Challenge Cup

The concept of the Challenge Cup is a fictional award that can be likened to a baton in a track and field relay race. The Challenge Cup started with the first college football game in 1869, in which Rutgers defeated Princeton. With the win, Rutgers became the defending champions of the Cup, and it has changed hands each time a team has defeated the current cup holders. In this regard, each game involving a current Challenge Cup holder is a potential championship game.

Below are listed the all-time statistics for Challenge Cup holders, including total number of titles won and the most recent year in which the Cup was won. Current Challenge Cup holder in bold face font. Non-Division I-A teams in gray. Special thanks to Jimbo for assistance in compiling data.

	Rank	Champion	Titles	Most Recent
	1	USC	12	2004
	2	Alabama	10	2009
	2	Harvard	10	1948
	4	Princeton	9	1951
	5	Tennessee	8	1976
	5	Washington	8	1997
	7	Arizona	7	1995
	7	Auburn	7	2010
	7	Notre Dame	7	1990
	7	Texas	7	2008
	7	UCLA	7	1993
	7	Yale	7	1909
	13	Baylor	6	2012
	13	Georgia	6	2010
	13	LSU	6	2007
	13	Michigan	6	2003
	13	Oklahoma	6	2008
	18	Mississippi	5	1976
	18	Ohio State	5	2006
	18	Purdue	5	2003
	21	Clemson	4	2011
	21	Florida	4	2010
	21	Miami	4	2000
	21	Missouri	4	2008
	21	Navy	4	1950
	21	Nebraska	4	1997
	21	Pennsylvania	4	1952
	21	Rice	4	1991
	21	Stanford	4	1982
	21	Texas Tech	4	2012
	31	Arkansas	3	2007
	31	Army	3	1948
	31	Colorado	3	1991
	31	Georgia Tech	3	2011
	31	Penn State	3	1987
	31	South Carolina	3	2010
	31	Syracuse	3	1952
	31	TCU	3	1991
	31	Texas A&M	3	1998
	40	Air Force	2	1995
	40	Arizona State	2	1995
	40	BYU	2	1996
	40	California	2	1993
	40	Colorado State	2	1995
	40	Cornell	2	1948
	40	Duke	2	1974
	40	Florida State	2	1999
	40	Illinois	2	1990
	40	Kentucky	2	2010
	40	Memphis	2	1976
	40	Mississippi State	2	1989
	40	N.C. State	2	1999
	40	Oregon State	2	1985
	40	SMU	2	1931
	40	Southern Miss	2	1989
	40	St. Mary's	2	1933
	40	Swarthmore	2	1906
	40	Tulane	2	1970
	40	Washington State	2	1981
	40	West Virginia	2	2012
	40	Wisconsin	2	2003
	62	Arkansas State	1	1953
	62	Brown	1	1917
	62	Carlisle	1	1907
	62	Centenary	1	1928
	62	Chicago	1	1921
	62	Colgate	1	1916
	62	Columbia	1	1947
	62	Fordham	1	1932
	62	Houston	1	1978
	62	Iowa	1	1996
	62	Iowa State	1	1977
	62	Kansas	1	1926
	62	Kansas State	1	2012
	62	Lafayette	1	1896
	62	Maryland	1	1957
	62	Minnesota	1	1979
	62	New Mexico	1	1994
	62	North Carolina	1	1957
	62	Oklahoma State	1	2008
	62	Oregon	1	1933
	62	Rutgers	1	1869
	62	St. Louis	1	1936
	62	Tulsa	1	1996
	62	Utah	1	1994
	62	Vanderbilt	1	1989
	62	Virginia	1	1989
	62	Virginia Tech	1	2011
	62	W.V. Wesleyan	1	1924
	62	Wichita State	1	1936
	62	Wyoming	1	1994