1/27: The NFF MacArthur Bowl Trophy lands in Indiana!

January 27, 2026

Good morning, football fans! Be on the lookout this week for the announcement of the state winners of the 2025-26 NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards, Presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation!

The Historic MacArthur Bowl Trophy has officially landed in Bloomington, Indiana! The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame formally presented the Indiana Hoosiers and head coach Curt Cignetti with the MacArthur Bowl, the organization's national championship trophy for the Football Bowl Subdivision, during the National Championship Celebration on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Click here to watch the presentation.

The East-West Shrine Bowl®, an official partner of the National Football Foundation, will stage the 101st edition of its all-star game tonight. Benefiting Shriners Children’s, the nation’s longest-running all-star game features the top college football prospects in the country. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, with live coverage on NFL Network.

Click here for more information, including the rosters.

In case you missed it — the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class has been announced! Eighteen First Team All-America players and four coaches will be inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026.

  • 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame electee Gary Patterson has been named USC's new defensive coordinator.

  • 2024 Campbell Trophy Finalist Jaxson Dart, who starred at Ole Miss and now plays for the New York Giants, is a finalist for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and 2021 NFF Campbell Trophy Finalist Aidan Hutchinson, who starred at Michigan and now plays for the Detroit Lions, is a finalist for both the AP Comeback Player of the Year and the AP Defensive Player of the Year awards. The winners will be announced during The NFL Honors on Feb. 9 on NBC and NFL Network.

  • 2025 NFF Campbell Trophy Finalist Jack Strand (Minnesota State Moorhead) played in the American Bowl All-Star Game Jan. 22 in Lakeland, Florida.

  • 2022 NFF Campbell Trophy Recipient Jack Campbell (Iowa), who now stars for the Detroit Lions, was named the 2025 Pro Butkus Award as top linebacker in the NFL in recognition of a breakout season anchoring one of the league’s most physical defenses.

John Brodie, a 1986 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee who played quarterback at Stanford from 1954-1956, passed away Jan. 23. He was 90 and was the fifth-oldest living NFF Hall of Famer at the time of his passing.

Click here to read more about the life and legacy of Brodie.

John Baker, who played collegiately at Miami (Ohio) with legendary coaches Ara Parseghian and John Pont, has passed away. He was 89.

Travis Curtis, who played collegiately at West Virginia and later won a Super Bowl with the Washington Redskins, has passed away. He was 60.

Lee Fobbs, who played collegiately at Grambling State who later spent more than 40 years coaching at the Division I and HBCU levels, has passed away. He was 75.

Claude “Hoot” Gibson, who played collegiately at NC State and professionally for the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, has passed away. He was 87.

Ted Huber, who played collegiately at Ball State and later coached at his alma mater and Indiana, has passed away. He was 83.

Kevin Johnson, who played collegiately at Texas Southern and played in the NFL, has passed away. He was 55.

Don Lemish, who served as the Athletics Director at James Madison from 1993-1999, has passed away. He was 82.

Alvin Samples, an All-American lineman at Alabama in the 1960s, has passed away. He was 77.

Charlie Severance, who played collegiately at Tennessee, has passed away. He was 86.

Jack Wheeler, who played collegiately at Michigan, has passed away. He was 91.

Name: Glen West
College: Angelo State
Occupation: Assistant Executive Director for the Texas High School Coaches Association

Share your football story with us! We want to know what football means to you, the lessons you learned, and the opportunities it provided.

January 29, 2026 — Announcement of the State Winners of the 2025-26 NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards, Presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation

February 5, 2026 — Announcement of 2025-26 Recipient of the NFF Hatchell Cup, Presented by Bob’s Steak & Chop House

December 8, 2026 — 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino

December 8, 2026 — Announcement of the winner of the 37th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy

📬 SHARE THE GOOD IN THE GAME

Do you know a friend or family member who loves college football? Simply forward them this email and they can sign up to receive the Good in the Game newsletter by clicking the link below to subscribe. The Good in the Game is sent every Tuesday and is completely free!

You’re receiving this email from the National Football Foundation in partnership with Sport & Story. If you’d like to unsubscribe from the Good in the Game Newsletter, which replaces the NFF’s Down & Distance, you can easily do so below and it won't affect anything related to your current communication preferences with the National Football Foundation.