College Football: Who makes the Final Cut for the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame?
By Brandon Self
Each year, 12 players and 2 coaches are selected for official induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Last Friday, the official ballots were released to the voters to begin their 2024 selection and induction process. The list contains 78 players and 9 coaches for the committees to filter down to 12 and 2. So, with the official ballot’s release comes good old-fashioned arguing. We wanted to argue with the rest of you by listing our 12 players and 2 coaches from the list who should be inducted in January 2024 into the coveted Hall of Fame.
Before we begin, let’s discuss some insight into the selection process. First, to be a candidate for induction, the player must’ve met a list of criteria. The player must’ve been selected to a first-team All-American list recognized by the NCAA. Players must be ten years post-career. The player must’ve proven himself a ‘worthy citizen,’ which is vague. Finally, there is a 50-year ‘statute of limitations.’ There are exemptions to the 50-year rule, but it’s generally been followed.
There are several considerations in the voting process, but ultimately, it boils down to this:
- Players are nominated by their respective institutions. (Several positions within the school have the authority to nominate).
- Several considerations are considered, including newspaper articles and recommendations by coaches, teammates, and former opponents.
- The candidate is screened by the National Football Foundation staff.
- Only the top vote-getters (typically 60-ish) are forwarded to the Foundation’s staff for inclusion on the ballot.
- The ballots are then mailed to dues-paying members who have been given the privilege and authority to vote on the players.
So, with the rules now being summed up, let’s get to our list. Our list will be given in a 1-12 order for players. The ones we feel the most confident about, which would be the hardest to keep out, will be listed earlier in the order. At the same time, the more difficult selections will come later on the list.
