UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State first-team All-America running back and 1994 Heisman Trophy runner-up Ki-Jana Carter has been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 class. Carter will be inducted to the Hall of Fame December 8, 2026 at the 68th National Football Foundation (NFF) Annual Awards Dinner, hosted by the Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
Carter will also be recognized at a Penn State Football game this fall with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments. His accomplishments will be forever immortalized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
"To be named a College Football Hall of Famer is truly humbling," said Carter. "Penn State shaped me as a player and as a man, and I share this recognition with my coaches, teammates, and everyone who believed in me along the way. I was fortunate to be part of a special program, surrounded by great teammates who pushed me every day. This honor belongs to all of us who wore the uniform with pride. I am forever grateful to Penn State for the opportunity and the memories that will last a lifetime."
Carter burst onto the national stage as one of the most dynamic and productive running backs in college football during the early 1990s with a unique blend of speed, power and playmaking ability. The Westerville, Ohio, native now becomes the 28th Penn Stater to enter the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.
“Ki-Jana Carter represents everything that is special about Penn State Football,” said vice president for intercollegiate athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. “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. We look forward to celebrating this tremendous achievement with Ki-Jana and his family.”
“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,” said head coach Matt Campbell. “His competitiveness and pride in representing Penn State defined who he was as a player. The College Football Hall of Fame recognition is well deserved, and we’re proud to celebrate Ki-Jana’s place among the greats.”
A 1994 Unanimous First Team All-American and Heisman Trophy runner-up, Carter was among the nation’s most feared offensive weapons. That season, he ranked second nationally in scoring (138 points), fourth in rushing (1,539 yards) and fifth in total yards (1,662), anchoring Penn State’s march to the Big Ten title and a No. 2 final national ranking. He was also a finalist for both the Maxwell Player of the Year and the Doak Walker Award in 1994.
Playing for NFF College Football Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno and alongside 2018 inductee and quarterback Kerry Collins, Carter helped propel the Nittany Lions to a 40-9 record and four bowl appearances during his tenure. He earned MVP honors in the 1995 Rose Bowl as Penn State capped an undefeated season with a signature victory, while also starring in wins at the 1992 Fiesta Bowl and the 1994 Citrus Bowl, and appearing in the 1993 Blockbuster Bowl. Penn State finished with national rankings in each of his four seasons in Happy Valley, including three top 10 finishes and an undefeated 12-0 season in 1994.
In Big Ten play, Carter was a two-time All-Big Ten selection (Second Team in 1993, First Team in 1994) and led the league in rushing, scoring and all-purpose yardage as a junior. At Penn State, he was the team’s MVP during the undefeated 1994 campaign and left with numerous school records: highest career rushing average (7.16), most rushing yards (1,539) and rushing touchdowns (23) by a junior, single-season record for 100-yard games (9), and the bowl game touchdown record (three in the 1995 Rose Bowl). Carter finished his Nittany Lion career with 395 carries for 2,829 yards and 34 touchdowns, ranking among the program’s all-time leaders.
Selected first overall in the 1995 NFL Draft by the Bengals, Carter played in the league from 1995–2004 in the NFL with Cincinnati, Washington and New Orleans.
Carter is the owner of ByoGlobe, a branded promotional products company, in Plantation, Florida, and he is actively involved in community service throughout South Florida, including previous work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2014.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik, and journalist Grantland Rice, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of amateur football to build leaders. With 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF oversees initiatives such as the NFF College Football Hall of Fame, the William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, Future For Football, and I Played. Learn more at footballfoundation.org and follow @NFFNetwork on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.