2 Former Tide Players, 1 Coach Named to 2026 CFB HOF Ballot

The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Ballot has been released, and with it, two former Alabama players and one former Crimson Tide head coach are on the official ballot.

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The headliner for Alabama is former running back Mark Ingram. Ingram won the first Heisman Trophy in Alabama football history, helping the Tide secure the 2010 BCS National Championship with victories over Florida in the SEC Championship and Texas in the BCS Championship game. In 2010, Ingram was named a unanimous First-Team All-American and was the offensive MVP of the championship game against Texas. He led the SEC in rushing yards with 1,658 and 20 total touchdowns.

Joining Ingram as former Tide players on the ballot is former Alabama linebacker and Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ryans was named a unanimous First-Team All-American in 2005, winning the 2005 Lott IMPACT Trophy and 2005 Defensive Player of the Year. He ranks fifth all-time in Alabama football history with 309 career tackles.

Former Alabama football head coach Dennis Franchione is among the coaches eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame in 2026. Franchoine coached in Tuscaloosa from 2001 to 2002, leading the Tide to a 10-win season just two years after taking over for a 3-8 Alabama squad.

Ryans and Ingram went on to have successful NFL careers, with Ingram rushing for 8,111 yards and 65 touchdowns across a 13-year NFL career, and Ryans totaling 971 tackles and 13.5 sacks across a 10-year NFL career.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.