Yardbarker
x
Ndamukong Suh Listed on College Football Hall of Fame Ballot
Dec 5, 2009; Arlington, TX, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (93) plays defense against the Texas Longhorns in the second quarter of the 2009 Big 12 championship game at Cowboys Stadium. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Ndamukong Suh is one step closer to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The former Nebraska defensive tackle is one of 79 players on the on the 2026 ballot for the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame. This is his first year of eligibility.

Suh dominated over four years at NU. His 2009 campaign is considered one of the best individual seasons in college football history.

As a senior, Suh became the first defensive player to win the Associated Press College Player of the Year Award since the inception of the honor in 1998. He was was the first defensive tackle invited to the Heisman ceremonies in New York since Warren Sapp in 1994, ultimately finishing fourth in the voting.

In the 2009 season, Suh led ed Nebraska in tackles for the second straight season with 85 tackles. He also became the first defensive lineman to lead Nebraska in tackles in consecutive seasons. He also led the team in tackles for loss (24), sacks (12), quarterback hurries (26) and blocked kicks (3). His 24 tackles for loss were second on the Nebraska season list, while his 12 sacks ranked third in school history. Suh's 10 pass breakups were second on the team and led the nation's defensive linemen. He also added his fourth career interception, an NU record for defensive linemen.

To put into perspective how ridiculous Suh played in his final season in Lincoln, below are stats from three others teams' defensive lines in 2009, along with Suh's numbers. Alabama, Texas, and Florida finished 1-2-3 in the final AP poll that year.

Suh went on to play more than a decade in the NFL for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles. The five-time All-Pro selection was named to the NFL's 2010's All-Decade Team. He won a Super Bowl in 2021 with the Buccaneers.

Suh will look to join 20 former Husker players and seven Nebraska coaches who are members of the College Football Hall of Fame. 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.

Collegiate Awards

  • Outland Trophy (2009)
  • Lombardi Award (2009)
  • Bronko Nagurski Trophy (2009)
  • Chuck Bednarik Award (2009)
  • Bill Willis Trophy (2009)
  • AP College Football Player of the Year (2009)
  • Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2009)
  • Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year (2009)
  • Unanimous All-American (2009)
  • 2× first-team All-Big 12 (2008, 2009)
  • Nebraska Cornhuskers No. 93 retired

Former Nebraska Players in the College Football Hall of Fame

  • Ed Weir, 1951
  • George Sauer, 1954
  • Guy Chamberlin, 1962
  • Clarence Swanson, 1973
  • Sam Francis, 1977
  • Bobby Reynolds, 1984
  • Forrest Behm, 1988
  • Wayne Meylan, 1991
  • Bob Brown, 1993
  • Rich Glover, 1995
  • Dave Rimmington, 1997
  • Johnny Rodgers, 2000
  • Mike Rozier, 2006
  • Grant Wistrom, 2009
  • Will Shields, 2011
  • Tommy Frazier, 2013
  • Trev Albers, 2015
  • Aaron Taylor, 2018
  • Eric Crouch, 2020
  • Zach Wiegert, 2022

Former Nebraska Coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame

  • Dana X. Bible, 1951
  • Fielding Yost, 1951
  • "Biff" Jones, 1954
  • E.N. Robinson 1955
  • Bob Devaney, 1981
  • Tom Osborne, 1999
  • Frank Solich, 2024

With year of induction.

More from Nebraska on SI

This article first appeared on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!