Legendary TCU coach Gary Patterson named to College Football Hall of Fame
FORT WORTH, Texas - TCU's all-time winningest football coach is getting inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
01 January 2011: TCU head coach Gary Patterson celebrates the victory during the 97th Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Wisconsin Badgers at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. TCU defeated Wisconsin 21-19. (Photo by C
The backstory:
Gary Patterson has been named a member of the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame. It was his first year on the ballot.
Patterson coached at TCU for 22 seasons, compiling a 181-79 record. Those 181 victories are No. 32 all-time in college football history.
He guided the Horned Frogs from Conference USA to the Mountain West all the way up to the Big 12, where they currently reside.
In that time, TCU experienced football highs previously unseen.
Patterson's teams finished in the final AP Top 25 rankings 11 times, including seven top-10 finishes.
His 2010 team finished No. 2 in the country and won the Rose Bowl over the Wisconsin Badgers, cementing their status as one of that era's "BCS busters".
Other highlights include a No. 3 final ranking in 2014, an 11-6 record in bowl games, five Conference Coach of the Year awards and six conference titles.
SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 02: Head coach Gary Patterson of the TCU Horned Frogs talks with Derrick Kindred #26 during the Valero Alamo Bowl at Alamodome on January 2, 2016 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Dig deeper:
Memorably, Patterson changed shirts at halftime of the 2016 Alamo Bowl against Oregon as his team faced a 31-0 deficit.
After the wardrobe change, his team stormed back to tie the game, eventually winning in overtime.
Patterson is the 10th member of the College Football Hall of Fame associated with TCU.
Previous inductees include running back Ladanian Tomlinson in 2014, offensive lineman Bob Lilly in 1981, and quarterback Davey O'Brien in 1955.
Big picture view:
Patterson is one of four coaches who is a part of the 2026 class. Eighteen players were inducted this year.
Notable names include Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, Boise State head coach and fellow BCS buster Chris Petersen, and Florida State wide receiver Peter Warrick.
Bruce Collie, who played for the University of Texas at Arlington's now-defunct football team in the 1980s, was also inducted.
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 28: Head coach Gary Patterson of the TCU Horned Frogs after the win against the Kansas Jayhawks at Amon G. Carter Stadium on September 28, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)
What they're saying:
"Gary Patterson’s induction into the College Football Hall of Fame is certainly no surprise," said TCU Director of Athletics Mike Buddie. "His profound impact on our football program, our athletic department, the city of Fort Worth, and the game itself is obvious, and we are thrilled for Gary, his wife Kelsey, and the entire Patterson family to have earned this incredible honor."
What's next:
The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
The Source: Information in this article came from a TCU press release.The 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 8, 2026, at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.