Notre Dame legend Manti Te’o is on the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
One of Notre Dame’s greatest all-time players is on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. Manti Te’o is one of 77 players and nine coaches from the FBS up for consideration on the 2025 ballot.
Te’o was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2012. He led Notre Dame to an appearance in the national championship game with 113 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 7 interceptions. A Unanimous All-American, Te’o was the first player in college football history to sweep the Maxwell, Walter Camp, Bednarik, Butkus, Lombardi and Nagurski awards in the same season.
Te’o was the first defense-only player to finish top-two in Heisman voting since 1980. The trophy went to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel that year. Without question, though, Te’o was the best defensive player in the country.
Todd Lyght was one of the best defensive players in the country in his career from 1988-91. The standout Notre Dame defensive back is on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot for the second consecutive year. He was instrumental in Notre Dame’s national title-winning season in 1988, the most recent in program history. Lyght finished his career with 11 interceptions.
“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot considering more than 5.7 million people have played college football and only 1,093 players have been inducted,” National Football Foundation President & CEO Steve Hatchell said in a statement. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and we look forward to announcing the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class early next year.”
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Te’o recently returned to Notre Dame for the first time since the catfishing saga that somewhat tainted his incredible senior season in South Bend. Te’o was warmly embraced by blue and gold faithful at the Cal game in 2022. He gave a pregame speech on the library lawn and was shown on the video board inside the stadium during the game.
“It’s always good to be home,” Te’o said. “There’s no place like home. But I want to make this real clear; it’s not about me. It’s about this whole family. It’s about this whole family. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. You understand what I’m saying? You want to go fast, go alone. You want to go far, go together.”
Knute Rockne was the first College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Notre Dame in 1951. Michael Stonebreaker was the most recent in 2023. Overall, the Irish have sent 54 players and coaches to the HOF. No other school has more representation.
