Army West Point Athletics
Army Great Bob Novogratz Named to 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class
January 14, 2026 | Football
WEST POINT, N.Y. —The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame announced the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class on Wednesday during College Football Live on ESPN2, with Army West Point great Bob Novogratz selected for induction.
Novogratz becomes the 24th Black Knight to earn induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, further cementing Army's legacy among college football's elite programs.
A 1959 graduate of the United States Military Academy, Novogratz embodied the toughness, versatility, and endurance that defined Army football during its golden era. A native of Northampton, Pennsylvania, he emerged as one of the most dominant linemen of his time and was a cornerstone of Army's last undefeated team in 1958.
A First Team All-American at offensive guard in 1958, Novogratz played a central role on Army's undefeated 8-0-1 squad that finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally. Over two seasons, he helped lead the Black Knights to a 15-2-1 record. He blocked for NFF College Football Hall of Famers Bob Anderson and Pete Dawkins, the latter also a Heisman Trophy winner, and helped spring fellow NFF Hall of Famer Bill Carpenter, who revolutionized the game as Army's famed "Lonely End."
Competing in an era of ironman football, Novogratz starred on both sides of the ball. He anchored the offensive line while also serving as the leader of an elite defense that surrendered just 5.4 points per game. Legendary Army head coach and NFF Hall of Famer Earl "Red" Blaik famously described Novogratz as the "sword and flame" of the Army defense.
The 1958 season included a signature 14-2 victory over fourth-ranked Notre Dame, during which Novogratz played 56 minutes and recorded 18 tackles. That same year, he earned the Knute Rockne Lineman of the Year Award from the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., and was also named Lineman of the Year by the Los Angeles Times. He concluded his collegiate career by competing in the East-West Shrine Game.
Following graduation, Novogratz was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served 28 years in the United States Army, including two tours of duty in Vietnam and one in Korea. A highly decorated officer, he received the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters and the Vietnamese Honor Medal, eventually retiring with the rank of colonel.
In addition to his football accomplishments, Novogratz was a two-time letterwinner with the Army wrestling program and finished third at the 1959 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships as a heavyweight. He was inducted into the Army Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class features 18 First Team All-Americans and four standout coaches, selected from a national ballot that included 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, along with 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks.
"We are thrilled to announce the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer. "Each of these legends ranks among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to adding their incredible accomplishments to those permanently enshrined in the NFF Hall of Fame."
The Class of 2026 will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Inductees will also be recognized at their respective institutions during NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be permanently commemorated at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, and each inductee will receive a custom Hall of Fame ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
"We want to thank ESPN for the opportunity to announce the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class on College Football Live," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "This announcement shines a spotlight on the accomplishments of some of college football's greatest legends."
Novogratz becomes the 24th Black Knight to earn induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, further cementing Army's legacy among college football's elite programs.
A 1959 graduate of the United States Military Academy, Novogratz embodied the toughness, versatility, and endurance that defined Army football during its golden era. A native of Northampton, Pennsylvania, he emerged as one of the most dominant linemen of his time and was a cornerstone of Army's last undefeated team in 1958.
A First Team All-American at offensive guard in 1958, Novogratz played a central role on Army's undefeated 8-0-1 squad that finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally. Over two seasons, he helped lead the Black Knights to a 15-2-1 record. He blocked for NFF College Football Hall of Famers Bob Anderson and Pete Dawkins, the latter also a Heisman Trophy winner, and helped spring fellow NFF Hall of Famer Bill Carpenter, who revolutionized the game as Army's famed "Lonely End."
Competing in an era of ironman football, Novogratz starred on both sides of the ball. He anchored the offensive line while also serving as the leader of an elite defense that surrendered just 5.4 points per game. Legendary Army head coach and NFF Hall of Famer Earl "Red" Blaik famously described Novogratz as the "sword and flame" of the Army defense.
The 1958 season included a signature 14-2 victory over fourth-ranked Notre Dame, during which Novogratz played 56 minutes and recorded 18 tackles. That same year, he earned the Knute Rockne Lineman of the Year Award from the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., and was also named Lineman of the Year by the Los Angeles Times. He concluded his collegiate career by competing in the East-West Shrine Game.
Following graduation, Novogratz was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served 28 years in the United States Army, including two tours of duty in Vietnam and one in Korea. A highly decorated officer, he received the Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters and the Vietnamese Honor Medal, eventually retiring with the rank of colonel.
In addition to his football accomplishments, Novogratz was a two-time letterwinner with the Army wrestling program and finished third at the 1959 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships as a heavyweight. He was inducted into the Army Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class features 18 First Team All-Americans and four standout coaches, selected from a national ballot that included 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, along with 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks.
"We are thrilled to announce the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class," said Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and a 1989 College Football Hall of Famer. "Each of these legends ranks among the absolute best to have ever played or coached the game, and we look forward to adding their incredible accomplishments to those permanently enshrined in the NFF Hall of Fame."
The Class of 2026 will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Inductees will also be recognized at their respective institutions during NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall. Their accomplishments will be permanently commemorated at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, and each inductee will receive a custom Hall of Fame ring created by Jostens, the official and exclusive supplier of NFF rings.
"We want to thank ESPN for the opportunity to announce the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class on College Football Live," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "This announcement shines a spotlight on the accomplishments of some of college football's greatest legends."
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