🏆 CONGRATS, COACH! Josh Heupel Named to 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Player Ballot
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The accolades keep rolling in for Tennessee Volunteers head coach Josh Heupel, but this time it’s not for his coaching genius—it’s for his legendary playing career. Heupel has officially been named to the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot as a player, a distinction that cements his dual impact on the game.
Before leading the Vols back into national prominence, Heupel was carving up defenses as the star quarterback at Oklahoma, where he guided the Sooners to an undefeated season and a national championship in 2000. That same year, he was the Heisman Trophy runner-up, a consensus All-American, and the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
His stats were gaudy, his leadership unmatched, and his poise under pressure legendary. Now, with this latest Hall of Fame nod, Heupel’s excellence under center is getting the official recognition it’s long deserved.
> “It’s an incredible honor,” Heupel said. “To be considered among the greatest to ever play the game is truly humbling.”
Heupel’s nomination also serves as an inspiring moment for current and future Tennessee players—proof that greatness doesn’t just happen on the sideline. It starts with grit, sacrifice, and championship-level execution.
As ballots circulate and voting begins, the Vol Nation stands united behind its head coach—not just as a leader of men, but as a true legend of college football.
Congratulations, Coach Heupel! You’ve already made history—and now, you’re on the brink of joining the game’s greatest forever.
#CoachHeupel #HallOfFameBound #VolsPride #OnceAQuarterbackAlwaysALegend
