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Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

2026 College Football Hall of Fame Classic Graphic

Two Cotton Bowl Classic Alums Among 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class

1/14/2026 2:40:00 PM

ARLINGTON, Texas – The star-studded 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class features two Cotton Bowl Classic alums in Kansas State's Terence Newman (65th Classic in 2001) and Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh (71st Classic in 2007).
 
Newman played a key role in Kansas State playing in four consecutive bowls, including the 35-21 victory over Tennessee in the 65th Cotton Bowl Classic on New Year's Day 2001. As a junior in the game, Newman recorded two passes defended. The following season, he was a unanimous first-team All-America selection, earned the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back and was also a finalist for the Nagurski Award as the top defensive player.
 
As a sophomore in the 71st Cotton Bowl Classic, Suh recorded one tackle in Nebraska's 17-14 loss to Auburn. That season, he played in all 14 games and earned freshman All-Big 12 honors from The Sporting News. Suh went on to close his Cornhusker career in an impressive fashion, garnering unanimous first-team All-America honors, sweeping college football's major defensive awards (Bednarik, Lombardi, Nagurski and Outland) and being named Associated Press College Football Player of the Year as a senior.
 
The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8 in Las Vegas.
 
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