Good morning, football fans! Army’s Andon Thomas was honored as the recipient of the NYAC Endowed Scholarship last week, a well-earned recognition for the Black Knight — check out photos here!

In December 2013, the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) became the exclusive home of the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. 

As part of the partnership between the NYAC and the NFF, the trophy occupies a prominent section of the NYAC Hall of Fame, featuring the names of each of the winners of the Campbell Trophy® at the club's landmark building on Central Park in New York City.

After winning the prestigious award at the 2025 NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas, Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers spoke at the NYAC Campbell Trophy Reception, which you can watch below!

Congratulations, Jackson!

2025 NFF Campbell Trophy Finalist Jackson Waring quarterbacked Grand View (IA) to a second consecutive NAIA National Championship with a win over Keiser (FL) Dec. 20.  

Warring, the back-to-back NAIA Football Player of the Year, has cemented his place among the most accomplished players in NAIA football history with the win and a 39-1 record as the Vikings’ starting quarterback. In the classroom, Waring tallied an impressive 3.88 GPA as a psychology major.

In the latest episode of the Good in the Game Podcast, host LaVar Arrington sits down with the legend from Appalachian State, Armanti Edwards! The guys discuss App State's historic upset over Michigan in 2007, Armanti's career from college to the NFL and how he found his love for the game again in the CFL.

📰: Ole Miss sets stadium crowd record for CFP matchup
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📰: Ferris State wins fourth NCAA Division II championship in five seasons, defeating Harding, 42-21
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📰: Montana State, Illinois State advance to FCS Championship
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Chuck Neinas, the visionary college athletics administrator and an emeritus member of the National Football Foundation Board of Trustees who held leadership roles with the Big Eight Conference, Big 12 Conference, College Football Association (CFA), and the NCAA, passed away Dec. 16. He was 93.

Neinas graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1957, served a hitch in the U.S. Navy, then went into athletics professionally. He started behind a microphone, not a desk, doing play-by-play of the Wisconsin Badgers football and basketball games. His work in college sports broadcasting helped him get to know the workings of the NCAA. The NCAA also got to know Chuck Neinas, and in 1961, he went to work for the NCAA as assistant executive director, serving in the role until 1971. Throughout the decade, he was supervisor of NCAA Championships, with direct responsibility over the College World Series and the NCAA Basketball Final Four Championship. Neinas was also the NCAA Congressional liaison, and he was responsible for financial and business affairs in his role as secretary to the NCAA Council and Executive Committee.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the life and legacy of Chuck Neinas

Jack Abendschan, who played collegiately at New Mexico before spending 11 years in the Canadian Football League where he won a Grey Cup and earned five CFL All-Star nods, has passed away. He was 82.

Rudy Kuechenberg, who played both offense and defense for Indiana from 1961-64 before spending time with seven teams in the NFL, has passed away. He was 82.

Garrett Ford Sr., one of the best running backs in West Virginia history, has passed away. He was 80.

Robert J. Smith III, who played collegiately at Arkansas State, has passed away. He was 77.

Alger Connor, who played collegiately at Michigan State, has passed away. He was 90.

Izaiah Taylor, who played collegiately at Liberty University, has passed away. He was 21.

Dan Bland, a standout running back at Mississippi State in the 1960s, has passed away.

Rich McGeorge, a record-breaking tight end at Elon in the 1960s, has passed away. He was 77.

James Payne, who played collegiately at Oklahoma, has passed away. He was 84.

Jim Fadule, who played collegiately at Harvard, has passed away. He was 63.

There are good things happening all over the game of football. The National Football Foundation has asked individuals to share an example of something they see happening within our sport that is good for the game. Here are their answers!

. . .

“I look at the University of Minnesota, and I see [the players] going to the children’s hospital. They hand out turkeys for Thanksgiving. Those are things that you don’t necessarily see broadcasted, but it makes a big impact.”

— Greg Eslinger, 2025 NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductee

January 19, 2026 — CFP National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

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

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