Saban, Meyer, Donald on College Football Hall of Fame ballot

Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are first-time candidates for election to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The ballot for the Hall of Fame class to be announced in January was released Monday by the National Football Foundation. It includes 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the division ranks, which includes the Championship Subdivision and Divisions II and III.

Among the players appearing on the Atlanta Hall ballot for the first time is former Pitt defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who retired earlier this year after 10 NFL seasons with the Rams.

Other first-time ballot participants include Notre Dame’s 2012 Heisman Trophy runner-up Manti Te’o; 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram of Alabama and former California wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

Saban retired earlier this year after 17 seasons as Alabama’s coach. He won six national championships with the Crimson Tide and another with LSU in 2003 for a career-high seven titles. In 28 years as a college head coach with Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama, Saban was 297-71-1.

Meyer won three national titles during his 17-season career as a college head coach, two with Florida and one with Ohio State in 2014. He also had stops at Bowling Green and Utah. Retired from Ohio State after the 2018 season with a 187-32 record.

Players left on this year’s ballot include former Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick, former Syracuse wide receiver Marvin Harrison and the late Sean Taylor, who played defensive end for Miami.

Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are first-time candidates for election to the College Football Hall of Fame.

The ballot for the Hall of Fame class to be announced in January was released Monday by the National Football Foundation. It includes 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the division ranks, which includes the Championship Subdivision and Divisions II and III.