Good in the Game 12/10

Good morning, football fans! Today is the day! The 66th National Football Foundation Awards Dinner is TONIGHT at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas!

As a reminder, bookmark this page to make sure you don’t miss any of the action!

Here’s what’s happening in Vegas today!

Below is today’s schedule of events:

9:00 a.m. — 11:30 a.m. PST
66th NFF Annual Awards Press Conference — WATCH LIVE ON ESPN+

4:30 p.m. PST
66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Reception & Silent Auction

6:00 p.m. — 9:00 p.m. PST
66th NFF Annual Awards Dinner — WATCH LIVE ON ESPN+

Who is being inducted into the NFF College Hall of Fame?

This year’s star-studded NFF College Hall of Fame class includes:

PLAYERS:

• Justin Blackmon – WR, Oklahoma State (2009-11)

• Paul Cameron* – HB, UCLA (1951-53)

• Tim Couch – QB, Kentucky (1996-98)

• Warrick Dunn – RB, Florida State (1993-96)

• Armanti Edwards – QB, Appalachian State (2006-09)

• Deon Figures – CB, Colorado (1988, 1990-92)

• Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Pittsburgh (2002-03)

• Toby Gerhart – RB, Stanford (2006-09)

• Dan Hampton – DT, Arkansas (1975-78)

• Steve Hutchinson – OG, Michigan (1997-2000)

• Antonio Langham – CB, Alabama (1990-93)

• Randy Moss – WR/KR, Marshall (1996-97)

• Julius Peppers – DE, North Carolina (1999-2001)

• Paul Posluszny – LB, Penn State (2003-06)

• Dewey Selmon – NG, Oklahoma (1972-75)

• Alex Smith – QB, Utah (2002-04)

• Kevin Smith – CB, Texas A&M (1988-91)

• Chris Ward – OT, Ohio State (1974-77)

• Danny Woodhead – RB, Chadron State [NE] (2004-07) 

COACHES:

• Mark Dantonio – 132-74-0 (64.1%): Cincinnati (2004-06), Michigan State (2007-19)

• Danny Hale – 213-69-1 (75.4%): West Chester [PA] (1984-88), Bloomsburg [PA] (1993-2012) 

• Frank Solich – 173-101-0: (63.1%) Nebraska (1998-2003), Ohio (2005-2020) 

*Deceased

Who are the finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy?

The 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award that annually recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership, will be awarded tonight. Here are this year’s 16 finalists, selected from more than 200 semifinalists:

• Tahj Brooks, RB – Texas Tech (3.55 GPA – Sport Management)

• Robert Coury, LB – Carnegie Mellon [PA] (3.97 GPA – Mechanical Engineering)

• Jaxson Dart, QB – Ole Miss (3.71 GPA – Business)

• Beau Freyler, DB – Iowa State (3.91 GPA – Kinesiology) 

• Dillon Gabriel, QB – Oregon (3.43 GPA – Multidisciplinary Studies)

• Ashton Gillotte, DL – Louisville (3.69 GPA – Communications) 

• Brody Grebe, DE – Montana State (3.93 GPA – Mechanical Engineering)

• Mark Gronowski, QB – South Dakota State (3.76 GPA – Mechanical Engineering)

• Terrance Hollon, LB – Howard (3.90 GPA – Health Science) 

• Jack Kiser, LB – Notre Dame (3.82 GPA – Business Analytics) 

• Luke Lehnen, QB – North Central [IL] (3.76 GPA – Exercise Science) 

• Brayden Long, QB – Slippery Rock [PA] (4.00 GPA – Sport Management) 

• Jake Majors, C – Texas (3.65 GPA – Business Management) 

• Seth McLaughlin, C – Ohio State (4.00 GPA – Finance) 

• Jalen Milroe, QB – Alabama (3.52 GPA – Management)

• Jackson Woodard, LB – UNLV (3.77 GPA – Kinesiology)

Who else is being honored tonight?

NFF Legacy Award Recipients
Mike Aresco — American Athletic Conference Commissioner
Jon Butler — Pop Warner Little Scholars Executive Director
Tom Cove — Sports & Fitness Industry Association President & CEO
Tom McMillen — LEAD1 Association President & CEO

Chris Schenkel Award Recipient
John Morris — the voice of the Baylor Bears

John L. Toner Award Recipient
Warde Manuel — University of Michigan Director of Athletics

Outstanding Contribution To Amateur Football Award Recipient
The late Buddy Teevens — head football coach & innovator at Maine, Dartmouth, Tulane and Stanford

Lott IMPACT® Trophy Finalists
Caleb Downs — Ohio State safety
Travis Hunter — Colorado defensive back
Mikail Kamara — Indiana defensive lineman
Nic Scourton — Texas A&M defensive end

Team USA Collegiate Recognition Awards
Olympic Gold Award — Stanford University
Olympic Silver Award — Penn State University
Olympic Bronze Award — University of Texas and University of Kentucky
Paralympic Gold Award — University of Illinois

Learn more about the game with CFO’s Steve Shaw

The NFF works with College Football Officiating (CFO) throughout the year to make the game better and safer. As part of the relationship, the NFF is pleased to share with our readers the most recent CFO-NCAA Media Video, explaining some of the recent play calls in college football.

Dana Dimel, who served as the head football coach at Wyoming (1997-99), Houston (2000-02) and UTEP (2018-2023), has passed away. He was 62.

Continuing a partnership that began in 2010, the National Football Foundation (NFF) and the Ivy League will co-host the Asa S. Bushnell Cup announcement, presented by Bruin Capital, on Dec. 16 in the iconic Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center.

This year’s finalists are Cornell senior quarterback Jameson Wang, Harvard junior wide receiver Cooper Barkate, Penn sophomore running back Malachi Hosley, Columbia senior defensive back Hayden McDonald, Dartmouth senior defensive lineman Ejike Adele and Harvard junior defensive back Ty Bartrum.

Click here to read more about the Asa S. Bushnell Cup.

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