National Football Foundation Release

IRVING, Texas – The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced today the names on the 2026 Ballot under consideration for induction into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, including 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks. Former Augustana center and two-time Division III All-American John Bothe was among those named on the divisional ballot. The ballot was emailed today to the more than 12,000 NFF members and current NFF Hall of Famers whose votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF's Honors Court, which will deliberate and select the class. 

Bothe started 49 consecutive games in a Viking uniform and the team's record during that time frame was an outstanding 45-3-1. During his freshman and sophomore seasons of 1985 and 1986, Augustana won NCAA Division III national titles. He was on four straight CCIW title teams. With Bothe as the starting center, the Augustana ground game excelled. In his freshman year, the Vikings averaged 291.2 yards per game rushing and in his sophomore season that figure was 286.3. During his junior year of 1987, the team reeled off an eye-popping 346.5 yards per game rushing and in 1988 it was 315.8. In his four years as a starter, he helped the offense average 308.3 yards per game.

He was the first team all-conference selection three straight times (1986-87-88) and in 1988 he was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the CCIW as a center. He earned NCAA Division III All-America honors in 1987 and 1988 and as a senior in 1988 he was one of three finalists for NCAA Division III "National Player of the Year". He was also a CoSIDA Academic All-America selection in 1986 as a sophomore.

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 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.