Former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football kicker Jeff Schebler and longtime Head Coach Forrest Perkins are candidates for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame according to an announcement from the National Football Foundation [NFF].
To become a member of the NFF [with a $60 donation] and cast your vote for Schebler and Perkins today – click here. Votes must be cast by July 1, 2025.
The 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot includes 79 players and 9 coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision and 100 players and 35 coaches from divisional ranks. The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 68th annual awards dinner on December 8, 2026 in Las Vegas.
To be eligible, a player must have received first team All-America recognition by an NCAA-recognized selector and played in his final season at least 10 full seasons ago but no more than 50 years ago. A player’s post-football record as a citizen and academic honors accumulated are also weighted in the selection process.
Coaches must have coached a minimum of 10 years and 100 games as a head coach, won at least 60 percent of their games and be retired from coaching for at least three years.
Schebler was a four-year All-American and four-year First Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference kicker for the Warhawks from 2006-09. He helped lead UW-Whitewater to four appearances in the Stagg Bowl, including national championships in 2007 and 2009, when he was selected as a First Team All-American by D3football.com. The team also earned WIAC titles during all four years of Schebler’s career.
Schebler earned the Fred Mitchell Award as the nation’s best non-FBS kicker in 2009 after converting 14-of-18 on field goals and 83-of-85 on PATs. He also averaged 60.3 yards per kickoff as UW-W finished with a perfect 15-0 mark on its way to the national title.
For his career, Schebler is the program’s all-time leader in PATs attempted (256), PATs made (245) and field goals made (75). He tied the school record for longest field goal with a pair of 52-yarders in 2007. Schebler still holds the Division III career records for points scored by a kicker (470), highest percentage of field goals made (78.9) and field goals made (75).
Perkins coached the Warhawks for 29 seasons from 1956-84. He is currently the school’s all-time leader in victories after leading UW-Whitewater to a 190-88-8 record, good for a .678 winning percentage.
Perkins led the Warhawks to 11 conference championships and was named NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1966 after leading UW-Whitewater to a 10-1 record and the program’s first-ever postseason appearance. After a 41-18 triumph over Central (Iowa) in the national semifinals, the Warhawks reached the title game, where they fell against Waynesburg (Pa.).
At the time of his retirement, Perkins was the league’s all-time leader in wins and had the second-most wins of active coaches at the Division III level. He is currently No. 2 in the conference in victories and among the top 50 on the NCAA Division III all-time wins list.
College Football Hall of Fame votes are cast by more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers. Their votes will be tabulated and submitted to the NFF’s Honors Court, which includes a diverse pool of athletic administrators, Hall of Famers and members of the media, for final class selection.
