College Football

Deion, Shedeur, Shilo Sanders and best father-son groupings in CFB history

Updated Jun. 28, 2024 7:23 p.m. ET

Over 30 years after he lifted Florida State into national prominence, Deion Sanders is hoping his sons can help him do the same thing with his coaching career at Colorado.

The Colorado head coach told FOX Sports' Joel Klatt on "Big Noon Conversations" that he's not planning to follow his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, into the NFL when they likely declare for the draft in 2025. However, Sanders said he believes his sons are helping establish a strong foundation at Colorado.

"I plan on being here and being dominant here, because they're establishing something that we're going to continue to build on for years to come — and I'm thankful that they're establishing what they're establishing," Sanders said.

With Sanders' sons having good showings at Colorado in 2023, what other father-son groupings are among the best in college football history?

Here's a list of the 10 best father-son duos, along with the Sanders trio.

Ed and Christian McCaffrey

Ed McCaffrey's notable accolades: First-team All-American (1990), first-team All-Pac 10 (1990)
Christian McCaffrey's notable accolades: AP College Football Player of the Year (2015), consensus All-American (2015), Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year (2015), two-time first-team All-Pac 12 (2015, 2016)

Twenty-five years before Christian McCaffrey's Heisman-worthy season in 2015, his father, Ed, emerged as one of the best receivers in the country. The elder McCaffrey had 61 receptions for 917 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior season at Stanford, helping him earn All-American honors. While Stanford went 5-6 that year, McCaffrey had six receptions for 111 yards in an upset win over No. 1 Notre Dame. McCaffrey left Stanford as the program's fifth all-time leader in receptions (146) and third all-time leader in receiving yards (2,333).

The younger McCaffrey, meanwhile, was arguably one of the best college football players since the turn of the century. He possessed similar receiving abilities as his father and elite skills as a running back. He recorded 2,019 rushing yards and 645 receiving yards in 2015. He also had 1,200 return yards that year, giving him 3,864 all-purpose yards, breaking Barry Sanders' record for the most all-purpose yards in a season by over 600 yards. McCaffrey added 15 touchdowns that season, finishing second in the Heisman voting. He continued to amaze the college football world in the Rose Bowl game later that season, recording 172 rushing yards, 109 receiving yards and a 63-yard punt return touchdown in Stanford's blowout win over Iowa.

McCaffrey didn't have as strong of a season in 2016, but he still had 1,603 rushing yards, 310 receiving yards and 16 total touchdowns, further cementing his family's spot on this list.

Marvin Harrison Sr., Marvin Harrison Jr.

Marvin Harrison Sr.'s notable accolades: First-team All-American (1995), All-Big East (1993-95)
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s notable accolades: Fred Biletnikoff Award (2023), two-time unanimous first-team All-American (2022, 2023), Big Ten MVP (2023), Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year (2022, 2023)

Similar to the McCaffreys, the elder Harrison had a standout career in the 1990s before watching his son become one of the best players in the sport in recent memory.

Marvin Harrison Sr. was consistent and continued to get better over his time at Syracuse. He had 41 receptions for 813 yards and seven touchdowns as a sophomore in 1993. He followed that up with 36 receptions for 761 yards and five touchdowns in just 10 games a year later. Finally, Harrison recorded 56 receptions for 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns in 1995, finishing in the top 10 in the country in receiving yards and yards per reception (20.2). He left the program with school records for most receiving yards in a season and most career receiving yards (2,718), with both being broken in recent years.

Meanwhile, Marvin Harrison Jr. was even more dominant than his father in the college game. The four-star recruit turned into one of the best wide receiver prospects ever at Ohio State. After receiving very little playing time during the regular season as a freshman in 2021, Harrison had a three-touchdown performance in Ohio State's Rose Bowl win over Utah that year. He quickly emerged as one of the game's best receivers the following season, recording 77 receptions for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2022. He had five receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone of Ohio State's loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff semifinal that year. He followed that up with a 67-reception, 1,211-yard season in 2023, adding 15 total touchdowns as he finished fourth in the Heisman vote.

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Bob and Brian Griese

Bob Griese's notable accolades: Sammy Baugh Trophy (1966), first-team All-American (1965, 1966)
Brian Griese's notable accolades: First-team All-Big Ten (1997), national champion (1997)

The Grieses became legends at Big Ten schools.

Bob Griese was one of the best players in college football in the mid-1960s while playing at Purdue. He was the starting quarterback, kicker and punter in multiple seasons for the Boilermakers. In 1965, Griese led Purdue to an upset win over top-ranked Notre Dame in a performance where he completed 19 of 22 passes. He finished the year with 1,719 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions with four rushing scores to finish eighth in the Heisman vote. A year later, Griese threw for 1,749 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions to go with six rushing scores, helping him finish as the runner-up in the Heisman vote. He closed his college career by leading Purdue to a win over USC in its first-ever Rose Bowl appearance.

The younger Griese achieved greater team success in college than his father. Brian Griese quarterbacked Michigan to three wins over Ohio State in the 1990s. He helped Michigan go 9-4 in 1995. After serving as the backup for the majority of the 1996 season, Griese replaced a struggling Scott Dreisbach at halftime against Ohio State, leading Michigan to an upset win. He became the team's full-time starter in 1997, throwing for 2,293 yards, 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. After beating Ohio State again, he closed out his college career in the same place as his father. He threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns in Michigan's 21-16 win over Washington State in the Rose Bowl, capping off the Wolverines' undefeated and national championship-winning season.

Howie, Chris and Kyle Long

Howie Long's notable accolades: All-East (1980), honorable All-American (1980), Blue-Gray Football Classic Game MVP (1980)
Chris Long's notable accolades: Ted Hendricks Award (2007), ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award (2007), unanimous All-American (2007)

The Longs are one of the few father-son defensive pairings to make the list. Howie Long became a star at Villanova in the late 1970s and into 1980, becoming a standout defensive lineman after switching from tight end. Long had 308 tackles over his college career, recording four sacks and 84 tackles in his senior year in 1980. His performance helped him earn an invite to the Blue–Gray Football Classic (a college football All-Star game) that year, winning MVP to help propel his draft stock in the 1981 NFL Draft.

Over two decades later, Chris Long also emerged as one of the best defensive ends in college football at Virginia. The younger Long had a solid season as a junior in 2006 (57 combined tackles and five sacks) before a dominant 2007 season. He recorded 69 combined tackles and 14 sacks that year, finishing third in the nation in sacks. Long's performance helped him win the Hendricks Award, which is given to the nation's top defensive end, that year. He even earned a first-place vote for the Heisman as he wound up being the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft a few months later.

Howie Long's middle son and one of Chris' younger brothers, Kyle, also played college ball, though his college career was a bit quieter compared to his time as a professional. Kyle Long began at Florida State, but transferred out after a year to Saddleback College, a community college in Mission Viejo, California, for two years. He found his way back into major college football for his senior season in 2012, joining Oregon on its way to a 12-1 season. After starting at guard for much of the year for the Ducks, Long ended up being a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft before becoming a three-time Pro Bowler.

Clay Jr., Clay III and Casey Matthews/Bruce Matthews and Jake Matthews

Clay Matthews Jr.'s notable accolades: Two-time first-team All-Pac 8 (1976, 1977)
Clay Matthews III's notable accolades: Second-team All-Pac 10 (2008)
Casey Matthews' notable accolades: First-team All-Pac 10 (2010), second-team All-American (2010)

Bruce Matthews' notable accolades: Consensus All-American (1982), two-time first-team All-Pac 10
Jake Matthews' notable accolades: Unanimous All-American (2013), first-team All-American (2012), two-time first-team All-SEC (2012, 2013)

The Matthews' family might be one of the greatest in football history, and it's the only one to have two separate father-son groupings listed here.

Clay Matthews Jr. was a notable piece to a pair of strong USC teams in the 1970s, starting at linebacker for its Rose Bowl-winning team in 1976. His son, Clay Matthews III, followed in his footsteps three decades later as a walk-on. After sitting at the bottom of USC's depth chart in its last national championship win in 2004, he helped the Trojans win three straight Rose Bowls to end his college career. He had 57 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his final college season in 2008. Casey Matthews, meanwhile, wound up going to Oregon. The year he was a second-team All-American, Matthews helped the Ducks reach the national title game.

The other Matthews grouping was strong on the offensive line in their respective college careers. Bruce Matthews was one of the nation's best offensive linemen at USC in the early 1980s, playing across the offensive line during his career. His son, Jake, starred at Texas A&M, blocking for Johnny Manziel to earn multiple All-American honors when the Aggies joined the SEC.

Patrick and Patrick Surtain II

Patrick Surtain's notable accolades: Third-team All-American (1997), Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year (1997)
Patrick Surtain II's notable accolades: Unanimous All-American (2020), SEC Defensive Player of the Year (2020), national champion (2020)

Both Surtains had decorated careers in college as cornerbacks.

The elder Patrick Surtain made himself one of the game's top corners at a smaller school than his son. He had two really strong seasons at Southern Miss in the mid-to-late 1990s, recording six interceptions in 1996 and six again in 1997. Those seasons helped Surtain become a second-round pick in the 1998 draft before he enjoyed a successful NFL career.

The younger Patrick Surtain was a key piece to Alabama's most recent national title. While he only had one interception in 2020, Surtain was commonly viewed as one of the best, if not the best, corners in the nation that year, often locking up opposing top receivers in the SEC. He won Defensive MVP in Alabama's Rose Bowl win that year, recording five tackles and a pass breakup in that game.

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Joey Porter and Joey Porter Jr.

Joey Porter's notable accolades: First-team All-WAC (1998)
Joey Porter Jr.'s notable accolades: First-team All-Big Ten (2022), two-time third-team All-Big Ten (2020, 2021)

Both Porters made a name for themselves at different positions on the defensive side of the ball in college.

The elder Porter actually began his career at Colorado State on the offensive side of the ball before moving to defense as a junior. He quickly became one of the best players in a non-major conference after the switch, recording six sacks in his first year playing on the defensive line. In 1998, he had 14 sacks, helping him become a third-round pick in the 1999 draft.

The younger Porter was one of the Big Ten's best cornerbacks during his time at Penn State. While he only had one interception over his four seasons in Happy Valley, Porter was widely viewed as one of the best corners in the nation by the time his college career ended, as quarterbacks rarely threw the ball in his direction.

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Kellen and Kellen Winslow II

Kellen Winslow's notable accolades: Consensus All-American (1978), two-time first-team All-Big Eight (1977, 1978)
Kellen Winslow II's notable accolades: John Mackey Award (2003), unanimous All-American (2003), second-team All-American (2002), national champion (2001)

Both Winslows were dominant tight ends in college, arguably finishing their college careers among the best ever at the position.

The elder Winslow was a star at Missouri in the 1970s. He finished his college career with 71 receptions for 1,089 yards and 10 touchdowns, with most of his production coming over his final three seasons.

The younger Winslow was a depth piece for Miami (FL.)'s last national championship squad before emerging as one of the top players in the nation. He had 57 receptions for 726 yards and eight touchdowns in 2002, earning second-team All-American honors. His stats took a dip the following season, finishing with 60 receptions for 605 yards and a touchdown, but he won the Mackey Award for the nation's best tight end that year.

Deion, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders

Deion Sanders' notable accolades: Jim Thore Award (1988), two-time unanimous All-American (1987, 1988), third-team All-American (1986)
Shedeur Sanders' notable accolades: Jerry Rice Award (2001), Deacon Jones Trophy (2022)
Shilo Sanders' notable accolades: Second-team All-SWAC (2022)

Sanders and his sons are already among the most accomplished father-son groupings in college football history.

Deion Sanders, of course, got everything started when he was at Florida State in the 1980s. The eldest Sanders was arguably the best cornerback in college football history, recording 15 interceptions over his four seasons in Tallahassee. Bobby Bowden had his breakthrough seasons with Sanders in the program as he was a key reason for their two Fiesta Bowl and Sugar Bowl victories.

Shedeur Sanders was one of the top players in the FCS when his father began coaching him at Jackson State in 2021. The quarterback threw for at least 3,200 yards and 30 touchdowns in both seasons he played at Jackson State, winning the Jerry Rice Award in 2021 for the Most Outstanding Player in the FCS and the Deacon Jones Trophy in 2022 for the best player at an HBCU school. He made the transition to FBS look smooth in his first season at Colorado, throwing for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and three interceptions.

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Shilo Sanders had four interceptions at Jackson State in 2021 before recording four forced fumbles and an interception in his first season at Colorado.

Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning

Archie Manning's notable accolades: SEC Player of the Year (1969), third-team All-American (1969), two-time first-team All-SEC (1969, 1970)
Peyton Manning's notable accolades: Maxwell Award (1997), Davey O'Brien Award (1997), Consensus All-American (1997), SEC Player of the Year (1997)
Eli Manning's notable accolades: Maxwell Award (2003), Johnny United Golden Arm Award (2003), Second-team All-American (2003), SEC Offensive Player of the Year (2003)

While the Sanders trio is impressive, there might be no more impressive trio of family members in college football history than the Mannings.

Archie Manning was among the best players in the nation when he was at Ole Miss. He threw for 4,753 yards and 31 touchdowns to go with 823 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns over three seasons. While Manning had two top-five Heisman finishes in the 1969 and 1970 seasons, the Rebels also emerged as one of the top teams in the SEC. He led them to a win in the Sugar Bowl in the 1969 season and got Ole Miss to the Gator Bowl in 1970.

Peyton Manning surprisingly went to Knoxville for his college career, but he wound up becoming one of the game's best quarterbacks. A three-year starter, Manning went 39-6 in the games he started as Tennessee's quarterback, leading the Volunteers to a top-10 ranking each year. While he was among the best quarterbacks in 1995 and 1996, he won the Davey O'Brien Award for the game's best quarterback in 1997. He threw for 3,819 yards, 36 touchdowns and 11 interceptions that year, but finished second in the Heisman vote in one of the most highly-disputed results in the award's history.

Finally, Eli Manning followed in his father's footsteps in Oxford. Manning was among the best quarterbacks in the nation by the time he became a full-time starter as a redshirt sophomore in 2001, throwing for 2,948 yards and 31 touchdowns that year. Two seasons later, Manning helped Ole Miss become one of the best teams in the SEC. He threw for 3,600 yards, 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2003, leading the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl win as he finished third in the Heisman voting that year.