(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – Pittsburgh defensive lineman Aaron Donald (97) defends during an NCAA football game between Pittsburgh and North Carolina, Nov. 16, 2013 in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
(AP) Mark Ingram, the first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy, and Ndamukong Suh and Aaron Donald, two of the most fearsome defensive linemen of their era, highlight the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class announced Wednesday.
Gary Patterson of TCU and Chris Petersen of Boise State and Washington are among four coaches that will be inducted at the National Football Foundation’s awards dinner in December in Las Vegas.
The class includes six consensus first-team All-Americans, four multi-year first-team All-Americans and eight major award winners.
Ingram won the Heisman in 2009 while leading Alabama to a 14-0 record and national championship. He led the Southeastern Conference in rushing with an Alabama-record 1,658 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He finished his Alabama career as the school’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns. He played 12 seasons in the NFL.
Nebraska’s Suh turned in one of the most dominant seasons by a defensive lineman in 2009, sweeping the Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland trophies and being voted Associated Press national player of the year. He was the first defensive lineman in 15 years to be a Heisman finalist. Last August he was named to the All-Time AP All-America first team. Suh recorded 12 sacks and 21 tackles for loss in 2009 and went on to play 13 NFL seasons.
Pittsburgh’s Donald, like Suh, swept the major defensive awards in his last college season. He led the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss in 2013 and he remains Pitt’s all-time leader in career and single-season tackles for loss. He played all 10 of his NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams and teamed with Suh on their defensive line in 2018.
Among offensive players joining Ingram in the hall are Peter Warrick of Florida State and Marvin Harrison of Syracuse.
Warrick starred in the late 1990s for an FSU team that never finished ranked lower than No. 3 during his career. He was a two-time first-team All-America receiver as the Seminoles compiled a 45–4 record, won a national championship and played for another title. He finished his career as the Atlantic Coast Conference’s all-time leader in receiving yards and second in touchdown receptions. He played six NFL seasons.
Harrison excelled as a kick returner and wide receiver, setting multiple school records. He set the Big East record with a 94-yard punt return touchdown against Minnesota in 1995 and ranked among the league’s all-time leaders in 100-yard receiving games with 13 and receiving TDs (20). He played 13 NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
Other players entering the hall are Jerry Azumah of New Hampshire, Ki-Jana Carter of Penn State, Bruce Collie of Texas-Arlington, George Cumby of Oklahoma, Garrison Hearst of Georgia, Chris Hudson of Colorado, Olin Kreutz of Washington, James Laurinaitis of Ohio State, Jordan Lynch of Northern Illinois, Herman Moore of Virginia, Terence Newman of Kansas State, Bob Novogratz of Army and Eric Weddle of Utah.
In addition to Patterson and Petersen, coaches who will inducted are Jim Margraff of Johns Hopkins and Ken Sparks of Carson-Newman.
