: Washington PCAA: Long Beach State SEC: Georgia Southern: Furman Southland: McNeese State Southwest: Baylor WAC: BYU Georgia George Rogers (RB, South Carolina) 1981ACC: Clemson Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Iowa and Ohio State Ivy: Dartmouth and Yale MAC: Toledo Missouri Valley: Drake and Tulsa Pac-10: Washington PCAA: San Jose State SEC: Alabama and Georgia Southern: Furman Southland: UT Arlington Southwest: SMU WAC: BYU Clemson Marcus Allen (RB, USC) 1982ACC: Clemson Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Michigan MAC: Bowling Green Missouri Valley (I-A and I-AA): Tulsa Pac-10: UCLA PCAA: Fresno State SEC: Georgia Southwest: SMU WAC: BYU Penn State Herschel Walker (RB, Georgia) 1983ACC: Maryland Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Illinois MAC: Northern Illinois Missouri Valley (I-A and I-AA): Tulsa Pac-10: UCLA PCAA: Cal State Fullerton SEC: Auburn Southwest: Texas WAC: BYU Miami (FL) Mike Rozier (RB, Nebraska) 1984ACC: Maryland Big 8: Oklahoma and Nebraska Big Ten: Ohio State MAC: Toledo Missouri Valley (I-A and I-AA): Tulsa Pac-10: USC PCAA: Cal State Fullerton SEC: Florida (vacated) Southwest: Houston and SMU WAC: BYU BYU Doug Flutie (QB, Boston College) 1985ACC: Maryland Big 8: Oklahoma Big Ten: Iowa MAC: Bowling Green Missouri Valley (I-A and I-AA): Tulsa Pac-10: UCLA PCAA: Fresno State SEC: Tennessee Southwest: Texas A&M WAC: Air Force and BYU Oklahoma Bo Jackson (RB, Auburn) 1986ACC: Clemson Big 8: Oklahoma Big Ten: Michigan and Ohio State MAC: Miami (OH) Pac-10: Arizona State PCAA: San Jose State SEC: LSU Southwest: Texas A&M WAC: San Diego State Penn State Vinny Testaverde (QB, Miami (FL)) 1987ACC: Clemson Big 8: Oklahoma Big Ten: Michigan State MAC: Eastern Michigan Pac-10: USC and UCLA PCAA: San Jose State SEC: Auburn Southwest: Texas A&M WAC: Wyoming Miami (FL) Tim Brown (WR, Notre Dame) 1988ACC: Clemson Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Michigan Big West: Fresno State MAC: Western Michigan Pac-10: USC SEC: Auburn and LSU Southwest: Arkansas WAC: Wyoming Notre Dame Barry Sanders (RB, Oklahoma State) 1989ACC: Duke and Virginia Big 8: Colorado Big Ten: Michigan Big West: Fresno State MAC: Ball State Pac-10: USC SEC: Alabama, Auburn and Tennessee Southwest: Arkansas WAC: BYU Miami (FL) Andre Ware (QB, Houston) 1990ACC: Georgia Tech Big 8: Colorado Big Ten: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State Big West: San Jose State MAC: Central Michigan and Toledo Pac-10: Washington SEC: Tennessee Southwest: Texas WAC: BYUAP: Colorado Coaches: Georgia Tech Ty Detmer (QB, BYU) 1991ACC: Clemson Big East: Miami (FL) Big 8: Colorado and Nebraska Big Ten: Michigan Big West: Fresno State and San Jose State MAC: Bowling Green Pac-10: Washington SEC: Florida Southwest: Texas A&M WAC: San Diego StateAP: Miami (FL) Coaches: Washington Desmond Howard (WR, Michigan) 1992ACC: Florida State Big East: Miami(FL) Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Michigan Big West: Nevada MAC: Bowling Green Pac-10: Stanford and Washington SEC: Alabama Southwest: Texas A&M WAC: BYU, Fresno State, and Hawaii Alabama Gino Torretta (QB, Miami (FL)) 1993ACC: Florida State Big East: West Virginia Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Ohio State and Wisconsin Big West: Southwestern Louisiana and Utah State MAC: Ball State Pac-10: Arizona, USC, and UCLA SEC: Florida Southwest: Texas A&M WAC: BYU, Fresno State, and Wyoming Florida State Charlie Ward (QB, Florida State) 1994ACC: Florida State Big East: Miami (FL) Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Penn State Big West: Southwestern Louisiana, Nevada, and UNLV MAC: Central Michigan Pac-10: Oregon SEC: Florida Southwest: Baylor, Rice, Texas, TCU, and Texas Tech WAC: Colorado State Nebraska Rashaan Salaam (RB, Colorado) 1995ACC: Florida State and Virginia Big East: Miami (FL) and Virginia Tech Big 8: Nebraska Big Ten: Northwestern Big West: Nevada MAC: Toledo Pac-10: USC and Washington SEC: Florida Southwest: Texas WAC: Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, and Utah Nebraska Eddie George (RB, Ohio State) 1996ACC: Florida State Big East: Miami (FL), Syracuse, and Virginia Tech Big Ten: Northwestern and Ohio State Big 12: Texas Big West: Nevada and Utah State C-USA: Houston and Southern Miss MAC: Ball State Pac-10: Arizona State SEC: Florida WAC: BYU Florida Danny Wuerffel (QB, Florida) 1997ACC: Florida State Big East: Syracuse Big Ten: Michigan Big 12: Nebraska Big West: Nevada and Utah State C-USA: Southern Miss MAC: Marshall Pac-10: UCLA and Washington State SEC: Tennessee WAC: Colorado StateAP: Michigan Coaches: Nebraska Charles Woodson (CB, Michigan) 1998ACC: Florida State and Georgia Tech Big East: Syracuse Big Ten: Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin Big 12: Texas A&M Big West: Idaho C-USA: Tulane MAC: Marshall Pac-10: UCLA SEC: Tennessee WAC: Air Force Tennessee Ricky Williams (RB, Texas) 1999ACC: Florida State Big East: Virginia Tech Big Ten: Wisconsin Big 12: Nebraska Big West: Boise State C-USA: Southern Miss MAC: Marshall MWC: BYU, Colorado State, and Utah Pac-10: Stanford SEC: Alabama WAC: Hawaii, Fresno State, and TCU Florida State Ron Dayne (RB, Wisconsin) 2000ACC: Florida State Big East Miami (FL) Big Ten: Michigan, Northwestern, and Purdue Big 12: Oklahoma Big West: Boise State C-USA: Louisville MAC: Marshall MWC: Colorado State Pac-10: Oregon, Oregon State, and Washington SEC: Florida WAC: TCU and UTEP Oklahoma Chris Weinke (QB, Florida State) 2001ACC: Maryland Big East: Miami (FL) Big Ten: Illinois Big 12: Colorado C-USA: Louisville MAC: Toledo MWC: BYU Pac-10: Oregon SEC: LSU Sun Belt: Middle Tennessee and North Texas WAC: Louisiana Tech Miami (FL) Eric Crouch (QB, Nebraska) 2002ACC: Florida State Big East: Miami (FL) Big Ten: Iowa and Ohio State Big 12: Oklahoma C-USA: Cincinnati and TCU MAC: Marshall MWC: Colorado State Pac-10: USC and Washington State SEC: Georgia Sun Belt: North Texas WAC: Boise State Ohio State Carson Palmer (QB, USC) 2003ACC: Florida State Big East: Miami (FL) and West Virginia Big Ten: Michigan Big 12: Kansas State C-USA: Southern Miss MAC: Miami (OH) MWC: Utah Pac-10: USC SEC: LSU Sun Belt: North Texas WAC: Boise StateAP: USC Coaches: LSU Jason White (QB, Oklahoma) 2004ACC: Virginia Tech Big East: Boston College, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and West Virginia Big Ten: Iowa and Michigan Big 12: Oklahoma C-USA: Louisville MAC: Toledo MWC: Utah Pac-10: USC SEC: Auburn Sun Belt: North Texas WAC: Boise State None (USC were stripped of the title) Matt Leinart (QB, USC) 2005ACC: Florida State Big East: West Virginia Big Ten: Ohio State and Penn State Big 12: Texas C-USA: Tulsa MAC: Akron MWC: TCU Pac-10: USC SEC: Georgia Sun Belt: Arkansas State, Louisiana–Lafayette, and Louisiana-Monroe WAC: Boise State and Nevada Texas Reggie Bush (RB, USC) 2006ACC: Wake Forest Big East: Louisville Big Ten: Ohio State Big 12: Oklahoma C-USA: Houston MAC: Central Michigan MWC: BYU Pac-10: California and USC SEC: Florida Sun Belt: Middle Tennessee and Troy WAC: Boise State Florida Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State) 2007ACC: Virginia Tech Big East: West Virginia and Connecticut Big Ten: Ohio State Big 12: Oklahoma C-USA: UCF MAC: Central Michigan MWC: BYU Pac-10: USC and Arizona State SEC: LSU Sun Belt: Florida Atlantic and Troy WAC: Hawaii LSU Tim Tebow (QB, Florida) 2008ACC: Virginia Tech Big East: Cincinnati Big Ten: Penn State and Ohio State Big 12: Oklahoma C-USA: East Carolina MAC: Buffalo MWC: Utah Pac-10: USC SEC: Florida Sun Belt: Troy WAC: Boise State Florida Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma) 2009ACC: Georgia Tech Big 12: Texas Big East: Cincinnati Big Ten: Ohio State C-USA: East Carolina MAC: Central Michigan MWC: TCU Pac-10: Oregon SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Troy WAC: Boise State Alabama Mark Ingram II (RB, Alabama) 2010ACC: Virginia Tech Big 12: Oklahoma Big East: Connecticut, Pittsburgh, West Virginia Big Ten: Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin C-USA: UCF MAC: Miami (OH) MWC: TCU Pac-10: Oregon SEC: Auburn Sun Belt: FIU WAC: Boise State, Hawaii, Nevada Auburn Cam Newton (QB, Auburn) 2011ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma State Big East: Cincinnati, Louisville, West Virginia Big Ten: Wisconsin C-USA: Southern Miss MAC: Northern Illinois MW: TCU Pac-12: Oregon SEC: LSU Sun Belt: Arkansas State WAC: Louisiana Tech Alabama Robert Griffin III (QB, Baylor) 2012ACC: Florida State Big 12: Kansas State, Oklahoma Big East: Cincinnati, Louisville, Rutgers, Syracuse Big Ten: Wisconsin C-USA: Tulsa MAC: Northern Illinois MW: Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State Pac-12: Stanford SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Arkansas State WAC: Utah State Alabama Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A&M) 2013American: UCF ACC: Florida State Big 12: Baylor Big Ten: Michigan State C-USA: Rice MAC: Bowling Green MW: Fresno State Pac-12: Stanford SEC: Auburn Sun Belt: Arkansas State, Louisiana–Lafayette Florida State Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State) 2014American: Cincinnati, Memphis, UCF ACC: Florida State Big 12: Baylor, TCU Big Ten: Ohio State C-USA: Marshall MAC: Northern Illinois MW: Boise State Pac-12: Oregon SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Georgia Southern Ohio State Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon) 2015American: Houston ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma Big Ten: Michigan State C-USA: Western Kentucky MAC: Bowling Green MW: San Diego State Pac-12: Stanford SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Arkansas State Alabama Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama) 2016American: Temple ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma Big Ten: Penn State C-USA: Western Kentucky MAC: Western Michigan MW: San Diego State Pac-12: Washington SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Appalachian State and Arkansas State Clemson Lamar Jackson (QB, Louisville) 2017American: UCF ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma Big Ten: Ohio State C-USA: Florida Atlantic MAC: Toledo MW: Boise State Pac-12: USC SEC: Georgia Sun Belt: Appalachian State and Troy Alabama Baker Mayfield (QB, Oklahoma) 2018American: UCF ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma Big Ten: Ohio State C–USA: UAB MAC: Northern Illinois MW: Fresno State Pac-12: Washington SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Appalachian State Clemson Kyler Murray (QB, Oklahoma) 2019American: Memphis ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma Big Ten: Ohio State C–USA: Florida Atlantic MAC: Miami (OH) MW: Boise State Pac-12: Oregon SEC: LSU Sun Belt: Appalachian State LSU Joe Burrow, (QB, LSU) 2020AAC: Cincinnati ACC: Clemson Big 12: Oklahoma Big Ten: Ohio State C–USA: UAB MAC: Ball State MW: San Jose State Pac-12: Oregon SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Coastal Carolina and Louisiana Alabama DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama) 2021AAC: Cincinnati ACC: Pittsburgh Big 12: Baylor Big Ten: Michigan C–USA: UTSA MAC: Northern Illinois MW: Utah State Pac–12: Utah SEC: Alabama Sun Belt: Louisiana Georgia Bryce Young (QB, Alabama) 2022AAC: Tulane ACC: Clemson Big 12: Kansas State Big Ten: Michigan C−USA: UTSA MAC: Toledo MW: Fresno State Pac-12: Utah SEC: Georgia Sun Belt: Troy Georgia Caleb Williams (QB, USC) 2023AAC: SMU ACC: Florida State Big 12: Texas