USC Football: Mark Carrier, Trojans on 2027 CFB HOF ballot
Three USC football greats landed on the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame ballot on Monday. The Trojans include safety Mark Carrier, offensive lineman Jeff Bregel and offensive lineman Bruce Matthews.
Carrier has been up for consideration on the ballot for multiple years. The two-time All-American (1988-89, unanimous in 1989) was the program’s first Thorpe Award winner as the nation’s top defensive back. Carrier was the No. 6 overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft to the Chicago Bears.
Like Carrier, Bregel has been on the ballot for several years. The Southern California native was a two-time (1985-86) consensus All-American and team captain as a senior. He was the 1985 Pac-10 Morris Trophy winner as the conference’s most outstanding lineman. Bregel went on to be a second-round pick in the 1987 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
This appears to be the first appearance on the ballot for Matthews, a consensus All-American as a senior in 1982. He was the 1982 Pac-10 Morris Trophy winner as the top lineman. Matthews went on to be the No. 9 pick to the Houston Oilers in 1983 NFL Draft. The 14-time Pro Bowler is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, inducted in 2007. The Tennessee Titans retired his jersey.
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USC Football CFB Hall of Fame History
The last USC football addition to the College Football Hall of Fame was defensive back Dennis Thurman in the 2025 class. Thurman is the 47th inductee with USC ties and the 36th player.
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Overall, several players have joined the Hall of Fame over the last decade: Thurman (2005), Reggie Bush (2023), Carson Palmer (2021) and Troy Polamalu (2019).
Three former USC head coaches are currently in the Hall of Fame: John Robinson (2009), John McKay (1988) and Howard Jones (1951).
There are several checkpoints for a player to be eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame, including a first-team All-American selection and ten full seasons past their last year in college.
To see the full list of player candidates for the College Football Hall of Fame, CLICK HERE.
