IRVING, Texas – For the third consecutive year, University of Maryland football coaching legend Ralph Friedgen is listed on the ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced on Monday. 

Friedgen, who restored the Maryland football program to national relevance during his decade tenure as the head coach of the Terrapins from 2001-10, is one of just nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision to be selected on the ballot. Other coaches on the ballot include Larry Blakeney, Jim Carlen, Pete Cawthon Sr., Larry Coker, Urban Meyer, Darryl Rogers, Nick Saban and Tommy Tuberville.

Friedgen, who ranks third all-time at Maryland with 75 wins, led the Terps to seven bowl games, including a pair of New Year's Day appearances during his tenure. Under Friedgen's guidance, the Terps won a school-record five bowl games.

A Maryland lifer who suited up as an offensive guard for the Terrapins from 1966-69, Friedgen came back to his alma mater as an assistant coach under Bobby Ross from 1982-86. He took over as the Terps head man in 2001, fostering an immediate turnaround.

The consensus national coach of the year in 2001, Friedgen led Maryland to its first ACC title in 16 years in his first year as head coach. Maryland won its first seven games and earned the league's automatic berth in the Bowl Championship Series' FedEx Orange Bowl. By winning the ACC title that season, Friedgen became the first coach in league history to win the championship in his first year as a head coach.

Following that historic 2001 season, Friedgen led Maryland to six more bowl appearances, 12 wins over top-25 teams and the Terps spent 18 weeks in the AP Top-25 during his tenure. Friedgen ranks fifth all-time in ACC history in bowl victories (five), 15th all-time in wins (75), tied for 14th in ACC victories (43) and stands 12th in games coached (125).

Friedgen recruited and coached some of the largest names etched in Maryland lure, including E.J. Henderson, D'Qwell Jackson, Shawne Merriman, Vernon Davis and Torrey Smith. Eighty players earned All-ACC honors under Friedgen's direction, 37 were named All-Americans and seven were named ACC Players of the Year.

Twenty-seven of Friedgen's players at Maryland were drafted in the NFL with many, such as Henderson, Jackson, Merriman, Davis, Smith, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Nick Novak, Adam Podlesh and Josh Wilson having sustained professional careers.

Friedgen has deep ties to current Maryland head coach Michael Locksley, who was on his staff in his first two years, 2001-02 as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator.

The 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025 at the Bellagio Hotel & Resort, and they will also be honored at their respective schools with an NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salute, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the 2025 season.