IRVING, Texas – Millsaps College football senior linebacker Luke Bridges earned another tremendous earning, securing a spot on the prestigious 2026 National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF announced on Wednesday.

The announcement marks the 20th anniversary of the award, which recognizes academic excellence across the sport, reinforcing a consistent truth: football continues to develop disciplined, educated leaders at scale.
 
The 2026 class includes a record 2,596 players from 365 schools. Click here for the 2026 list of members.
 
"Twenty years ago, college coaches around the country came to the National Football Foundation asking us to recognize not just their top student-athlete, but the numerous student-athletes on their teams who were also excelling at the highest levels in the classroom," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "Their voices led to the creation of the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, and two decades later, the results speak for themselves. Year after year, we continue to see remarkable academic achievements across college football."
 
Created in 2007, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society is one of the most comprehensive scholar-athlete initiatives in college athletics, recognizing football players from all divisions who have maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA or higher throughout their college careers. Click here for the full criteria and history.
 
Bridges' season was cut short due to injuries but he made an impact in five games started and seven appearances on the field. 
 
Bridges finished fifth in the conference with 7.3 tackles averaged per game and still 17th in the league with 51 total tackles. He added an interception for good measure to earned a spot on the 2025 All-SAA Honorable Mention squad. 
 
On Oct. 20, the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy® Semifinalist earned SAA Defensive Athlete of the Week where he helped lead the Majors past No.10 Maryville, 31-21 with six total tackles and one interception.

He has spent his last semester at Millsaps interning with in the Sports Information Department as well as helping the football team as videographer. Bridges is pursuing his degree in Business Administration with a 3.33 cumulative GPA.
 
2026 NFF Hampshire Honor Society Membership Notes
 
-- 2,596 honorees (all-time single-year record for membership) representing 365 schools
-- 3.57 average GPA
-- 26% have served as a captain
-- 1,251 offensive players | 1,089 defensive players | 256 special teams players
-- 102 schools had at least 10 honorees in 2026
-- Six (6) divisions of football represented


ABOUT THE HAMPSHIRE FOUNDATION
The Hampshire Foundation is the charitable arm of The Hampshire Companies, a privately-held, fully-integrated real estate firm that has more than 60 years of hands-on, cycle-tested experience in acquiring, developing, leasing, repositioning, managing, financing and disposing of real estate. Founded by Jon F. Hanson, who served as NFF Chairman from 1994-2006, Hampshire is headquartered in Morristown, New Jersey. Learn more at www.hampshirere.com.
 
ABOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION & COLLEGE HALL OF FAME
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik, and journalist Grantland Rice, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of amateur football to build leaders. With 120 chapters in 47 states, the NFF oversees initiatives such as the NFF College Hall of Fame, the NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards Presented by Fidelity Investments, Future For Football, and I Played. Learn more at footballfoundation.org and follow @NFFNetwork on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

To keep up to date with everything surrounding the Millsaps College football program this year follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.    
    
Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.