No trophy (1936–1940) In its initial years, the
AP Poll did not award a trophy. Following the retirement of Frank G. Dickinson and his rating system in 1940, Minnesota tasked the AP Poll with awarding the new trophy it put into play.
Williams Trophy (1941–1947) From 1941–1947, the No. 1 team in the final Associated Press poll was awarded the
Dr. Henry L. Williams Trophy. The trophy, named in honor of
Minnesota head coach
Henry L. Williams, was donated by the Golden Gophers after they permanently retired the
Dickinson System's Rockne Trophy by winning it for the third time in 1940. The Williams trophy was retired when it was won for the third time by
Notre Dame in 1947.
O'Donnell Trophy (1948–1956) Following their retirement of the Williams trophy, Notre Dame donated the '''Rev. J. Hugh O'Donnell Memorial Trophy''' to be presented to the 1948 national champion as determined by the Associated Press poll.
Bryant Trophy (1957–1965) A dedicated
Associated Press Trophy was commissioned following the retirement of the O'Donnell Trophy by Oklahoma. The AP Trophy was first awarded to
Auburn for their 1957 AP national championship. Like the previous national championship trophies, the "huge, 40-inch high, bronze" Associated Press trophy would be kept by the first school to win it three times. This original "big, silver" AP trophy was retired by Alabama in 1965, upon winning their third AP title in five years. Upon permanently awarding the trophy to Alabama, the Associated Press named it the
Paul W. Bryant Trophy. This AP trophy is still held by Alabama and is on display at the
Paul W. Bryant Museum on the university campus in
Tuscaloosa. This same name had previously been given to the AP trophy used from 1957–1965, upon it being won 3 times and retired by the coach's Alabama team. The trophy currently resides at the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.
AP Trophy (1990–present) Since the conclusion of the 1990 season, the AP has annually awarded an individual
Associated Press Trophy to the school that finishes No. 1 in the final AP Poll (signifying that team as the
national champion in Division I-A / FBS). ==Winners==