Former Penn State football running back Ki-Jana Carter's accomplishments as a Nittany Lion are finally being recognized. Carter will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 8 at the National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner.
Carter made his mark with the blue and white from 1992-94. He ranks sixth all-time in program history in rushing touchdowns and scrimmage touchdowns with 34. Carter is also 12th in all-time rushing yards and 15th in all-time scrimmage yards.
Iconic Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter is one of 18 players elected to the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2026. #WeAre #PennState https://t.co/ZItRkD1P2o
— Basic Blues Nation (@BasicBlues) January 14, 2026
Running back Ki-Jana Carter will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame
Over his three-season collegiate career, Carter registered 395 carries for 2,829 yards and 34 scores. He had an additional 20 receptions for 172 yards, eclipsing the 3,000-mark in total scrimmage yards all-time.
In 1994, Carter led the Big Ten in rushing yards with 1,539 and touchdowns with 23. He also led all Division I FBS programs in yards per rush with 7.8 that season. He set a single-season record with nine, 100-yard games and was a unanimous first-team All-American. The season prior, Carter led the conference with 6.6 yards per rush.
His performance in 1994 earned him second in Heisman voting, finishing behind running back Rashaan Salaam, and a spot on the finalists lists for the Maxwell Player of the Year Award and Doak Walker Award.
Throughout his time at Penn State, Carter was part of a team that finished with 7-5, 10-2, and 12-0 records. He won the Citrus Bowl and Rose Bowl with the Nittany Lions in 1993 and 1994, respectively. In the Rose Bowl, he earned MVP honors.
"Carter represents everything that is special about Penn State Football," athletic director Pat Kraft said in a news release, according to Lions247. "He played a major role in defining an era that elevated our program. Being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame is a fitting and well-deserved honor, and we are incredibly proud to welcome him as Penn State's 28th Hall of Famer. We look forward to celebrating this tremendous achievement with [Carter] and his family."
In the 1995 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals selected Carter first overall. He spent four seasons with the Bengals before jumping to New Orleans and Washington for his final three professional seasons. Over his seven-year NFL career and 59 games, Carter logged 319 carries for 1,144 yards and 20 touchdowns. He added 66 receptions for 469 yards and one receiving score to that as well.