FAMU football's Rudy Hubbard gets long-awaited Black College Hall of Fame nod

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FAMU football's Rudy Hubbard gets long-awaited Black College Hall of Fame nod

Rudy Hubbard finally received a call he’s been waiting for since 2009.

And on Jan. 5, the legendary Florida A&M head football coach’s phone finally rang to notify him of his selection in the Black College Football Hall of Fame’s 17th induction class.

“I’m pleased, man. And I really am feeling pretty good about it,” Hubbard told the Tallahassee Democrat on a phone call on Thursday, Jan. 15. “It’s been a long, long time. I’m thankful that I’m going in.”

Former FAMU football coach Rudy Hubbard gives a speech as the city of Tallahassee dedicates a street in his name at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The ceremony also honored the late Dr. Carolyn Ryals and the late E. Lilyan Spencer with street signage for their legendary accomplishments.

After multiple times being a finalist, Hubbard was picked for the Black College Football Hall of Fame’s six-member 2026 class out of 28 finalists by a selection committee made up of prominent journalists, commentators, and historians, along with former NFL general managers and executives, and Black College Football Hall of Fame members.

The class was announced on Thursday.

Hubbard’s classmates are Alabama State’s Eddie Robinson Jr., Bethune-Cookman’s Nick Collins, Fort Valley State’s Tyrone Poole, Howard’s Steve Wyche, and Jackson State’s Jimmy Smith.

“What we have with the Class of 2026 is an incredible showcase of excellence, leadership, and impact that continues to come from Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” Black College Football Hall of Fame Co-Founder and 2011 Inductee Doug Williams said in a released statement.

“When the Black College Hall of Fame was established, its purpose was to elevate and recognize the past, present, and future of Black College Football,” the Grambling State alumnus and Super Bowl-winning quarterback with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) added.

“This class exemplifies that mission.”

The 79-year-old Hubbard still lives in Tallahassee, over 40 years after his 11-year tenure as FAMU’s football coach ended.

In March 2025, the Hubbard, Ohio, native and former Ohio State Buckeyes running back had a Tallahassee street named after him, ‘Rudy Hubbard Way,’ which intersects with FAMU’s campus.

Former FAMU football coach Rudy Hubbard poses with his street sign with City Commissioner Curtis Richardson (left), Mayor John Dailey (right) and friends and family Tuesday, March 4, 2025. The ceremony also honored former the late Carolyn Ryals and the late E. Lilyan Spencer with street signage for their legendary accomplishments.

“I’m just glad that I can see it,” Hubbard said of his Black College Football Hall of Fame induction. “I just feel good about all the guys that helped it happen. All the coaches and plays, and all the FAMU people. So, it’s just a great feeling at this point.”

Hubbard spent the 1974 to 1985 football seasons coaching the FAMU Rattlers, who posted an 83-48-3 record under his leadership.

Hubbard’s Rattlers made history by winning the inaugural NCAA Division I-AA (now Football Championship Subdivision) title by beating the University of Massachusetts 35-28 in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Dec. 16, 1978. FAMU is the only Historically Black College and University to win a Division I-AA/FCS national championship.

Another one of Hubbard’s most notable triumphs came in October 1979 when the Rattlers defeated the Miami Hurricanes 16-13 at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Led by Hubbard, FAMU won two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships in 1977 and 1978 and claimed the Black College Football National Championship in those years, too.

Hubbard also coached locally at Rickards High School from 2008 to 2011.

The Rattlers’ championship-winning football coach is a member of the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame (1990) and the College Football Hall of Fame (2021).

Hubbard will be honored with his induction class at the 17th Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by the Atlanta Falcons, on June 6, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Inductees will also be recognized during halftime of the fifth annual HBCU Legacy Bowl on Feb. 21, 2026, at Tulane University’s Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana, which the NFL Network will televise at 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.

Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida A&M football’s Rudy Hubbard to join Black College Hall of Fame

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