Every week, the National Football Foundation highlights the people, stories and moments that demonstrate football's impact beyond the field.
A Salute to College Football’s
Commitment to Academics
Yesterday, the National Football Foundation announced a record 206 semifinalists for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy®, highlighting some of the very best examples of what college football can produce.
The numbers are impressive:
3.64 average GPA
7 with perfect 4.0 GPAs
87 with 3.7 GPA or better
130 team captains
24 All-Americans
114 All-Conference selections; and
98 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees.
Those stats provide an opportunity to recognize the many people across college football who make academics a priority. The NFF will specifically shine a spotlight Oct. 28 on the work of the nation’s faculty athletics representatives with the announcement of the 2026 NFF Faculty Salutes Presented by Fidelity Investments®, recognizing their significant contributions to college athletics and the academic success of student-athletes nationwide.
On the football side of equation, 22 of the 25 teams in the current AP Top 25 feature a 2026 Campbell Trophy® semifinalist, and many will take center stage in key matchups this weekend. Oregon QB Dante Moore came one step closer yesterday to joining Justin Herbert, Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel among recent Ducks quarterbacks to become Campbell Trophy® finalists or winners. Moore will lead the No. 20 Ducks at No. 12 USC, with the Trojans featuring fellow semifinalist DE Braylan Shelby.
Other ranked matchups featuring Campbell Trophy® semifinalists on both teams include:
No. 1 Texas (DL Hero Kanu) at No. 14 Tennessee (LB Arion Carter)
Oklahoma (OL Jake Maikkula) at No. 2 Georgia (QB Gunner Stockton)
No. 3 Notre Dame (S Luke Talich) at Purdue (WR Bisi Owens)
No. 15 Utah (CB JC Hart) at Iowa State (QB Jaylen Raynor)
No. 17 Iowa (LB Jayden Montgomery) at No. 18 Michigan (LB Nico Andrighetto)
South Carolina (WR Nyck Harbor) at No. 8 Alabama (S Bray Hubbard)
No. 19 Missouri (OL Dominick Giudice) at No. 24 Mississippi State (S Ethan Pulliam)
Other games with ranked teams featuring a Campbell Trophy® semifinalist include:
No. 4 Ole Miss (LB Keaton Thomas) at Florida
Texas A&M (OL Wilkin Formby) at No. 10 LSU
Divisional games between ranked teams with semifinalists this week include:
FCS: No. 17 Northern Arizona at No. 1 Montana State (OT Titan Fleischmann)
FCS: No. 12 South Dakota at No. 13 Youngstown State (QB Beau Brungard)
FCS: No. 23 Colgate (K Luke Vogeler) at No. 22 Villanova
DIII: No. 11 Berry [GA] (OL McCormack Langford) at No. 9 Trinity [TX] (LB TJ Scannell)
NFF Updates highlights news and events connected to the National Football Foundation and celebrates individuals who have been honored by the organization.
The Rose Bowl Stadium celebrated another milestone in its storied history with the recent dedication of the new $31 million Rose Bowl Field Club, part of the venue’s ongoing efforts to enhance the fan experience while preserving the legacy of one of college football’s most iconic stadiums. The new Field Club represents years of planning and marks a major step in the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation’s Lasting Legacy Capital Project Campaign. The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation is the presenting sponsor of the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards. Click here to watch the dedication video.
ESPN has announced The Breakdown with Peyton and Kuechly, an ESPN Original Series produced in partnership with Omaha Productions and NFL Films that brings Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Luke Kuechly inside the film room to preview some of the biggest upcoming Monday Night Football games and matchups of the NFL season.
Both Manning (2017, Tennessee) and Kuechly (2023, Boston College) are also members of the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.
The NFF Tom Lombardo/St. Louis Chapter has teamed with KTVI-TV (FOX 2) Sports Director Martin Kilcoyne to highlight its National Football Foundation Athlete and Coach of the Week honorees. Anthony “Junior” Busby, a middle linebacker at St. Louis University High School (SLUH), was recently featured as the Athlete of the Week after amassing 18 tackles, including two sacks and two additional tackles for loss, against Chaminade Prep. The weekly TV spot, which will run throughout the season, also recently recognized Pattonville coach Steve Smith as the NFF Coach of the Week. Click here to watch.
Join the Celebration of College Football’s Greatest Legends — December 8, 2026
College football players are members of the greatest fraternity in the world. Check out the National Football Foundation’s ‘I Played’ roster and submit your story to join today!
Members who recently submitted their ‘I Played’ story:
Martin Benante, Rutgers — Former Chairman/CEO Curtiss Wright Corporation
Chad Brown, Colorado — Owner, All Pro Shipping
Herbert Glass, University at Albany — COO, Poulin Willey Anastopoulo
“[Football taught me] how your role evolves in an organization or a team. You’re role in a team or organization changes as the circumstances changes. Being the best player on the field is often times less important to a team or organization than being great in your role.”
— Herbert Glass
Come see Virginia’s Herman Moore on Dec. 8 at the
Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for his induction!
Herman Moore emerged as one of the most explosive wide receivers in college football history, helping transform Virginia football and elevating the Cavaliers to national prominence. The Danville, Virginia, native now becomes the sixth Virginia player to enter the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.
A consensus First Team All-American in 1990, Moore finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting and played a central role in Virginia's rise to its first No. 1 national ranking and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.
Be there with us as we induct Herman Moore into the NFF College Hall of Fame on December 8 at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas!
Stay tuned for more news regarding the latest football participation numbers, schools adding college football, graduates playing college football and the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner!
October 21 — Announcement of the 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class presented by Fidelity Investments/ NFF Campbell Trophy® Finalists
December 8 — 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas at Bellagio Resort & Casino
December 8 — Announcement of the winner of the 37th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®
December 8-9 — The SBJ Intercollegiate Athletics Forum at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
January 25, 2027 — CFP National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada
Here are stories the NFF is reading this week as we gear up for another memorable college football season!
College Football 27 isn’t finished. Inside EA Sports’ nonstop updates reshaping the game
USA Today
‘Love is stronger than anger’: Nick Johnson’s courageous college football story endures at Earlham
Andscape
How 3D printing, advancing technology is improving football helmet safety
ABC News
Ernie Accorsi, the former general manager of the Giants, Colts and Browns and a board member of the NFF New York City Chapter, passed away Sept. 19. The NFF NYC Chapter annually presents the Accorsi Award, named in his honor, recognizing an individual for outstanding contributions to amateur football in the New York City region. He was 84.
Marvins Antoine, a running back at UMass Dartmouth, passed away Sept. 19. He was 18.
Jim Bradshaw, a standout quarterback at Chattanooga before transitioning to the safety position for the Pittsburgh Steelers after being drafted by the organization in 1963, has passed away. He was 87.
Joseph Budagher, who played collegiately at New Mexico, has passed away. He was 59.
Jim Collier, who played collegiately at Arkansas, earning First Team All-Southwest Conference in both 1960 and 1961 and the conference’s Most Valuable Player award in 1961, passed away Sept. 13. He was 87.
JC Cox, a longtime member of the radio broadcast team at Arkansas State, passed away Sept. 20.
Jacob Graner, who played collegiately at UT-San Antonio, passed away Sept. 12. He was 28.
Nile Kron, a former University of Iowa Kid Captain, passed away Sept. 15. Born premature at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital with a cleft lip, scoliosis, and with no hearing, Nile was picked to be the honorary Kid Captain for the 2023 Cy-Hawk game. He was 9 years old.
Arnold Walker, who played collegiately at Alcorn State and an inductee into the Alcorn State Athletics Hall of Fame after rushing for more than 2,800 yards in his career, passed away Sept. 13. He was 35.
David Williamson, who played collegiately at North Dakota and a member of the North Dakota Athletics Hall of Fame, passed away Sept. 15. He was 78.
Fredd Young, who played collegiately at New Mexico State and one of 18 Aggies in program history to earn All-American honors, has passed away. He was 64.
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