2021 College Football Hall of Fame: Bob Stoops, Carson Palmer, Tony Romo highlight newest class

Bill Bender

2021 College Football Hall of Fame: Bob Stoops, Carson Palmer, Tony Romo highlight newest class image

A national championship coach, a former Heisman Trophy winner and an FCS legend are among the latest selections to the College Football Hall of Fame.  

The National Football Foundation announced its 2021 class on Monday. Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, USC quarterback Carson Palmer and Eastern Illinois quarterback Tony Romo are among the selections.  

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Stoops had a 190-48 record with the Sooners from 1998 to 2016. He led Oklahoma to its last national championship in 2000. Stoops’ .798 winning percentage ranks 18th among coaches with at least 100 victories.  

Palmer won the Heisman Trophy in 2002 with USC. Palmer passed for 3,942 yards, 33 TDs and 10 interceptions that season. He finished his career with the Trojans with 11,818 yards, 72 TDs and 49 interceptions before a 14-year career in the NFL.  

Romo won the Walter Payton Award as the best FCS player with Eastern Illinois in 2002. He passed for 34 of his then school-record 85 TDs that season. Romo finished with 8,212 passing yards for his career. Romo spent 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys and is now a lead NFL commentator with CBS.  

The 2021 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 63rd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7. The 2020 class, which was not able to be inducted in 2020 because of COVID-19, also will be there.  

Here is a look at the full Hall of Fame class:  

2021 NFF College Football Hall of Fame class  

PLAYER SCHOOL YEARS
Harris Barton North Carolina 1983-86
David Fulcher Arizona State 1983-85
Dan Morgan Miami, Fla. 1997-2000
Carson Palmer USC 1998-2002
Tony Romo Eastern Illinois 1999-2002
Kenneth Sims Texas 1978-81
C.J. Spiller Clemson 2006-09
Darren Sproles Kansas State 2001-04
Aaron Taylor Notre Dame 1990-93
Andre Tippett Iowa 1979-81
Al Wilson Tennessese 1995-98
COACH SCHOOL YEARS
Rudy Hubbard Florida A&M 1974-85
Bob Stoops Oklahoma 1999-2016

Bill Bender

Bill Bender Photo

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.