College football season is here, and you’re ready to prove you’re the ultimate fan.

But here’s the thing – everyone thinks they know college football. Your buddies at the tailgate, your coworkers filling out brackets, that guy who won’t stop talking about his alma mater’s glory days from 1987. They all claim to be experts.

What if you could separate the real fans from the pretenders? What if you had access to college football trivia questions that would stump even the most confident sports know-it-alls?

These college football trivia questions will test everything from legendary coaches to obscure bowl games, from Heisman winners to those wild plays that made SportsCenter history.

The History of College Football

College football began in 1869 with a game between Rutgers and Princeton. It evolved quickly from rugby-style play, largely shaped by Walter Camp’s rules, including the line of scrimmage and downs system.

By the early 1900s, it became a national spectacle with rising programs like Notre Dame.

Segregation defined much of the early 20th century, but integration gained ground by the 1970s. The sport expanded with TV coverage in the 1980s, increasing revenue and solidifying power conferences.

The BCS system (1998–2013) aimed to crown a clear champion, later replaced by the College Football Playoff in 2014. Recent changes include athlete NIL rights (2021) and major conference shifts, with a 12-team playoff starting in 2025.

Iconic College Football Players & Coaches

Check out legendary college football trivia about players and coaches who shaped the game’s legacy. From record-breaking athletes to iconic sideline leaders, these names defined eras.

1.Who is the only player to win the Heisman Trophy twice?
Archie Griffin

2.Which coach won six national championships with Alabama?
Bear Bryant

3.What quarterback led Florida to a national title and won the 2007 Heisman Trophy?
Tim Tebow

4.Who coached Notre Dame to four national championships from 1918 to 1930?
Knute Rockne

5.What school did Barry Sanders play for when he won the Heisman in 1988?
Oklahoma State

6.Who coached USC during the Reggie Bush era?
Pete Carroll

7.What school did Bo Jackson attend?
Auburn

8.Which legendary coach led Penn State for 46 seasons?
Joe Paterno

9.Who is known as the “Old Ball Coach” in college football?
Steve Spurrier

10.What Texas quarterback famously defeated USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl?
Vince Young

11.What school did Deion Sanders play for in college?
Florida State

12.Who coached Miami (FL) during their dominant run in the early 2000s?
Larry Coker

13.Which defensive player won the Heisman Trophy in 1997?
Charles Woodson

14.Who was LSU’s quarterback during their 2019 undefeated season?
Joe Burrow

15.Which coach led Florida State to two national championships?
Bobby Bowden

16.Who was the coach of Oklahoma during their 2000 national title win?
Bob Stoops

17.What legendary Michigan coach coined the phrase “Those who stay will be champions”?
Bo Schembechler

18.Which quarterback played at Stanford and was the No. 1 NFL draft pick in 2012?
Andrew Luck

19.What Nebraska quarterback won the Heisman Trophy in 2001?
Eric Crouch

20.Which coach led Oregon to a national title appearance in 2011?
Chip Kelly

21.Who was Notre Dame’s star quarterback during the “Gipper” speech era?
George Gipp

22.Who coached Ohio State from 2001–2010 and won a national title in 2002?
Jim Tressel

23.What Clemson quarterback led the team to national titles in 2016 and 2018?
Deshaun Watson (2016), Trevor Lawrence (2018)

24.What Army running back won the Heisman three times (incorrect myth)?
None — only Archie Griffin has won it twice

25.Which coach revived Alabama’s dynasty starting in 2007?
Nick Saban

26.Who was the longtime head coach of Virginia Tech famous for special teams?
Frank Beamer

27.Which legendary coach was known for “three yards and a cloud of dust”?
Woody Hayes

28.Who coached Texas A&M and later became a TV analyst?
R.C. Slocum

29.What wide receiver won the Heisman Trophy in 2020?
DeVonta Smith

30.What school did Herschel Walker play for?
Georgia

31.Which coach led Michigan to a split national championship in 1997?
Lloyd Carr

32.Who was the quarterback of the “Fun ‘n Gun” offense at Florida?
Danny Wuerffel

33.Who coached LSU before being fired in 2016 despite success?
Les Miles

34.Which player set the NCAA single-season rushing record in 1988?
Barry Sanders

35.What USC running back had his Heisman vacated?
Reggie Bush

36.What school did Cam Newton win a national title with in 2010?
Auburn

37.Which coach led Wisconsin to sustained Big Ten success in the 2000s?
Bret Bielema

38.Who coached the Miami Hurricanes to their 2001 national championship?
Larry Coker

39.Which coach made the “Playoff or bust” culture at Georgia?
Kirby Smart

40.What quarterback was known as “Johnny Football”?
Johnny Manziel

41.Which coach turned Boise State into a national power?
Chris Petersen

42.What Florida State player was known for “Prime Time” swagger?
Deion Sanders

43.Which QB led Oklahoma to a Heisman and transferred from Texas Tech?
Baker Mayfield

44.Who coached Oklahoma during their 1950s dynasty and win streak?
Bud Wilkinson

45.Who coached Michigan’s “Fab Five” of football in the early 1990s?
Gary Moeller

46.Which coach led Tennessee to a national title in 1998?
Phillip Fulmer

47.Who was the quarterback during Miami’s 1980s dominance?
Vinny Testaverde

48.What Notre Dame coach led the team during the 1988 title run?
Lou Holtz

49.Who was the QB at Florida before Tim Tebow, winning the 1996 title?
Danny Wuerffel

50.What legendary coach built Oklahoma State into a strong Big 12 team?
Mike Gundy

51.Which coach replaced Pete Carroll at USC in 2010?
Lane Kiffin

52.Who was the only player to win both a Super Bowl and Heisman and coach a BCS team?
Tony Dorsett (Note: May need clarification—uncommon scenario)

53.Which Heisman winner was also a professional baseball player?
Bo Jackson

54.Which college coach became famous for his outbursts at press conferences?
Mike Gundy (“I’m a man, I’m 40!”)

55.Which former Florida coach later won titles at South Carolina?
None — Steve Spurrier coached both, but didn’t win titles at South Carolina

56.Who coached Nebraska during their dominant 1990s run?
Tom Osborne

57.Which player was dubbed “Rocket” for his explosive returns?
Raghib “Rocket” Ismail

58.Which Michigan player became known for his “Heisman pose”?
Desmond Howard

59.Which college coach is known for the phrase “Row the Boat”?
P.J. Fleck

60.Who was the coach of the Texas Longhorns before Steve Sarkisian?
Tom Herman

61.What iconic coach was known for wearing a houndstooth hat?
Bear Bryant

62.What Georgia coach led them to the 1980 national championship?
Vince Dooley

63.Which coach was fired midseason by USC in 2015?
Steve Sarkisian

64.Which Michigan State coach led the team to the College Football Playoff in 2015?
Mark Dantonio

65.Which Heisman winner was a walk-on at Oklahoma?
Baker Mayfield

66.Who succeeded Urban Meyer as head coach at Ohio State in 2019?
Ryan Day

67.Which Notre Dame player inspired the film Rudy?
Rudy Ruettiger

68.Which school has produced the most Heisman winners?
Notre Dame (tied with USC and Ohio State)

69.Which Alabama player won the Heisman in 2015?
Derrick Henry

70.Which legendary coach began his career as an assistant at Michigan State before winning titles at LSU and Alabama?
Nick Saban

Powerhouses and Underdogs You Need to Know

Find out the dominant dynasties and surprise teams that shook up college football trivia history. From perennial champions to unforgettable Cinderella stories, meet the programs that left their mark.

71.Which school has won the most NCAA-recognized national championships in college football?
Yale

72.Which SEC team has won the most national championships since 2000?
Alabama

73.Which school pulled off the biggest BCS upset in 2007 by beating Oklahoma?
Boise State

74.Which underdog team won the 1984 national championship?
BYU

75.Which Group of Five school made the College Football Playoff in 2021?
Cincinnati

76.Which Big Ten team is nicknamed the “Fighting Illini”?
Illinois

77.Which team ended Alabama’s 2015 win streak with a last-second field goal block return?
Auburn (Kick Six, 2013)

78.Which Pac-12 school was a powerhouse in the early 2000s with Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart?
USC

79.Which team is known for the “Smurf Turf” blue football field?
Boise State

80.What school’s football program is based in Provo, Utah?
BYU

81.Which FCS school famously upset Michigan in 2007?
Appalachian State

82.Which team has “Touchdown Jesus” overlooking their stadium?
Notre Dame

83.Which former Big East underdog went undefeated in 2006 and beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl?
West Virginia

84.What team is known for its tradition of running down “Howard’s Rock”?
Clemson

85.Which underdog program beat Notre Dame in the 2022 season opener in Dublin?
Navy

86.Which team is the all-time leader in wins among HBCU football programs?
Grambling State

87.Which school had an undefeated season in 2017 but wasn’t invited to the College Football Playoff?
UCF

88.Which Mountain West team was a national title contender under coach Urban Meyer?
Utah

89.Which ACC school upset Alabama in 2021 to start their season?
None — Alabama won that game against Miami; trick question.

90.Which school has the largest on-campus stadium in college football?
Michigan (The Big House)

91.Which Big 12 school is known for the “Red River Rivalry” with Texas?
Oklahoma

92.Which non-Power 5 team had back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 2020 and 2021?
Cincinnati

93.Which underdog team played in a Fiesta Bowl with the Statue of Liberty play to win?
Boise State

94.What school famously uses a live buffalo mascot?
Colorado (Ralphie)

95.Which Big Ten school is known for the “Wave” to a children’s hospital?
Iowa

96.Which Texas school shocked Oklahoma with a win in 2021 while unranked?
Kansas State

97.What school’s team is named the Chanticleers and had a breakout 2020 season?
Coastal Carolina

98.Which team did James Madison beat in their first-ever FBS game in 2022?
Middle Tennessee

99.Which mid-major school had NFL legend Randy Moss?
Marshall

100.Which ACC team had its national title dreams crushed by a blocked extra point in 2016?
Duke (vs. Virginia Tech, 2015 — but trick question; possibly confusing context)

101.Which Big Ten team won a share of the 2015 Big Ten title without making the Playoff?
Iowa

102.Which Big 12 team famously wears purple and white and was overlooked in the BCS era?
TCU

103.Which former powerhouse saw its football program shut down and then revived in 2017?
UAB

104.Which school is known as “The U”?
Miami (FL)

105.Which SEC school is often considered an underdog in the division with Alabama and LSU?
Mississippi State

106.Which independent school consistently challenges Power 5 teams despite no conference affiliation?
Notre Dame

107.Which program rose to prominence in the 2000s under coach Gary Patterson?
TCU

108.Which Ivy League school had the first college football team?
Princeton

109.Which school is famous for the “Boise State Fiesta Bowl” upset over Oklahoma?
Boise State

110.Which Sun Belt team beat Texas A&M in 2022?
Appalachian State

111.Which Big Ten school had a surprise 12-0 regular season in 2012 but was bowl-banned?
Ohio State

112.Which MAC team won the conference title in 2021?
Northern Illinois

113.Which team upset USC in 2022 as a heavy underdog?
Tulane (Cotton Bowl)

114.Which Group of Five team had Kellen Moore as their winningest QB?
Boise State

115.Which FCS team has the most national championships?
North Dakota State

116.Which school’s mascot is a tree?
Stanford

117.Which team is called the “Ragin’ Cajuns”?
Louisiana (formerly Louisiana-Lafayette)

118.Which ACC team shares its name with a wildcat?
Clemson Tigers

119.Which school had its first-ever win over Alabama in 2022?
Tennessee

120.Which team had an undefeated season under coach Brian Kelly in 2012?
Notre Dame

121.Which Conference USA team beat LSU in 2000?
UAB

122.Which Ivy League school played in the first-ever football game?
Rutgers

123.Which team uses “Jump Around” as its 4th-quarter tradition?
Wisconsin

124.Which team is known for the slogan “We Are…”?
Penn State

125.Which school’s fans wear all-orange to home games in a “Sea of Orange”?
Clemson

College Football Milestones & Moments

Relive the defining milestones and unforgettable moments in college football trivia history. From historic firsts to game-changing plays, these events shaped the sport we know today.

126.Which college football team won the very first AP national championship in 1936?
Minnesota

127.Which team won the first-ever BCS national championship game in 1999?
Tennessee

128.What year was the College Football Playoff system first implemented?
2014

129.Who was the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy?
Johnny Manziel

130.Which team completed the first perfect season in college football history?
Yale (1876)

131.Which school won the first recognized Rose Bowl game in 1902?
Michigan

132.Which team was the first to win back-to-back College Football Playoff titles?
Georgia (2021, 2022)

133.What is the longest winning streak in FBS history?
Oklahoma – 47 games (1953–1957)

134.Who scored the game-winning touchdown in the famous “Kick Six” Iron Bowl?
Chris Davis (Auburn)

135.Which quarterback set the record for most touchdown passes in a single FBS season (60)?
Joe Burrow

136.Which team did Appalachian State defeat in their historic 2007 upset?
Michigan

137.Which team was awarded a national title retroactively for the 1940 season?
Minnesota

138.Who holds the record for most rushing yards in a single FBS game?
Samaje Perine (427 yards, 2014)

139.Which school was the first to wear numbered jerseys in a game?
University of Pittsburgh

140.Which coach holds the record for most FBS wins?
Joe Paterno (vacated and reinstated wins)

141.What year was the first televised college football game?
1939 (Fordham vs. Waynesburg)

142.Which school hosted ESPN’s first College GameDay broadcast?
Notre Dame

143.Which coach became the first to win national championships at two different FBS schools?
Nick Saban (LSU and Alabama)

144.Which school has appeared in the most Rose Bowl games?
USC

145.Who kicked the game-winning field goal in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl for Boise State?
Ian Johnson (ran in the 2-point conversion, not FG)

146.Which rivalry is the oldest in the South?
Georgia vs. Auburn (“Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry”)

147.What year did the Army-Navy Game first take place?
1890

148.Which team had the first official mascot in college football history?
Yale (Handsome Dan)

149.What stadium hosted the first-ever night game?
Baker Bowl (Penn vs. Princeton, 1892)

150.Which SEC team ended Georgia’s 29-game win streak in 2024?
Alabama

151.Who was the first Black quarterback to win a national championship?
Tommie Frazier (Nebraska, 1994 and 1995)

152.What team had the largest comeback in college football bowl history?
TCU over Oregon (Alamo Bowl, 2016 – 31-point comeback)

153.Which team was part of the first College Football Playoff semifinal?
Alabama vs. Ohio State (2014 Sugar Bowl)

154.Which school holds the record for most bowl appearances?
Alabama

155.Which quarterback led the “Hail Flutie” play in 1984?
Doug Flutie

156.Which coach won a national championship in his first season at a school?
Larry Coker (Miami, 2001)

157.What player scored five rushing touchdowns in one half in a 2020 Big Ten game?
Javonte Williams

158.Which school broke Notre Dame’s 39-game unbeaten streak in 1950?
Michigan State

159.What year did the BCS system begin?
1998

160.Who was the first college player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season?
Marcus Allen

161.Which player returned two punts for touchdowns in one game vs. Ohio State?
Tim Dwight (Iowa)

162.Which player had seven touchdowns in a single half (NCAA record)?
Howard Griffith (Illinois, 1990)

163.Which rivalry is played for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy?
Minnesota vs. Iowa

164.What game is known as “The Game”?
Michigan vs. Ohio State

165.What year did the SEC Championship Game debut?
1992

166.Who threw the “Prayer at Jordan-Hare” in 2013?
Nick Marshall (Auburn)

167.Which player won the Heisman and a national title in the same year (2015)?
Derrick Henry

168.What year did Clemson win its first national title?
1981

169.Which coach won 14 straight conference titles?
Bobby Bowden (Florida State, 1992–2005)

170.Which team beat Notre Dame in the 1985 Orange Bowl to finish undefeated?
Colorado

171.Which team played in four straight BCS title games from 2010 to 2013?
Alabama

172.Who became the first player to win a Heisman after transferring schools?
Baker Mayfield

173.Which school had the most first-round picks in a single NFL Draft?
Miami (6 in 2004)

174.Which team holds the record for most points scored in a single game?
Georgia Tech (222–0 vs. Cumberland, 1916)

175.What bowl game was once known as the “Granddaddy of Them All”?
Rose Bowl

176.Which quarterback led the Miracle at Michigan in 1994?
Kordell Stewart (Colorado)

177.Which player caught the winning pass in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for Ohio State?
Michael Jenkins

178.What team was involved in the “Bush Push” game?
USC vs. Notre Dame (2005)

179.Which team defeated Alabama in the first College Football Playoff final?
Ohio State

180.Who was the head coach of Nebraska’s 1995 undefeated team?
Tom Osborne

181.What FBS team has the most consecutive bowl wins?
Wisconsin (9 straight, 2006–2014)

182.Which player is known for the “Run Lindsay Run” play?
Lindsay Scott (Georgia)

183.Which school won its first national title in 2010 under Gene Chizik?
Auburn

184.Which player set a bowl record with 515 all-purpose yards?
Christian McCaffrey (2016 Rose Bowl)

185.Which two teams were involved in the “Game of the Century” in 1971?
Nebraska vs. Oklahoma

186.Which Big Ten team was ranked No. 1 for most of 2007 before a late-season collapse?
Ohio State

187.Which school won the first Sugar Bowl in 1935?
Tulane

188.What team is credited with the first legal forward pass?
Saint Louis University (1906)

189.Which player set an NCAA record with 8 rushing TDs in a game?
Howard Griffith

190.What’s the only team to go undefeated and uninvited to a BCS bowl in 2004?
Auburn

191.Which coach had a perfect 14-0 season at Texas in 2005?
Mack Brown

192.Which team lost the 2007 national title after being No. 1 most of the year?
Ohio State

193.Which player returned a missed field goal 109 yards for a TD?
Chris Davis (Kick Six, Auburn)

194.Who was the first unanimous All-American from an HBCU school?
Jerry Rice (Mississippi Valley State)

195.What is the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi?
Kansas vs. Missouri

196.What team had the shortest bowl drought before returning in 2021?
Rutgers (due to COVID-era cancellation)

197.Which team broke Miami’s 58-game home win streak in 1994?
Washington

198.Which kicker won the Lou Groza Award and scored over 500 points?
Zane Gonzalez (Arizona State)

199.Who set the record for most career TDs responsible for in FBS history?
Case Keenum

200.Who scored the game-winning TD in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl vs. Miami?
Craig Krenzel (Ohio State QB; OT drive leader)

201.What coach won national titles at Florida and Ohio State?
Urban Meyer

202.What team ended UCF’s winning streak in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl?
LSU

203.What is the nickname of the famous Cal-Stanford band-on-the-field play?
The Play

204.Which team did Vince Young defeat in the 2006 Rose Bowl?
USC

205.Who won the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship?
Ohio State (2014 season)

206.Which team had a blocked punt returned for a TD in “The Game” 2015?
Michigan State

207.Which HBCU coach won over 400 games?
Eddie Robinson

208.Which school was involved in the 7-OT game against LSU in 2018?
Texas A&M

209.Which quarterback holds the record for most career passing yards in FBS?
Case Keenum

210.Which QB ran the “Philly Special” in the 2018 Citrus Bowl?
Joe Burrow (LSU)

211.Which two teams played in the first modern overtime game in 1996?
Missouri vs. Oklahoma State

212.What coach introduced the wishbone offense at Texas?
Darrell Royal

213.What Big Ten player once returned four punts for TDs in a single game?
Antonio Perkins (Oklahoma – correction: not Big Ten)

214.What team had “The Comeback” vs. Oregon in 2016 Alamo Bowl?
TCU

215.Which team played in the first-ever CFP semifinal game?
Alabama

216.Which player had five touchdowns in the 2015 Rose Bowl?
Marcus Mariota

217.Which school had three Heisman finalists in the same season?
Army (1946 – Blanchard, Davis, Tucker)

218.Which team lost the 2005 BCS title game in a last-minute thriller?
USC

219.Which player caught the game-winning TD in the “Bluegrass Miracle”?
Devery Henderson (LSU)

220.What school’s mascot was introduced in 1959 as a “rebel”?
Ole Miss (Colonel Reb)

221.Which player holds the record for most career receptions in FBS?
Zay Jones

222.Which team had a goal-line stand to beat Penn State in 1979 Sugar Bowl?
Alabama

223.What two players were involved in the “Bush Push”?
Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush

224.Which player caught the game-winning TD for Clemson in 2017 CFP title game?
Hunter Renfrow

225.Which team lost the longest game in FBS history (9 OTs)?
Penn State (vs. Illinois, 2021)

226.Which QB threw the “Puntrooskie” pass?
Leroy Butler (Florida State, 1988)

227.Which QB led LSU to the most dominant title season in 2019?
Joe Burrow

228.What was the first bowl game ever played?
Rose Bowl (1902)

229.Which school had a 10-2 record vacated due to NCAA violations in 2012?
Ohio State

230.Who replaced Jameis Winston at Florida State?
Sean Maguire

231.Which coach won five national titles in the 2000s and 2010s?
Nick Saban

232.What Big Ten school won the Rose Bowl in 1994?
Wisconsin

233.Which Heisman winner led Baylor to a top-5 finish?
Robert Griffin III

The Bottom Line

You’ve now got college football trivia questions that’ll separate you from casual fans.

This isn’t just random knowledge – it’s what converts you from someone who watches games to someone who truly understands the sport’s rich history and culture.

These questions give you the ammunition for any football debate and help you catch references others miss.

Ready to test your newfound expertise? Challenge your friends at the next game day gathering.

Which question stumped you the most? Let us know in the comments!