How Many National Championships Has Alabama Won?

No. 1 Alabama (13-0) defeated No. 3 Ohio State (7-1) 52-24 in last year's national championship, giving Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban his seventh national title. That moved him into first place in terms of championships won by a college football head coach, and also inched Alabama's program closer to 20 national titles in school history. 

The total number of national championships for the Crimson Tide varies according to the Associated Press and the NCAA. Alabama claims they have won 18 national championships, including titles in 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934 and 1941 before legendary Alabama head coach Bear Bryant took over. The confusion and debate among these early titles centers around the polling and ranking systems for those respective years.

Alabama claims it has won national titles in 1925, 1926, 1930, 1934, 1941, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and now in 2020.

Here is an explainer for the titles in question.

Individually, Saban won his first championship with LSU in 2003, before winning five more with Alabama in 2009, '11, '12, '15 and '17. He had the chance to pass Alabama legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant in terms of titles by a single coach in Jan. 2019, but Clemson topped Alabama in that year's national championship. 

Like Alabama, Ohio State is certainly no stranger to national championships, considering the program has won eight in its history. The school won its first tile in 1942 and went on to win additional titles in 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, and most recently in the College Football Playoff's inaugural national championship in 2014.

Celebrate Alabama's national championship win with Sports Illustrated's championship commemorative issue. You can also purchase classic Alabama covers in the SI cover store.