Mark Ingram makes passionate case for Cam Newton to be in College Football Hall of Fame 'Auburn or not'

The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class was announced last week. To the surprise of many, former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton did not make the cut on his first time up on the ballot.

Even former Alabama running back Mark Ingram, who was named to the 2026 class, was surprised at the omission. He opened up on Cam Newton on the Triple Option Podcast this week.

“Now you have Cam Newton who comes on the ballot and I don’t care Auburn or not, this dude had probably the most dominant season from a player that we’ve seen in college football,” Ingram said. “We have Joe Burrow, you have Reggie Bush, you have (Tim) Tebow. But Cam Newton, nearly 3,000 pass yards, almost 1,500 rush yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 20 rushing touchdowns. Totaling 50 touchdowns. Perfect 14-0 season. BCS national champion. Heisman Trophy winner.

“If that’s not first ballot, I mean other than coach (Urban) Meyer, coach (Nick) Saban, I know they’re the most legendary coaches in college football history, so they went first ballot. But as a player, I’m not sure what it takes for you to be College Football Hall of Famer first ballot.”

As noted, Cam Newton had a remarkable career at Auburn. Though it was short, he almost single-handedly propelled a team without a ton of NFL talent to a title.

Newton completed 66.1% of his passes, throwing for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns, against just seven interceptions. He led the team in rushing with 1,473 yards and 20 scores.

Ingram, who made it to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2026, although it wasn’t his first time on the ballot, expressed surprise at Newton’s omission. Then again, he was surprised by his own a year prior.

“Last year I was very kind of hurt that I wasn’t going in with coach Meyer and coach Saban,” Ingram said. “Obviously coach Saban was my coach who recruited me, and obviously coach Meyer someone who I’ve gotten extremely close with. It’s my family. His family is my family.

“So I was wondering why I didn’t go first ballot. I don’t know what it takes to be a first-ballot College Football Hall of Famer. Being the first Heisman in Alabama history, nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards, undefeated, 20 touchdowns, national championship.”

Didn’t matter for Ingram outside of the fact that he can’t say he was a first ballot Hall of Famer. Meyer and Rob Stone, Ingram’s co-hosts on the podcast, seemed to think it wouldn’t matter for Newton, either. He’ll eventually make it in.

Still. It was a snub to Ingram.

“I’m kind of just appalled by Cam Newton not being on it,” he said. “I was appalled by myself, humbly, not being there, but definitely Cam Newton not being first ballot.”