Which team has the most appearances in the CFP national championship game?
The College Football national championship game is an event that college football fans have enjoyed since the first game in January 2015. The game is played in a neutral venue (similar to the Superbowl) where the winner of the game gets the CFP national championship trophy.
There have been a total of nine championship games, and seven teams have made an appearance. The most recent championship game was played on Monday night, January 9, 2023, at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The game was contested between the Georgia Bulldogs and TCU Horned Frogs football teams. The game ended with a score of 65-7, with Georgia winning by the highest points differential in the game's history.
Here are the seven teams that have made an appearance, ranked from the most to the least.
#1. Alabama Crimson Tide (6)
The Alabama Crimson Tide have the most appearances in the championship game with a total of six. They have won three of those matchups. They made their debut in the second edition of the game against the Clemson Tigers at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Alabama made four consecutive championship game appearances. Their last showing was in 2021 when they lost to the Georgia Bulldogs 33-18.
#2. Clemson Tigers (4)
The Clemson Tigers are second for the most appearances in the championship game, having appeared in four. Clemson debuted in the game against Alabama and lost 45-40.
The game saw Alabama running back Derrick Henry score three rushing touchdowns. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson threw four passing touchdowns in the entertaining defeat.
Clemson's last appearance in the game came in the loss against Joe Burrow's LSU in the 2019 season.
TWICE AS NICE 🏆
The Georgia Bulldogs are your @CFBPlayoff National Champions for the second year in a row!
#GoDawgs #NationalChampionship
@GeorgiaFootball @UGAAthletics https://t.co/h8YbBZqr8j
#3. Georgia Bulldogs (3)
Georgia have made a total of three appearances in the CFP championship game. They made their debut in 2018 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Georgia lost their debut game against Alabama in a closely contested matchup that went into overtime and finished 26-23. Their last appearance was on Monday against TCU.
#4. Ohio State Buckeyes (2)
In the inaugural CFP national game, the Ohio State Buckeyes emerged victorious with a dominant 42-20 victory over the Oregon Ducks. Ezekiel Elliot was named the offensive MVP.
The Buckeyes made their last appearance against Alabama on January 11, 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. They lost 52-24.
Tied at #5. LSU Tigers (1)
In the 2019 season, the LSU Tigers made a historic run to their first CFP national championship game. It was a thrilling matchup against Clemson and Louisiana came out on top with a final score of 42-25.
It was a spectacular performance from quarterback Joe Burrow, who threw for an astounding 463 yards and five touchdowns. This earned him the MVP award. It was a crowning achievement for the team as they solidified their place in college football history.
Tied at #5. Oregon Ducks (1)
The Oregon Ducks made their first and only appearance in the CFP national championship game at the inaugural event. This was against Ohio and they lost 42-20.
The matchup still holds the record for the most attendees at the game, with a record attendance of 85,788 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Salute to TCU on a great season! It ended ugly, but to go from 5-7 last season to 13-2 this season and making it to the CFP & National Championship is pretty incredible. https://t.co/FIMKeqAXfA
Tied at #5. TCU Horned Frogs (1)
TCU made their first appearance this year against defending champions (and huge favorites) Georgia. TCU lost heavily and went home with a stinging 65-7 defeat. They also scored the fewest points in the game's history while conceding the most.
It was a painful sequence of events for the team, but they shouldn't forget their incredible journey. Nor should they let the manner of the defeat override their achievement of getting there.