The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class could have a few more Alabama football connections.
The National Football Foundation announced 79 players and nine coaches who are in the running for the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame. The announcement for the class will be made in early 2026.
Here’s a look at the players nominated who have Alabama football connections:
Mark Ingram: Alabama football running back
Mark Ingram was a unanimous first-team All-American and Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner. The 2009 SEC Offensive Player of the Year had 3,261 rushing yards and 42 rushing touchdowns in three seasons with the Crimson Tide. Ingram was the No. 28 overall pick of the New Orleans Saints in the 2011 NFL draft.
DeMeco Ryans: Alabama football linebacker
DeMeco Ryans was a unanimous first-team All-American and won the Lott IMPACT Trophy. The 2005 SEC Defensive Player of the Year had 76 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss and 5 sacks for the Crimson Tide before being the No. 33 overall pick of the Houston Texans in the 2006 NFL draft.
Dennis Franchione: Alabama football coach
A two-time NAIA Coach of the Year, Dennis Franchione finished with a 17-8 record as the head coach at Alabama in 2001-02. He led the Crimson Tide to an Independence Bowl win in 2001. Franchione also had head coaching stops at TCU, Texas A&M and Texas State.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
