IRVING, Texas – Four former players and coaches with Mountain West ties are among the nominees included on the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot, as announced today by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame.
Former Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore (2008-11) and former Utah defensive back Eric Weddle (2003-06) are among the 79 former Football Bowl Subdivision student-athletes on the ballot, while former Boise State coach Chris Petersen (2006-13) and former TCU coach Gary Patterson (2000-21) are among the nine former FBS coaches on the ballot.
The ballot is emailed to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Courts, which deliberate and select the class.
The announcement of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2026, with specific details to be announced in the future.
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino, and they will be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2026 season.
The winningest quarterback in the history of college football, Moore led Boise State to a record of 50-3 in his four years as a starter, finishing his career ranked second in NCAA history in career passing touchdowns (142), third in career passing efficiency (168.97) and fifth in career passing yardage (14,667).
He was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 2010 and was named conference offensive player of the year three times, including in 2011, his lone year in the MW. The Football Writers Association of America named Moore a first-team All-American in 2010, and the Touchdown Club of Columbus tabbed him as the nation’s top quarterback in both 2010 and 2011, ultimately naming the award after him.
Off the field, Moore was a second-team Academic All-American in 2010 and a four-time conference all-academic selection. He earned a degree from Boise State in communication in less than four years.
In February 2025, Moore was named the head coach of the New Orleans Saints after serving as the offensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Weddle wrapped up his career at Utah with 277 tackles, which included 165 solo stops, 10.0 sacks and 22.5 tackles for loss, along with nine forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries (2 TD), 18 interceptions (3 TD) and 23 pass breakups. He held the Mountain West record in interceptions (18) from 2006-2015 and still ranks second in the MW annals and all-time at Utah.
He was the MW Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, also earning first-team All-Mountain West in those years to become a four-time all-conference selection. He was a consensus All-American in 2006, also earning Freshman All-America by the FWAA in 2003.
Weddle spent 14 years in the NFL, earning two All-Pro first-team selections, three second-team nods, six Pro Bowl invites and helped the L.A. Rams win the Super Bowl LVI in 2021 after coming out of retirement. He also has launched a jewelry line to benefit organizations providing resources to domestic violence victims while also supporting charities with his wife, Chanel, to fight against childhood cancer and breast cancer.
Petersen coached in the Mountain West for three seasons, leading Boise State to a 31-8 overall record and a 19-4 MW mark from 2011-13. All three of his MW teams played in bowl games, with two of them finishing nationally ranked.
In his first year in the league, Petersen led the Broncos to a 12-1 overall mark, a 6-1 MW record and a win over Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. His squad finished with a No. 6 national ranking.
The following year, Boise State went 11-2 overall and 7-1 in the MW to earn a share of the league title. Petersen’s Broncos won the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas for the second straight season, downing Washington and finishing the season ranked No. 14.
Patterson led TCU to a 77-13 overall record and a 48-7 Conference mark in its seven years in the MW. The Horned Frogs won the MW four times in that span, posting undefeated league records in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and winning their final 24 contests in MW play.
TCU played in a pair of BCS bowls under Patterson, falling in the Fiesta Bowl to Petersen’s Boise State program for its lone loss of the 2009 season and winning the Rose Bowl over Wisconsin to cap a 13-0 season and finish ranked No. 2 nationally for the 2010 campaign.
The Horned Frogs posted at least 11 wins in six of their seven seasons in the MW and won six bowl games during their tenure in the league. They finished ranked in the top 10 nationally four times in that span.
Patterson was named the MW Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2009 and earned national coach of the year honors in 2009.
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