By Stephen Featherston, Louisiana Tech Director of Strategic Communications
The National Football Foundation announced the names on the 2026 Ballot under consideration for induction into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame and Louisiana Tech has three former Bulldogs on the list.
Former head coaching legend Maxie Lambright and LA Tech Hall of Fame quarterback Matt Dunigan return to the ballot, while former wide receiver Troy Edwards is on the ballot for the first time. The three former Bulldogs make up the list of 79 players and nine coaches from the FBS ranks.
Edwards makes the Ballot after a phenomenal career that saw him earn First Team All-American honors and win the Biletnikoff Award as a senior in 1998. The Shreveport native set NCAA marks for touchdown receptions in a season (27) and receiving yards in a single game (405 vs. Nebraska) during his senior campaign. His 140 receptions in 1998 ranks third all-time in NCAA DI history, while his 1,996 receiving yards remains the second most in single season in DI history. He earned Third Team All-American Honors as a junior in 1997 after catching 102 passes for 1,707 yards and 13 scores.
Edwards was drafted 13th overall in 1999 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers after playing in 34 games and recording 280 receptions, 4,352 yards, and 50 touchdowns for the Bulldogs. He recorded 21 100-yard receiving games and five 200-yard games during his career. Edwards is first all-time in program history for career receiving yards, career touchdowns, and is third all-time in receptions.
Dunigan starred for the Bulldogs at quarterback from 1979 through 1982 before spending 14 seasons in the Canadian Football League (1983-1996). He broke nine Tech school records, including Terry Bradshaw’s mark for passing yards with 7,042 (which now ranks fifth in school history). In 44 total games at Louisiana Tech, Dunigan completed 550 of 1,103 pass attempts for 7,010 yards and 40 touchdowns.
The Dallas, Texas, native earned Kodak and AP Division I-AA All-American honor as a senior in 1982 and was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year and Louisiana Sports Writers Association State Offensive Player of the Year. He led the Bulldogs to a 10-3 record while passing for 2,843 yards and 23 touchdowns and leading LA Tech to the Southland Conference championship. Tech advanced to the second round of the I-AA playoffs his senior season. He was inducted into the LA Tech Hall of Fame in 2011.
A Louisiana Tech Hall of Famer, Lambright coached the Bulldogs from 1967-78 and led them to three consecutive Division II national titles from 1972-74. He boasted seven conference titles and was named the 1970s Southland Conference Coach of the Decade as he guided the program into Division I in 1975, earning two Independence Bowl berths. He produced 11 all-Americans, 77 first team all-conference picks and sent over a dozen Bulldogs into professional football, including the NFL’s No. 1 draft choice, Terry Bradshaw, in 1970. Lambright led the Bulldogs to a 95-36-2 record during his 12 seasons at the helm.
The announcement of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be made in early 2026, with specific details to be announced in the future.
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino, and they will be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2026 season.
Louisiana Tech currently has five members inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame with offensive tackle Willie Roaf being the most recent inductee in 2014. Also in college football’s storied hall are quarterback Terry Bradshaw and defensive end Fred Dean as well as coaches Joe Aillet and William “Lone Star” Dietz.