Latest plaques unveiled at Black College Football Hall of Fame

The newest members, L to R, Steve Wyche, Tyrone Poole, Coach Rudy Hubbard, and Jimmy Smith, of the Black College Football Hall of Fame at their plaque unveiling held inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Not pictured: Eddie Robinson Jr. and Nick Collins (Photo: Gene Simmons/Ohsfbmedia.com)

CANTON, Ohio -- The week for the 2026 Black Football College Hall of Fame has arrived, and it is now time to unveil the plaques of the newest hall of famers: Steve Wyche, Jimmy Smith, Tyrone Poole, Nick Collins, Eddie Robinson Jr., and Coach Rudy Hubbard.

Nick Collins and Eddie Robinson Jr. were not present during the ceremony. 

All are proud graduates and athletes from HBCUs and are currently having their faces immortalized in the Black College Football Hall of Fame inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"I'm so glad to be honored," said Coach Rudy Hubbard, who played at Ohio State University and coached there under the legend Woody Hayes, then moving on to Coach at Florida A&M. 

Tyrone Poole, who played professionally for 13 seasons after being drafted in the first round of the 1995 NFL Draft. "I study myself. I learned what I had; once I learned what I had and what I can do, it changed my attitude," said Poole.

He played college football at Fort Valley State University. 

Jimmy Smith who won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and also played with the Jacksonville Jaguars during his pro career. "I hope they know it's what you do when you get there," said Smith when asked about his success before his induction into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. 

Jeff Shreve, Hall of Famer Relations and Wellness Manager of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, interviews Coach Rudy Hubbard during the plaque unveiling ceremony. (Photo: Gene Simmons/Ohsfbmedia.com)

Smith is well known for playing at Jackson State University during his college years. 

Steve Wyche, who is currently a widely known figure in the football world, as he serves as the Chief National Reporter and Senior Analyst for the NFL Network and NFL.com, received loud cheers from the family, friends, and fellow media attending the plaque unveiling. 

"A lot of times they view HBCUs as the alternative. I didn't get into here, so I went there. HBCUs are the choice, not the option," said Wyche as he opened up his statements. 

Although he played college football at the University of Missouri, he graduated from Howard University, earning his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. 

Tyrone Poole (L) and Steve Wyche listen as one of their fellow Hall of Famers talks. (Photo: Gene Simmons/Ohsfbmedia.com)

The Black College Hall of Fame Game tabbed the "Clash at the Classic" will be played Sunday, September 6, at 4:00 p.m. between the Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls and the Albany State Golden Rams inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.