Penn State football legend Ki-Jana Carter will finally be a College Football Hall of Famer.
The exquisite running back, who was the No. 1 pick of the 1995 NFL Draft, had been on the ballot for several years before getting the call on Jan. 14 to join the 2026 hall of fame class.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCarter helped lead Penn State's last undefeated team in 1994, finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting and will be remembered as one of the all-time great running backs at the school famous for them.
Carter is part of an 18-player class that will be inducted on Dec. 8 in Las Vegas. The group includes Aaron Donald (Pitt), Mark Ingram (Alabama), Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska) and Marvin Harrison (Syracuse).
"When you talk about the history of Penn State Football, Ki-Jana Carter stands out as one of the most dynamic players ever to wear the uniform," new Penn State head coach Matt Campbell said in a statement issued by the university. "His competitiveness and pride in representing Penn State defined who he was as a player."
Penn State’s Ki-Jana Carter, center, breaks through the Oregon defense on his way to a first quarter score at the Rose Bowl in 1995.Carter was scintillating running behind one of the best offensive lines in school history in 1994. He earned first-team All-America honors by rushing rushed for 1,539 yards and 23 touchdowns and averaging a jaw-dropping 7.8 yards per carry.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe finished his college career with a dominating performance in the Rose Bowl victory over Oregon. He scored on an 83-yard run on Penn State's first offensive play of the game, added two more touchdowns, and was named the MVP.
“Ki-Jana Carter represents everything that is special about Penn State football," Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said in a statement. "He played a major role in defining an era that elevated our program. Being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame is a fitting and well-deserved honor, and we are incredibly proud to welcome him as Penn State’s 28th Hall of Famer."
Penn State's long list of hall of famers include, most recently, Paul Posluszny (inducted in 2024), LaVar Arrington (2022), Kerry Collins (2018) and Shane Conlan (2014).
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football's Ki-Jana Carter in College Football Hall of Fame
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