NEW ORLEANS (January 17, 2025) — Six legends of the Sugar Bowl are among the 22 members of the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class that was announced this week by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Football Hall of Fame. Auburn linebacker Gregg Carr (Sugar Bowl 1984), West Virginia running back Steve Slaton (Sugar Bowl 2006), Miami linebacker Darrin Smith (Sugar Bowls 1990 and 1993), and Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick (Sugar Bowl 2000), as well as head coaches Urban Meyer (2010 Sugar Bowl with Florida; 2015 Sugar Bowl with Ohio State) and Nick Saban (2002 and 2004 Sugar Bowls with LSU; 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2022 Sugar Bowls with Alabama) will be inducted into the Hall of Fame later this year.
 
Sugar Bowl Alums in 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class
Gregg Carr, LB, Auburn (1981-84) – 1984 Sugar Bowl – 9 tackles
Steve Slaton, RB, West Virginia (2005-07) – 2006 Sugar Bowl – 204 rushing yards, 3 TDs
Darrin Smith, LB, Miami (1989-92) – 1993 Sugar Bowl – 7 tackles; 1990 Sugar Bowl – 5 tackles
Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech (1999-2000) – 2000 Sugar Bowl – 322 total yards, 2 TDs
Urban Meyer, coach, Florida (2010 Sugar Bowl); Ohio State (2015 Sugar Bowl)
Nick Saban, coach, LSU (2002, 2004 Sugar Bowls), Alabama (2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022 Sugar Bowls)
 
The Sugar Bowl in the College Football Hall of Fame
 
Since the establishment of the Sugar Bowl in 1935, the New Orleans classic has featured 164 future members of the College Football Hall of Fame. That number includes 110 players and 55 coaches (Florida legend Steve Spurrier, one of 10 individuals to both play and serve as a head coach in the Sugar Bowl, has been inducted into the Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach).
 
The 2025 Hall of Fame Class, featuring 18 First Team All-America players and four standout coaches, were selected from the national ballot of 77 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 101 players and 34 coaches from the divisional ranks.
 
The Class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner scheduled for December 9 in Las Vegas.

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GREGG CARR (Auburn University, Linebacker, 1981-84) 
The heart of the Auburn defense in the early 1980s, Gregg Carr established himself as a hard-hitting and instinctive linebacker with game-changing playmaking abilities. The Birmingham, Alabama, native now becomes the ninth Auburn player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
A consensus First Team All-American in 1984, Carr was Auburn's leading tackler as a sophomore (125 tackles), junior (136) and the second leading tackler as a senior (139). A two-time First Team All-SEC selection and 1984 SEC Lineman of the Year, Carr amassed 453 career tackles, currently ranking him second in school history. His career totals include 289 solo tackles, which also rank second in the school record books, and nine sacks. His 139 total tackles as a senior rank eighth in school annals for a single season.
 
Playing for College Football Hall of Fame coach Pat Dye, Carr helped the Tigers to a 34-14 record, a SEC title and victories in the 1982 Tangerine Bowl, the 1984 Sugar Bowl and the 1984 Liberty Bowl. His sophomore season, the Tigers beat archrival Alabama for the first time in ten years, handing Hall of Fame Coach Bear Bryant the final loss of his career. His junior season, the Tigers claimed the 1983 SEC title, the school's first conference crown since 1957. Auburn finished ranked No. 14 in 1982, No. 3 in 1983 and No. 14 in 1984 during Carr's run with the Tigers.
 
Carr, the 1984 team captain, also excelled in the classroom, boasting a 3.22 GPA in civil engineering. His combined academic and athletic accomplishments earned an NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award and recognition as an Academic All-American and as one the NCAA's Top Five Student-Athletes.
 
Drafted in the sixth round (160^th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh, Carr played four seasons with the Steelers. He graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham School of Medicine in 1994, and he is currently an orthopedic surgeon in Birmingham.
 
Carr was inducted into the State of Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, he was selected as a recipient of the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award as well as being honored as an SEC Legend.

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STEVE SLATON (West Virginia University, Running Back, 2005-07)
An elusive running back who torched defenses with his explosive speed, Steve Slaton led West Virginia during one of the most successful periods in school history. The Levittown, Pennsylvania, native now becomes the seventh Mountaineer player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
A unanimous First Team All-American in 2006, Slaton finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting and as a finalist for the Doak Walker Award that year, setting the WVU single-season rushing record with 1,744 yards while accumulating 2,104 all-purpose yards.
 
Making an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2005, Slaton set a then-Big East record with 1,128 rushing yards, including a memorable six-touchdown performance in a triple-overtime victory against Louisville. His MVP performance in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia included a bowl-record 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He was named Big East Rookie of the Year while being named a First Team Freshman All-American. He rushed for 1,051 yards in 2007, adding a third consecutive season of more than 1,000 yards.
 
During his three seasons in Morgantown, WVU went 33-5, winning three consecutive bowls (2006 Sugar, 2007 Gator and the 2008 Fiesta upset of Oklahoma) and boasting final national rankings of No. 5 in 2005, No. 10 in 2006 and No. 6 in 2007. The run included two Big East titles (2005, 2007), the winningest three-year period in WVU history and the second-best record in the nation over the three years.
 
A three-time All-Big East performer (First Team in 2006, Second Team in 2005, 2007), Slaton finished his college career as WVU's all-time leader in total touchdowns (55), rushing touchdowns (50), and points scored by a non-kicker (330). He and quarterback Pat White formed one of the most prolific rushing duos in NCAA history, each surpassing 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons as just the third pair to ever do so. He rushed for 3,923 yards during his career, adding another 805 receiving and totaling 4,775 all-purpose yards. He finished his career as the NCAA active leader in points per game (9.4) with multiple spots in the conference and school records books.
 
Selected in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft by Houston, Slaton played four years with the Texans before concluding his career with the Miami Dolphins in 2011. He played with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL for one season before retiring from football and pursuing a career in the culinary arts as a personal chef and kitchen consultant in Houston. He was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 2018.

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DARRIN SMITH (University of Miami, Linebacker, 1989-92)
Darrin Smith was a relentless and fearless linebacker whose key playmaking ability helped him anchor one of the most dominant defenses in college football history., The Miami, Florida, native led the Canes to two national titles and now becomes the 10^th Miami player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame. 
 
A two-time First Team All-American (1991, 1992), Smith was a principal contributor to two national championship teams (1989, 1991), and during his four-year career, the Hurricanes compiled an outstanding 44-4 record, never finishing a season ranked lower than No. 3 nationally. Playing for Hall of Fame coach Dennis Erickson, Miami appeared in four consecutive bowl games, winning the 1990 Sugar, 1991 Cotton and 1992 Orange bowls while appearing in the 1993 Sugar Bowl.
 
Playing alongside fellow linebackers Micheal Barrow and Jessie Armstead from 1989-92, the trio earned the nickname "The Bermuda Triangle," stifling opposing offenses including a 22-0 shutout of Nebraska in the 1992 Orange Bowl to notch a perfect 12-0 season. The defense also led the nation by only allowing an average of 8.3 points per game and contributed to the Canes' 29-game winning streak.
 
A two-time First Team All-Big East pick (1991, 1992), Smith was named the conference co-Defensive Player of the Year in 1991 as the Hurricanes claimed back-to-back Big East titles. In Miami's memorable 17-16 win over Florida State in Tallahassee, Smith had 18 tackles (ten solo), helping propel the Canes to the 1991 national title. Smith recorded 401 career tackles, including 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and 24 pass breakups during his four years in Coral Gables.
 
Excelling in the classroom, Smith graduated in 3.5 years, claiming a prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award as a senior. He was also named a member of the Big East All-Academic Team and a Hitachi/CFA Scholar-Athlete.
 
Selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by Dallas, he played 12 years in the league with the Cowboys (winning two Super Bowls in 1993, 1994), Eagles, Seahawks and Saints. He was tapped for Miami's Iron Arrow Society Honor Society in 1993, the university's highest honor, and the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame & Museum in 2006.
 
After retiring from professional football, Smith worked in real estate and coaches youth and high school football. He currently serves as a chaplain with Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) in South Florida. He founded "Project 59," a youth foundation that assists children with reading comprehension and academic development, and he is active with Athletes in Action, which helps athletes grow in all dimensions of life.

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MICHAEL VICK (Virginia Tech, Quarterback, 1999-2000)
Michael Vick was a transcendent player at Virginia Tech with electrifying speed as well as amazing arm strength, making him the ultimate dual threat and revolutionizing the quarterback position. The Newport News, Virginia, native now becomes the sixth player from Virginia Tech to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
Vick was selected as a First Team All-American in 1999 as a redshirt freshman, making him the first Tech freshman to ever achieve the honor. Playing for Hall of Fame coach Frank Beamer and with Hall of Fame teammate Corey Moore anchoring the defense, Vick helped guide Tech to the school's first ever 11-0 regular season in 1999 and its first appearance in a national championship game, the Sugar Bowl against Florida State.
 
Vick's efforts in 1999 included leading the nation in passing efficiency (180.37), which set an NCAA record for a freshman. He completed 59.2 percent of his passes for 1,840 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 585 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting while also claiming the ESPY as the top college football player. The Hokies finished No. 2 in the nation in 1999.
 
As a redshirt sophomore, Vick completed 87 of 161 passes for 1,234 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 617 yards and eight more touchdowns. He closed out his college career as the MVP in a Gator Bowl win over Clemson with a final No. 6 ranking.
 
A two-time All-Big East performer (First Team in 1999, Second Team in 2000), Vick guided the Hokies to the conference title in 1999 as the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and the Big East Rookie of the Year. During his two seasons in Blacksburg, the Hokies posted a 22-2 overall record, losing only one conference game and the national title game in 1999.
 
Vick holds multiple school records, including single-season passing efficiency (180.4 in 1999), single-season yards per completion (20.4 in 1999), single-season yards per attempt (12.0 avg. in 1999), career yards per attempt (9.79). His 8.14 career yards per play was also a school record at the time. He finished his career with 177 completions for 3,074 yards and 20 touchdowns, adding 1,202 rush yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.
 
Vick was taken as the No. 1 overall pick by Atlanta in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played 13 seasons in the league with the Falcons, Eagles, Jets and Steelers, selected for four Pro Bowls and set NFL records for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season and a career.
 
Since retiring from the NFL, has worked as an analyst for Fox Sports and was recently named the new head football coach at Norfolk State University. He established the Team Vick Foundation to support underserved communities and is involved with other nonprofits and charitable work. Virginia Tech retired his No. 7 jersey in 2002.

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COACH URBAN MEYER
Bowling Green State University (2001-02): University of Utah (2003-04); University of Florida (2005-10); Ohio State University (2012-18)
Head Coach: 187-32-0 (85.4%)
 
Winning 85 percent of his games and claiming three national titles, Urban Meyer guided four different FBS programs and became one of the most successful and transformative coaches in college football history. The Toledo, Ohio, native now becomes the second coach from Utah, the third from Bowling Green, the fifth from Florida and the eighth from Ohio State to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
Meyer's coaching career began at Bowling Green, where he orchestrated a dramatic turnaround, making the Falcons the first Mid-American Conference (MAC) team to go 3-0 against BCS opponents in a single season (2001) and posting a 17-6 record during two seasons.
 
He then took over at Utah, leading the Utes to a 22-2 record in two seasons, including their first undefeated season (12-0) since 1930, their first-ever BCS bowl appearance (Fiesta Bowl), and the first back-to-back Mountain West Conference (MWC) titles in league history. The Utes finished No. 21 after the 2003 season with a win in the Liberty Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl win made history as the first time a team from a non-automatically qualifying BCS conference played in a BCS bowl, earning the Utes the distinction as the inaugural "BCS Buster." The Utes would finish at No. 4 in the final AP Poll after the 2004 season, and quarterback Alex Smith (a 2024 Hall of Fame inductee) was a Heisman finalist and eventual No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
 
At Florida, Meyer won two national championships (2006, 2008) and two SEC titles (2006, 2008) with an overall record of 65-15 during his six seasons in Gainesville. Meyer's Florida tenure included a 22-game winning streak, one of four separate 20-game winning streaks he achieved across his career—the only coach in major college football history to do so. He also coached 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Tim Tebow, who won the Campbell Trophy.
 
Meyer's success continued at Ohio State, where he led the Buckeyes to three Big Ten Championships (2014, 2017, 2018) and a national title in 2014, making him the only modern-era coach to win a national championship in two different conferences and one of only two to do it at two different schools (fellow 2025 inductee Nick Saban being the other). His Ohio State teams went 83-9 during seven seasons, never finishing lower than first in their division. They tallied a 54-4 Big Ten record while setting an NCAA record with 30 consecutive conference victories. His Buckeyes also dominated their archrival, going 7-0 against Michigan during his tenure.
 
Meyer set a major college record with 165 wins in his first 15 seasons, and his 85.4 winning percentage ranks third all-time in college football history, trailing only Hall of Fame coaches Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy. His postseason success was equally impressive, with a 12-3 bowl record (78.5% win rate), the second-highest in FBS history. In total, Meyer coached 44 First Team All-Americans, 77 First Team all-conference players, four NFF National Scholar-Athletes (two at Florida, two at Ohio State) and two College Football Hall of Fame inductees. He won seven conference championships overall. He was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year in 2004, and he was named the conference Coach of the Year three times (MWC in 2003, 2004 and MAC in 2001).
 
Beyond football, Meyer has made a lasting impact through civic service, serving on the boards of the Veterans Golfers Association, Folds of Honor, and the Tim Tebow Foundation. He and his wife established the Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund for Cancer Research at Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center.
 
Meyer earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati (1986), lettering one season (1984) with the Bearcats as a defensive back. While launching his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes, he earned his master's degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1988. Meyer's coaching career also includes assistant positions at Illinois State, Colorado State and Notre Dame. He was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.
 
He is a member of the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame and the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame. He currently serves as a host and analyst on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff.

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COACH NICK SABAN
University of Toledo (1990); Michigan State University (1995-99);
LSU (2000-04); University of Alabama (2007-23)
Head Coach: 292-71-1 (80.4%)
 
A master strategist and unparalleled recruiter, Nick Saban's legendary career includes an unprecedented seven national titles and a list of accomplishments that cements his name in the pantheon of the greatest to have ever coached the game. The Monongah, West Virginia, native now becomes the second coach from Toledo, the sixth from Michigan State, the sixth from LSU and the fifth from Alabama to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
 
Over 28 seasons as a head coach, Saban compiled a 292-71-1 career record (80.4%), retiring as the NCAA's active leader in wins and ranking sixth all-time among FBS coaches. With seven national championships—six at Alabama and one at LSU—Saban holds the record for the most titles in FBS history. He also holds the distinction as the first coach in history to win national crowns at two different FBS schools since the AP Poll's inception in 1936. He is the only head coach in the BCS and CFP eras with multiple undefeated national championship seasons.
 
Saban's head coaching journey began at Toledo (1990), where he went 9-2 and won a share of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) title in his lone season with the Rockets. From 1995-99, Saban led Michigan State, revitalizing the Spartans program while posting a 34-24-1 record. He landed four bowl appearances in his five seasons in East Lansing, with the 1999 Spartans finishing with a final No. 7 ranking.
 
Coaching in Baton Rouge for five seasons (2000-04), Saban tallied an overall record of 48-16 and delivered LSU its first national championship since 1958 with a win in the 2003 BCS National Championship over Oklahoma. He also led the Tigers to two SEC titles (2001, 2003), a 4-1 postseason record in bowl games, and four top 25 final national rankings.
 
During his 17 seasons at Alabama (2007-23), Saban built the most dominant dynasty in modern college football, leading the Tide to nine BCS/CFP championship game appearances while winning six national titles. He compiled an overall record of 201-29 (87.4%) and produced 15 consecutive seasons with a No. 1 AP ranking and nine SEC titles. He led the Crimson Tide to 17 bowl appearances, posting an overall postseason record of 13-4. His 201 wins at Alabama ranks second all-time, eclipsed only by Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant. He had a 26-game winning streak from 2015-16, and combining his tenures at LSU and Alabama, he went 11-1 in SEC Championship games.
 
Saban's unmatched ability to develop talent resulted in 66 First Team All-Americans, including four Heisman Trophy winners, which ties him with Hall of Famer Frank Leahy for the most by any coach in history. He coached seven NFF National Scholar-Athletes, including Campbell Trophy® winners Rudy Niswanger at LSU and Barrett Jones and Jalen Milroe at Alabama. He mentored 136 NFL Draft picks at Alabama, and he holds the most first round draft picks in a career with 52.
 
Saban never had a losing season in 28 years as a head coach, and he claimed more than 20 coach of the year honors during his career, including the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year twice (2003 and 2008) and SEC Coach of Year five times (2003, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2020). His expansive coaching tree includes more than 35 assistant head coaches who have gone on to become head coaches in college and the NFL.
 
Beyond football, Saban's impact extended into philanthropy. His Nick's Kids Foundation has distributed over $13 million to more than 150 charities. He helped rebuild 22 homes with Habitat for Humanity after a devastating tornado in Tuscaloosa and made multiple $1 million donations to support first-generation scholarships, Alabama athletics, and St. Francis Catholic Church. His latest initiative, the Saban Center, will house a STEM Discovery Center, the Alabama STEM Hub, and the Tuscaloosa Children's Theater.
 
A three-year letterman at safety for Kent State (1970-72), Saban earned both his bachelor's (1973) and master's (1975) degrees from Kent State. Now an ESPN College GameDay analyst, he remains a revered figure in college football. In recognition of his unparalleled success, Alabama's Board of Trustees approved plans to name the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium in his honor.
 
The Allstate Sugar Bowl has established itself as one of the premier college football bowl games, having hosted 28 national champions, 107 Hall of Fame players, 52 Hall of Fame coaches and 21 Heisman Trophy winners in its 91-year history. The 92nd Allstate Sugar Bowl Football Classic, which will double as a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, is scheduled to be played on January 1, 2026. In addition to football, the Sugar Bowl Committee annually invests over $1 million into the community through the hosting and sponsorship of sporting events, awards, scholarships and clinics.