SEARCY, Ark. — Harding University senior All-America running back Andrew Miller has been selected as a finalist for the 2026 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award, the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF) announced Wednesday morning.
Recognized universally as the "Academic Heisman," the Campbell Trophy® celebrates its 37th year honoring the nation's absolute best football scholar-athlete for combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary community leadership.
As a finalist, Miller is officially named a member of the prestigious 2026 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments and will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. Miller's selection marks the second consecutive season a Harding student-athlete has received the honor. He becomes only the second player in program history to achieve the distinction, following in the footsteps of his cousin, former All-American defensive back Ty Dugger, who was named a Campbell Trophy® finalist and NFF National Scholar-Athlete in 2025.
Miller and the elite class of finalists will travel to Las Vegas to be honored at the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Bellagio Resort & Casino. During the black-tie ceremony before college football's most distinguished gathering, one member of the class will be declared the outright winner of the 37th Campbell Trophy® and have his postgraduate scholarship elevated to $25,000.
Miller was selected from a record pool of 206 semifinalists across all divisions of college football (FBS, FCS, Division II, Division III, and NAIA) and stands as one of only a select few non-FBS student-athletes in the nation chosen for this ultimate collegiate honor.
"Andrew represents everything that is right about college athletics and Harding University," said Harding head coach Roddy Mote. "To compete at a national championship level week in and week out while maintaining relentless dedication to his academics and serving others in the community requires an extraordinary level of discipline and character. Our entire football family, university, and community could not be prouder of Andrew on this well-deserved national honor."
A native of Searcy, Arkansas, Miller maintains a 3.66 cumulative grade-point average as a kinesiology major and is on pace to graduate in December 2026 under the leadership of Harding Athletics Director Jeff Morgan and Faculty Athletics Representative Stephen Burks. A 2025 College Sports Communicators (CSC) First-Team Academic All-American and Academic All-District selection, Miller is a four-time Dean's List honoree and a two-time Great American Conference Academic Honor Roll recipient.
On the field, Miller has etched his name among the most decorated running backs in collegiate history while anchoring the backfield for the consensus second-ranked Bisons (7-0). A 2026 team captain and three-year letterman, Miller was a consensus First-Team All-American and First-Team All-GAC selection in 2025 while finishing as the national runner-up for the Harlon Hill Trophy, presented to the top player in NCAA Division II. He also claimed the 2025 Darren McFadden Award as the top collegiate running back in the state of Arkansas.
During the 2025 campaign, Miller shattered six Harding single-season records, including rushing yards (2,048) and rushing touchdowns (28)—both of which ranked second nationally in Division II. He also set HU's single-game rushing record with 298 yards and four touchdowns on 21 carries against Henderson State. Entering this fall with 3,618 career rushing yards (4th in HU history) and 50 rushing touchdowns (3rd in HU history), Miller enters Week 8 as the active career leader across all divisions of NCAA football (FBS, FCS, D-II, and D-III) in both rushing yards (4,526) and rushing touchdowns (65). His 65 career scores leave him just one shy of Cole Chancey's all-time Harding program record (66).
Through seven games in 2026, Miller has carried 152 times for 908 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Great American Conference in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. Nationally, Miller ranks third in Division II in rushing touchdowns (15), fifth in total points scored (90), fifth in scoring (12.9 ppg), and seventh in both rushing yards (908) and rushing yards per game (129.7 ypg) for an offense that paces NCAA Division II with 417.1 rushing yards per game.
Miller played an instrumental role in guiding Harding to a perfect 15-0 record and the 2023 NCAA Division II National Championship, followed by an appearance in the 2025 national championship game as national runners-up. He also led the Bisons to the Super Region 3 final and a No. 4 national ranking in 2024, securing three consecutive Great American Conference championships and a remarkable 42-3 team record during his first three collegiate seasons.
Beyond the field and classroom, Miller has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to community leadership. Throughout his collegiate career, he has been an active participant in Harding's Bison Buddies program, visiting local Searcy elementary schools on a weekly basis to mentor young students. Additionally, Miller regularly volunteers his time at area youth football camps.
"We are extremely proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 Campbell Trophy®," said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. "These young men have achieved extraordinary success on the field, in the classroom, and within their communities. They represent the absolute best of college football, embodying leadership, discipline, and high moral character. We look forward to honoring Andrew and his fellow classmates in Las Vegas this December."
"The NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards are the cornerstone of the National Football Foundation's mission," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "The Campbell Trophy® finalists showcase the power of football to cultivate elite leaders who excel across every facet of life. Andrew Miller exemplifies that standard at the highest level."
Miller and the No. 2-ranked Bisons return to action this Saturday, Oct. 24, traveling to Monticello, Arkansas, to face Great American Conference foe Arkansas-Monticello at Willis "Convoy" Leslie Cotton Bowl Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
