Ki-Jana Carter, Courtney Brown make 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot

Two of the biggest Penn State football stars of the 1990s will have their chance at immortality this year. On Monday, Nittany Lions legends Ki-Jana Carter and Courtney Brown were named to the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 ballot.

Carter and Brown are two of the 79 FBS players under consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame. The ballot also includes nine FBS coaches, as well as 100 players and 35 coaches from the other divisions of college football.

“For more than 65 years, the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame has stood as the sport’s ultimate archive, honoring those whose impact on the game still echoes today,” said NFF President and CEO Steve Hatchell. “This year’s ballot carries forward that responsibility, spotlighting individuals who not only excelled on the field but also helped define what college football means to so many.”

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Players who played their final year of college football within the last 50 years are eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame. To be considered, candidates must have received first-team All-America honors from one of the five NCAA-recognized selectors (AP, AFCA, FWAA, Sporting News, and Walter Camp Football Foundation). A candidate’s post-football record as a citizen is also allowed to be considered. 

Among the top running backs in Penn State football history, Carter was a unanimous first-team All-American and the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1994. During his prolific final season in Happy Valley, Carter led the Big Ten in rushing (1,539 yards) and scoring (138 points) as the undefeated Nittany Lions marched to a Rose Bowl victory and No. 2 final ranking. Carter was also on the ballot last year.

Brown remains the Nittany Lions’ career leader in tackles for loss (70) and sacks (33) over a quarter century after he last took the Beaver Stadium turf. The star defensive end was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, and unanimous first-team All-American during his senior season in 1999. Brown helped guide Penn State to four bowl games and four top-20 final rankings. 

Penn State football currently has 24 members in the College Football Hall of Fame. Carter’s teammate, quarterback Kerry Collins, was recognized in the class of 2018, while Brown’s defensive counterpart, linebacker LaVar Arrington, was inducted in 2022. The last Nittany Lion to be enshrined was linebacker Paul Posluszny, who was a member of the class of 2024.

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