Penn State legend Ki-Jana Carter finally heading to College Football Hall of Fame
Former Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter will soon officially join his fellow college football legends enshrined in Atlanta.
Carter, the 1994 Heisman Trophy runner-up, was named Wednesday to the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame Class. He will be formally inducted alongside 17 other players and four coaches on Dec. 8, 2026.
Carter is the Nittany Lions’ 28th member of the Hall of Fame, according to its athletic department.
“Ki-Jana Carter represents everything that is special about Penn State Football,” Penn State athletic director Patrick Kraft said in a written 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. We look forward to celebrating this tremendous achievement with Ki-Jana and his family.”
Carter earned a spot on the ballot every year since 2022, but it was the most recent ballot where he finally received enough recognition to be selected for enshrinement. Other members of Carter’s class include DT Aaron Donald (Pitt), WR Marvin Harrison (Syracuse), RB Mark Ingram (Alabama), LB James Laurinaitis (Ohio State), WR Herman Moore (Virginia), DT Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska), etc.
“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,” said Archie Manning, 1989 Hall of Famer (Mississippi) and the chairman of the National Football Foundation that organizes the voting.
Carter has long been seen as one of Penn State’s greatest offensive players. And several all-time lists rank him as Penn State’s No. 2 all-time running back, behind only Saquon Barkley, who will become eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame no sooner than 2028/2029.
Carter led the ground game on one of Joe Paterno’s most-talented teams, the undefeated 1994 squad that finished No. 2 in the polls behind undefeated Nebraska. The Ohio native finished the season with 1,539 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns while averaging 7.8 yards per carry.
By comparison, Barkley — who admittedly boasted less-talented offensive lines — never averaged more than 6 yards per carry in a season.
Some fans swear that Carter could’ve potentially surpassed 2,000 yards if Joe Paterno wasn’t so opposed to running up the scores. It wasn’t unusual to see Carter play a little more than a half in some games, and he still dominated.
He was a first-team All-American and finished second behind Colorado’s Rashaan Salaam in the Heisman voting. Quarterback and teammate Kerry Collins, who entered the HOF in 2018, was fourth in the voting.
Carter played sparingly in 1992 (264 yards, 4 TDs) and split carries with Mike Archie in 1993, when he had 155 carries for 1,026 yards and seven touchdowns. His special 1994 season put him on the map and caused him to be drafted No. 1 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals.
His NFL career didn’t go as planned. He tore the ACL in his left knee just three carries into his first preseason game, and recurring knee injuries limited his potential. He played in 59 career games over eight seasons.
But he’ll forever be remembered as one of the best ever at Penn State — and, now, one of the best ever in college football.
“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,” head coach Matt Campbell said in a news release. “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.”
The College Football Hall of Fame is in Atlanta. But the Dec. 8 awards dinner will take place at the Bellagio Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 6:08 PM.
