Hall of Fame worthy?

Former Oklahoma safety Rickey Dixon and former Oklahoma State defensive end Leslie O’Neal are among this year’s candidates for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

For the third year in a row, former Oklahoma defensive back Rickey Dixon is one of 76 players on the College Football Hall of Fame ballot.

Dixon, a 1987 consensus First Team AllAmerican, was diagnosed with ALS in 2013. While at Oklahoma, Dixon won the 1987 Thorpe Award and was on the 1985 national championship team. He finished his career as OU's leader in single-season interceptions with nine and was second with 17 career interceptions.

Dixon isn't the only person on the ballot with Oklahoma ties. Former Oklahoma State defensive tackle Leslie O'Neal is on the ballot again. He was a two-time First Team All-American and earned the 1984 Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year Award.

When O'Neal left Stillwater, he was the program's career leader in sacks with 34, career tackles for loss with 47 and single-season sacks with 16.

Former Central Oklahoma guard John Fitzgerald and quarterback Randy Page were also on the ballot again. Fitzgerald was a First Team All-American who helped UCO to an undefeated season in 1998 and a No. 1 final ranking.

Page was a First Team NAIA All-American, earning his honor in 1983. He led UCO to an NAIA championship in 1982 and broke 14 school records in his career.

Mark Cotney of Cameron also landed on the ballot. The defensive back was named First Team NAIA All-American and had 132 career tackles and seven interceptions in two seasons at Cameron.

There are 76 former players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision on this year's ballot along with 100 players and 32 coaches from the divisional ranks.

The 2019 class will be announced on Jan. 7, 2019, before the national championship in Santa Clara, California. The group will be inducted on Dec. 10, 2019 at the 62nd National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner.