IRVING, Texas (Nov. 29, 2023) – Anticipation continues to build as the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame prepares for the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas, which will take place Dec. 5 at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. As part of a tradition that stretches back to 1958, the storied black-tie affair serves as the culmination of the college football regular season.
 
The star-studded 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class headlines the event, and 16 of the game's current stars will be honored as members of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments®. One of the 16 student-athletes will also be recognized as the recipient of the coveted William V. Campbell Trophy®, which has been annually awarded to the nation's top football scholar-athlete during the event since 1990.
 

HOW TO WATCH ON DECEMBER 5   65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas – 7 p.m. PT on ESPN+ NFF Annual Awards Press Conference – 9 a.m. PT on ESPN+ Featuring the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class and the 2023 MEAC Player of the Year Announcement For more information on the event, visit the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Website. For more information on covering the event as media, visit NFF Media Central.

"All of us at the National Football Foundation are excited about returning to Las Vegas for the third consecutive year," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "Many people have come together to support this year's event, and we especially want to thank the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and CEO/President Steve Hill for serving as the event's presenting sponsor. As a bridge between the regular season and the bowl season, the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas provides a unique setting where we briefly set aside intense rivalries to join together to celebrate our sport."
 
Since 1958, when U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower accepted the NFF Gold Medal at the inaugural event, the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas has proven to be one of our nation's most magnetic affairs, attracting giants of industry and leaders from all walks of life. The storied event has become the one night of the year that brings together all entities of college football to celebrate the game. The 65th edition marks the third consecutive year the NFF Annual Awards Dinner will be held in Las Vegas.
 
"The National Football Foundation represents everything right about our great sport, and this night simply features the best and brightest of college football," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "The accomplishments of our 2023 honorees make us all proud while providing us the ultimate vehicle for inspiring future generations to follow in their footsteps. We look forward to honoring them as we celebrate our game's greatest legends. If you're passionate about college football, there will be no better place to be on December 5!"
 
Rafanelli Events, led by President Deborah Farley, is serving as the event coordinator for the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas. The Award Dinner on Tuesday night is being executive produced by Ariadne C. Villarreal of The A-Team Events Management. The videos featured in the program are being produced by Dallas-based LDWW.

  With more than 100 colleges and universities, 19 college commissioners and over 40 returning members of the College Football Hall of Fame in attendance, the night will feature several well-known football luminaries. ESPN+ will stream the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas live, beginning at 7 p.m. PT via this link.
 
Participants and honorees include (in order of appearance):

• Master of Ceremonies: Charles Davis, CBS Sports & NFL Network Broadcaster
• National Anthem: Shilah Phillips, Entertainer, Singer and American Idol Season Three Semifinalist
• Official Welcome: Steve Hill, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO/President
• Recognition of the 2023 NFF Legacy Award recipients: Todd Berry, American Football Coaches Association Executive Director; Mark Flynn, NFF Campbell Trophy Founder; and A.J. Robinson, Atlanta Hall Management Chairman
• Recognition of the 2023 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Players of the Year and the NFF Chapter Leadership Award recipients
• Recognition of the 2023 NFF Chris Schenkel Award recipient: Charlie Neal, the Voice of HBCU football
• Recognition of the 2023 NFF John L. Toner Award recipient: Tom Holmoe, Brigham Young Director of Athletics
• Recognition of the 2023 NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Recipient: Bill Hancock, College Football Playoff Executive Director
• Introduction of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments®: Kathleen Murphy, NFF Vice Chairwoman
• Awarding of the 34th William V. Campbell Trophy®: Jack Ford, NFF Vice Chairman, TV personality and former Yale defensive back
• Introduction of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class: Archie Griffin, NFF Board Member and 1986 Hall of Fame inductee from Ohio State
• Official College Football Hall of Fame Ring Ceremony: Archie Manning, NFF Chairman and 1989 Hall of Fame inductee from Mississippi
• "God Bless America": Marla Kavanaugh, Internationally Critically Acclaimed Soprano

 
The induction of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class serves as the highlight of the evening and provides the ultimate stage for the legends of yesteryear to take their rightful place among the immortals of the game.
 
This year's class includes 18 First Team All-Americans, four coaches, 10 unanimous First Team All-Americans, eight consensus First Team All-Americans, ten multi-year First Team All-Americans, 11 winners of college football major awards and three national coaches of the year.
 
The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class includes: 

• Eric Berry – DB, Tennessee (2007-09)
• Michael Bishop – QB, Kansas State (1997-98)
• Reggie Bush – RB, Southern California (2003-05)
• Dwight Freeney – DE, Syracuse (1998-2001)
• Robert Gallery – OT, Iowa (2000-03)
• LaMichael James – RB, Oregon (2009-11)
• Derrick Johnson – LB, Texas (2001-04)
• Bill Kollar – DT, Montana State (1971-73)
• Luke Kuechly – LB, Boston College (2009-11)
• Jeremy Maclin – WR/KR, Missouri (2007-08)
• Terance Mathis – WR, New Mexico (1985-87, 1989)
• Bryant McKinnie – OT, Miami [FL] (2000-01)
• Corey Moore – DL, Virginia Tech (1997-99)
• Michael Stonebreaker – LB, Notre Dame (1986, 1988, 1990)
• Tim Tebow – QB, Florida (2006-09)
• Troy Vincent – DB, Wisconsin (1988-91)
• Brian Westbrook – RB, Villanova (1997-98, 2000-01)
• DeAngelo Williams – RB, Memphis (2002-05)
• Coach Monte Cater – 275-117-2 (70.1%); Lakeland [WI] (1981-86), Shepherd [WV] (1987-2017)

• Coach Paul Johnson – 189-99-0 (65.6%); Georgia Southern (1997-2001), Navy (2002-07), Georgia Tech (2008-18)
• Coach Roy Kramer – 83-32-2 (71.8%); Central Michigan (1967-77)
• Coach Mark Richt – 171-64-0 (72.8%); Georgia (2001-15), Miami [FL] (2016-18)

 
The 16 members of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments® begin their festivities on Monday, Dec. 4, with a Scholar-Athlete Dinner presented by Fidelity and hosted by the Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium. NFF Board Member and 2015 College Football Hall of Fame inductee Lincoln Kennedy (Washington), who serves as the radio color commentator for the Raiders, will welcome the honorees to Las Vegas at the world class, state-of-the-art stadium.
 
The 16 honorees, who will each vie as a finalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy® as the nation's top football scholar-athlete, boast an outstanding 3.72 average GPA. Other class accolades include 16 captains, six players who have already graduated, six Academic All-Americans, 14 academic all-conference selections, eight All-Americans, 14 all-conference honorees and five school record holders.
 
Each Scholar-Athlete receives an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship with the recipient of the Campbell Trophy® claiming a grand total of $25,000.
 
The finalists for the 2023 Campbell Trophy® include: 

• Cooper Beebe, OL – Kansas State (3.84 GPA - Social Studies Education)
• JD Bertrand, LB – Notre Dame (3.62 GPA - Marketing)
• DeWayne Carter, DT – Duke (3.47 GPA - Psychology)
• Loobert Denelus, DE – Benedict [SC] (3.96 GPA - Psychology)
• Jacob Dobbs, LB – Holy Cross (3.76 GPA - Economics & Religious Studies)
• Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT – Penn State (3.45 GPA - Supply Chain & Info Systems)
• Zach Frazier, C – West Virginia (3.88 GPA - Sport Management)
• Owen Grover, LB – Wartburg [IA] (3.99 GPA - Biology)
• Leo Lowin, LB – Army West Point (3.92 GPA - Engineering Management)
• Ladd McConkey, WR – Georgia (3.85 GPA - Finance)
• Bo Nix, QB – Oregon (3.62 GPA - Communications)
• Davius Richard, QB – North Carolina Central (3.59 GPA - Business Administration)
• Luke Schuermann, DE – Johns Hopkins [MD] (3.61 GPA - Mechanical Engineering)
• Taulia Tagovailoa, QB – Maryland (3.61 GPA - Family Science)
• Liam Thompson, QB – Wabash [IN] (3.87 GPA - Rhetoric)
• Zak Zinter, OL – Michigan (3.53 GPA - Sport Management)

 
The morning press conference will give media a chance to hear from the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class. The press conference will also include the announcement of the 2023 MEAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. Media and fans can watch the entire press conference live on ESPN+ via this link.
 
The press conference will feature:

• Press Conference Moderator: Kirk Sampson, Auburn University Senior Associate Athletics Director
• Comments on the State of the NFF: Steve Hatchell, NFF President & CEO
• Official welcome: Steve Hill, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO/President
• Comments from the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class
• Announcement of the MEAC Players of the Year: Sonja O. Stills, MEAC Commissioner

 
The NFF will recognize the recipients of the 2023 NFF Chapter Leadership Awards during the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas. They will also be celebrated during a dinner held at Allegiant Stadium. The awards annually recognize five individuals, one from each region of the country, for their commitment, generosity and leadership at the local level.
 

• Branan Allison – NFF Bill Ireland/Las Vegas Chapter (West Region)
• Jay Fallon – NFF Joe Yukica/New Hampshire Chapter (Northeast Region)
• Keith Kilgore – NFF Touchdown Club of Houston Chapter (South Region)
• Bob Mancuso– NFF Nebraska Chapter (Midwest Region)
• Matt May – NFF Greater Baltimore Chapter (East Region)

 
 
The NFF has once again partnered with the Sports Business Journal in helping promote the SBJ Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, which takes place Dec. 5-6 at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. This year, the NFF will again send a member of the 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments to speak at the forum as part of a panel discussing the life-changing experiences of high performing student-athletes. The panel will take place on Dec. 7 at 8:45 a.m. PT.

• Panel Moderator: Rodney Anderson, Manager, NIL Business Development, LEARFIELD / Sooner Sports Properties
• Participating 2023 NFF National Scholar-Athlete: DeWayne Cater (Duke)

 
The NFF thanks its corporate partners, who support the organization and its mission all year as well as the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas and surrounding events:

• Bruin Capital
• Catapult Sports
• Delta Air Lines
• Fidelity Investments
• Hanold Associates Executive Search
• Jostens
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• New York Athletic Club
• "The Original" Bob's Steak & Chop House
• The Pasadena Tournament of Roses
• Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation
• Sports Business Journal

   
The following companies and organizations are helping support the NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas and surrounding events: 

• iSix
• Las Vegas Raiders and Allegiant Stadium
• Riddell

  
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 immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters in 47 states, NFF programs include the criteria, selection and induction of members of the College Football Hall of Fame; the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta; Future For Football; The William V. Campbell Trophy®; the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments; the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Awards presented by the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation & Hatchell Cup presented by the Original Bob's Steak & Chop House; and a series of programs and initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Bruin Capital, Catapult, Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments, Hanold Associates Executive Search, Jostens, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the New York Athletic Club, and the Sports Business Journal. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @NFFNetwork and learn more at footballfoundation.org.