CollegeFootballPoll.com's Congrove Presents His 2025 Hall Of Fame Selections

June 3, 2024 by CollegeFootballPoll.com Staff

The ballot for the 2025 Class of the College Football Hall of Fame was released today and CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove has already submitted his ballot. This is his 13th straight season as a voter.

There are more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. The Honors Court includes an elite and geographically diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media.

Of the 5.7 million individuals who have played college football since Princeton first battled Rutgers on Nov. 6, 1869, only 1,093 players have earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, or less than two one-hundredths of a percent (.02%) of those who have played the game during the past 154 seasons. From the coaching ranks, 233 individuals have achieved Hall of Fame distinction.

Numerous players on the ballot went on to hugely successful NFL careers. Many are Super Bowl winners and either are, or will be, inductees to the NFL Hall of Fame. Such as Syracuse wide receiver Marvin Harrison who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016 after a sterling career with the Indianapolis Colts, and who's son was just drafted by the Arizona Cardinals out of Ohio State.

The ballot this year includes 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, and 101 players and 34 coaches from other classifications.

Each voter can select up to 12 FBS players and 2 FBS head coaches, in addition to 4 divisional players (FCS and below) and 2 divisional head coaches.

Congrove's ballot last year featured 4 ultimate Hall selections for FBS players. They were RB Warrick Dunn of Florida State, DT Dan Hampton of Arkansas and DE Julius Peppers of North Carolina, as well as WR Randy Moss of Marshall as a divisional player.

One of his FBS coach selections was also admitted - Frank Solich of Nebraska (1998-2003) and (2005-2020).

Congrove's FBS player selections from the 2025 ballot include these 7 repeat votes -

Tennessee WR Willie Gault
Syracuse WR Marvin Harrison
Cal RB Marshawn Lynch
Boise State QB Kellen Moore
UCLA LB Ken Norton Jr.
Indiana QB Antwaan Randle El
Virginia Tech QB Michael Vick

His attempts to help Cal LB Ron Rivera and Arizona State DE Terrell Suggs be inducted were not successful and they are no longer on the ballot.

In addition to the 6 repeats votes listed above, these are his 'new' selections for 2025 -

Florida State WR Peter Warrick
Georgia RB Garrison Hearst
Virginia Tech Center Jim Pyne
Virginia WR Herman Moore
Illinois LB Simeon Rice

His two votes for FBS head coach go to Nick Saban and Troy's Larry Blakeney (1991-2014). He has voted for Blakeney each year since 2019. This is Saban's first year on the ballot after he retired from Alabama. Saban's career saw success at several stops - Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), Alabama (2007-23). He won the most national championships in FBS history with 4 BCS titles and 3 CFP championships, and was the first to win a national title with two different FBS schools (LSU, Alabama) since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936. He also finished his career with the sixth-most wins (292) in FBS history, and led 'Bama to a top-10 final ranking in 16 consecutive seasons, including 12 top five finishes. Over-all his teams won 11 conference titles and 19 bowl games (19-12).

His four votes for divisional players include repeat efforts to induct MVSU LB Vincent Brown, Lafayette LB Joe Skladany, St. John's (MN) WR Blake Elliott. He also placed a first-time vote for NW Missouri State WR Tony Miles.

His two divisional head coach selections are multi-year repeat votes for Forrest Perkins (Wisconsin-Whitewater, 1956-1984) and Lou Wacker (Emory & Henry, 1982-2004).

The 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025 at the Bellagio Hotel & Resort, and they will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2025 season.

The criteria for Hall of Fame consideration include:

• First and foremost, a player must have received First-Team All-America recognition by a selector that is recognized by the NCAA and utilized to comprise its consensus All-America teams.
• A player becomes eligible for consideration by the Foundation's Honors Courts 10 full seasons after his final year of intercollegiate football played.
• While each nominee's football achievements in college are of prime consideration, his post-football record as a citizen is also weighed. He must have proven himself worthy as a citizen, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community. Consideration may also be given for academic honors and whether the candidate earned a college degree.
• Players must have played their last year of intercollegiate football within the last 50 years.* For example, to be eligible for the 2024 ballot, the player must have played his last year in 1974 or thereafter. In addition, players who are playing professionally and coaches who are coaching on the professional level are not eligible until after they retire.
• A coach becomes eligible three full seasons after retirement or immediately following retirement provided he is at least 70 years of age. Active coaches become eligible at 75 years of age. He must have been a head football coach for a minimum of 10 years and coached at least 100 games with a .600 winning percentage.
• Nominations may only be submitted by the current athletics director, head coach or sports information director (SID) of a candidate's collegiate institution. Nominations may also be submitted by the president/executive director of a dues-paying chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Congrove's FBS Player Selections:

Willie Gault, Tennessee-Wide Receiver-1982 First Team All-American…Led Vols to three bowl berths…Set six conference and 12 school punt / kickoff return records…Tied NCAA record for most touchdowns by kick return in a single season (3) in 1980.

Marvin Harrison, Syracuse-Kick Returner/Wide Receiver-1995 First Team All-American as a kick returner and 1995 Big East Special Teams Player of the Year…Three-time All-Big East selection who set a conference record with a 94-yard punt return for a TD in 1995…Left Syracuse as the school's all-time receiving leader (2,718 yards).

Garrison Hearst, Georgia-Running Back-1992 unanimous First Team All-American and winner of the Doak Walker Award…Finished third in 1992 Heisman Trophy voting after leading the nation in scoring (126 points)…1992 SEC Player of the Year finished career trailing only Herschel Walker in career rushing yards (3,232) at Georgia.

Marshawn Lynch, California-Running Back-2006 First Team All-American who led Cal to a share of the 2006 Pac-10 title…2006 Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year led the league in rushing (1,356), all-purpose yards (1,785) and TDs (15) that season…Two-time bowl game MVP (2005 Las Vegas, 2006 Holiday) and Cal's all-time leader in 100-yard rushing games (17).

Herman Moore, Virginia-Wide Receiver-1990 consensus First Team All-American who finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting…Holds the NCAA record for highest average gain per reception (22.0) with a minimum of 105 catches…1990 First Team All-ACC performer finished career as UVA's all-time leader in receiving yards (2,504) and TD catches (27).

Kellen Moore, Boise State-Quarterback-2010 First Team All-American finished career as the winningest starting QB (.943) in college football history…Set the NCAA record for lowest career INT percentage (.017) and tied NCAA record with four 3,000-yard passing seasons…Boise State's all-time leading passer (14,667) earned three conference Player of the Year honors (2-WAC, 1-MWC).

Ken Norton Jr., UCLA-Linebacker-1987 First Team All-American, leading Bruins to four consecutive bowl wins… Member of the 1985 conference championship team… Led team in tackles in 1986 (106) and in 1987 (125) and ranks sixth in school history with 339 career tackles.

Jim Pyne, Virginia Tech-Center-1993 unanimous First Team All-American, the Hokies first-ever unanimous selection…Finalist for the 1993 Lombardi and Outland trophies and two-time All-Big East selection…Played in 42 career games and only allowed one sack in 2,700 career snaps.

Antwaan Randle El, Indiana-Quarterback-2001 First Team All-American…First player in FBS history to pass for 6,000 yards and rush for 3,000 yards in career…Rushed for more yards than any QB in FBS history upon conclusion of career.

Simeon Rice, Illinois-Linebacker-Two-time First Team All-American and three-time First Team All-Big Ten selection…Holds conference and school record for career sacks (44.5) and Illini record for career tackles for loss (69)…Set school record for single-season sacks (16).

Michael Vick, Virginia Tech-Quarterback-1999 First Team All-American and Big East Offensive Player of the Year, finishing third in Heisman Trophy voting…Guided the Hokies to their first-ever 11-0 regular season and national championship game appearance (1999)…Two-time All-Big East performer who led the league in total offense (242.0 ypg) in 1999 and only lost one conference game during career.

Peter Warrick, Florida State-Wide Receiver-Two-time First Team All-American (consensus-1998, unanimous-1999) led FSU to a national championship at the 2000 Sugar Bowl, earning MVP honors…Two-time First Team All-ACC receiver finished career as the league's all-time leader in receiving (3,517)…FSU's career leader in receiving TDs (32).

Congrove's FBS Coach Selections:

Larry Blakeney-Troy (1991-2014)-All-time winningest coach in Sun Belt Conference history…Four-time conference Coach of the Year who led the Trojans to eight conference titles (5 – Sun Belt, 3 – Southland) and seven FCS playoff appearances in eight seasons…Led Troy to four bowl games, including wins at the 2006 and 2010 New Orleans Bowl.

Nick Saban-Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), Alabama (2007-23)-Boasts the most national championships in FBS history, winning four BCS titles and three CFP championships during his career…First coach in history to win a national title with two different FBS schools (LSU, Alabama) since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936 and finished career with the sixth-most wins (292) all-time in FBS history…Led Bama to a top 10 final ranking in 16-consecutive seasons, including 12 top five finishes, and won 11 conference titles and 19 bowl games overall.

Congrove's Divisional Player Selections:

Vincent Brown, Mississippi Valley State-Linebacker-1987 First Team All-American, leading the NCAA in tackles in 1986 and 1987…Set NCAA All-Divisions record with 570 career tackles…Two-time All-SWAC selection who led MVSU in tackles his last three seasons.

Blake Elliott, Saint John's (MN)-Wide Receiver-Two-time First Team All-American and winner of the 2003 Gagliardi Trophy…Two-time MIAC Player of the Year who holds NCAA All-Divisions record of 47 consecutive games with a reception…Led SJU to 2003 DIII national title and owns 29 school records.

Tony Miles, Northwest Missouri State-All-Purpose/Wide Receiver-Two-time First Team All-American who led Bearcats to back-to-back Division II National Championships (1998-99) and four-consecutive MIAA titles…Set conference and school records for career receiving yards (3,890), receptions (235) and TDs (37).

Joe Skladany, Lafayette-Linebacker-Named First Team All-American in 1981…Four-year starter who never missed a game…Boasts school records for career tackles (532) and blocked kicks in a season (3)…Team captain and two-time Team MVP who led nation's second-ranked defense in 1981.

Congrove's Divisional Coach Selections:

Forrest Perkins-Wisconsin-Whitewater (1956-84)-At the time of his retirement, he ranked second on the active wins list on the Division III level…Named NAIA Coach of the Year in 1966…The all-time winningest coach in conference and school history…captured 11 conference titles.

Lou Wacker-Emory & Henry (VA) (1982-2004)-Most wins in Emory & Henry history, leading the Wasps to five NCAA playoff appearances…11 ODAC titles, including six-of-seven from 1994-00…Boasted a 37-game home winning streak from 1991-98.

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