Georgia football: How many National Championships does the program have
Five National Championships
Besides the big two, there are three more National Championships that Georgia boats, just not as loudly. In fact, if you don’t read the media guides or haven’t seen the NCAA record book, you probably are unaware of the other three. But the various pollsters and points systems around the nation that the NCAA recognizes have given the Dawgs more titles in 1927, 1946, and 1968.
Georgia doesn’t fly flags or sell any merchandise for these three national titles, but they are listed as National Championships in the media guides. In the year-by-year schedule, the poll that awarded the title is mentioned. On a later page about national titles, they are mentioned as the other three. So, Georgia does claim five championship’s. They just place the two consensus titles above all the rest. Unlike other nationally prominent programs who just claim them all as equal.
The most recent, and sketchiest title is 1968. Georgia’s record that year was 8-1-2 and they lost to Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl. That one is hard to sell as a National Championship. But, it is in the official record book. As strange as that sounds. The Litkenhous poll awarded that title. They formed their rankings on a difference-by-score formula.
The second championship is much less of a hard sell. It should actually piss you off a little bit that this isn’t a consensus title. The 1946 team finished the year 11-0. They were the only major team in the nation with a perfect record. Instead, Notre Dame won the AP and the consensus title by battling Army to a tie. Army won the next largest share of the championship. The Williamson Power Rankings formed by a member of the Sugar Bowl committee awarded Georgia the title.
The first championship, is also the one with the most support behind it. The 9-1-0 1927 team has championships from three different selectors. Since the 1927 season predates the beginning of the weekly poll era beginning in 1936, every team named champions that year in the record book won their titles retroactively.
As a matter of fact, just a few years ago, only two official selectors had Georgia as National Champions in 1927. Clyde Berryman began retroactively naming champions based on a mathematical ratings system.
Georgia could potentially claim the consensus 1927 championship in a few years. Illinois currently has that honor with five selectors on their side. If three more pop up that the NCAA chooses to recognize, and they all choose Georgia, the Bulldogs may need to add another flag to Sanford Stadium.