YEAR-BY-YEAR AFCA COACHES' POLL WINNERS 1950 - 2007
| 1950 - Oklahoma - Bud Wilkinson | 1982 - Penn State - Joe Paterno |
| 1951 - Tennessee - Bob Neyland | 1983 - Miami - Howard Schnellenberger |
| 1952 - Michigan State - Biggie Munn | 1984 - BYU - LaVell Edwards |
| 1953 - Maryland - Jim Tatum | 1985 - Oklahoma - Barry Switzer |
| 1954 - UCLA - Red Sanders | 1986 - Penn State - Joe Paterno |
| 1955 - Oklahoma - Bud Wilkinson | 1987 - Miami - Jimmy Johnson |
| 1956 - Oklahoma - Bud Wilkinson | 1988 - Notre Dame - Lou Holtz |
| 1957 - Ohio State - Woody Hayes | 1989 - Miami - Dennis Erickson |
| 1958 - LSU - Paul Dietzel | 1990 - Georgia Tech - Bobby Ross |
| 1959 - Syracuse - Ben Schwartzwalder | 1991 - Washington - Don James |
| 1960 - Minnesota - Murray Warmath | 1992 - Alabama - Gene Stallings |
| 1961 - Alabama - Bear Bryant | 1993 - Florida State - Bobby Bowden |
| 1962 - USC - John McKay | 1994 - Nebraska - Tom Osborne |
| 1963 - Texas - Darrell Royal | 1995 - Nebraska - Tom Osborne |
| 1964 - Alabama - Bear Bryant | 1996 - Florida - Steve Spurrier |
| 1965 - Michigan State - Duffy Daugherty | 1997 - Nebraska - Tom Osborne |
| 1966 - Notre Dame - Ara Parseghian | 1998 - Tennessee - Phillip Fulmer |
| 1967 - USC - John McKay | 1999 - Florida State - Bobby Bowden |
| 1968 - Ohio State - Woody Hayes | 2000 - Oklahoma - Bob Stoops |
| 1969 - Texas - Darrell Royal | 2001 - Miami - Larry Coker |
| 1970 - Texas - Darrell Royal | 2002 - Ohio State - Jim Tressel |
| 1971 - Nebraska - Bob Devaney | 2003 - LSU - Nick Saban |
| 1972 - USC - John McKay | 2004 - USC - Pete Carroll |
| 1973 - Alabama - Bear Bryant | 2005 - Texas - Mack Brown |
| 1974 - USC - John McKay | 2006 - Florida - Urban Meyer |
| 1975 - Oklahoma - Barry Switzer | 2007 - LSU - Les Miles |
| 1976 - Pittsburgh - Johnny Majors | 2008 - Florida - Urban Meyer |
| 1977 - Notre Dame - Dan Devine | 2009 - Alabama - Nick Saban |
| 1978 - USC - John Robinson | |
| 1979 - Alabama - Bear Bryant | |
| 1980 - Georgia - Vince Dooley | |
| 1981 - Clemson - Danny Ford |