AP All-America team: Tide leads with 4 of 10 CFP players
The College Football Playoff semifinalists combined to place 10 players on The Associated Press All-America first team, including a high of four from No. 1 Alabama.
The Crimson Tide had six players chosen to the three All-America teams, more than any other school. No. 2 Clemson has three first-teamers, No. 4 Oklahoma has two All-Americans — including quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray — and No. 3 Notre Dame had one.
The Tide and Sooners meet in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 29 and the Tigers play the Fighting Irish at the Cotton Bowl that day. The winners meet in the College Football Playoff national championship game Jan. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The playoff teams combined for 17 overall selections on the teams chosen by a panel of AP poll voters and released Monday.
The Tide placed two players on each side of the ball, with Outland Trophy winner Quinnen Williams highlighting the defense. Receiver Jerry Jeudy, offensive tackle Jonah Williams and safety Deionte Thompson also made the first team while Tua Tagovailoa was the second-team quarterback.
Tagovailoa finished second behind Murray in the Heisman voting on Saturday. Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins was the third-team quarterback after finishing third in the Heisman voting.
Clemson placed defensive linemen Christian Wilkins and Clelin Ferrell on the first team, and offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt. Cornerback Julian Love represented Notre Dame on the first team.
Clemson, Oklahoma and LSU each had four players on the three teams, trailing only Alabama. Notre Dame, Kentucky, Iowa, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Washington and Wisconsin each had three overall selections.
Kentucky placed two players on the first team: linebacker Josh Allen and guard Bunchy Stallings. The Wildcats have not an AP All-American since receiver/kick returner Derek Abney in 2002.
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FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Kyler Murray, junior, Oklahoma
Running backs — Jonathan Taylor, sophomore, Wisconsin; Darrell Henderson, junior, Memphis
Tackles — Jonah Williams, junior, Alabama; Mitch Hyatt, senior, Clemson
Guards — Beau Benzschawel, senior, Wisconsin; Bunchy Stallings, senior, Kentucky
Center — Garrett Bradbury, senior, North Carolina State
Tight end — Jace Sternberger, junior, Texas A&M
Wide receivers — Jerry Jeudy, sophomore, Alabama; Marquise Brown, junior, Oklahoma
All-purpose player — Rondale Moore, freshman, Purdue
Kicker — Andre Szmyt, freshman, Syracuse
DEFENSE
Ends — Clelin Ferrell, junior, Clemson; Sutton Smith, junior, Northern Illinois
Tackles — Quinnen Williams, junior, Alabama; Christian Wilkins, senior, Clemson
Linebackers — Josh Allen, senior, Kentucky; Devin White, junior, LSU; Ben Burr-Kirven, senior, Washington
Cornerbacks — Deandre Baker, senior, Georgia; Julian Love, junior, Notre Dame
Safeties — Grant Delpit, sophomore, LSU; Deionte Thompson, junior, Alabama
Punter — Braden Mann, junior, Texas A&M
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Tua Tagovailoa, sophomore, Alabama
Running backs — Travis Etienne, sophomore, Clemson; Trayveon Williams, junior, Texas A&M
Tackles — Dalton Risner, senior, Kansas State; Andrew Thomas, sophomore, Georgia
Guards — Dru Samia, senior, Oklahoma; Michael Dieter, senior, Wisconsin
Center — Ross Pierschbacher, senior, Alabama
Tight end — T.J, Hockenson, sophomore, Iowa
Wide receivers — Tylan Wallace, sophomore, Oklahoma State; Andy Isabella, senior, Massachusetts
All-purpose player — Greg Dortch, sophomore, Wake Forest
Kicker — Cole Tracy, senior, LSU
DEFENSE
Ends — Montez Sweat, senior, Mississippi State; Jachai Polite, junior, Florida
Tackles — Jerry Tillery, senior, Notre Dame; Gerald Willis III, senior, Miami
Linebackers — Devin Bush, junior, Michigan; David Long Jr., junior, West Virginia; Joe Dineen, senior, Kansas
Cornerbacks — Greedy Williams, sophomore, LSU; Byron Murphy, sophomore, Washington
Safeties — Taylor Rapp, junior, Washington; Amani Hooker, junior, Iowa
Punter — Mitch Wishnowsky, senior, Utah
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks — Dwayne Haskins, sophomore, Ohio State
Running backs — Benny Snell, junior, Kentucky; Eno Benjamin, sophomore, Arizona State
Tackles — Andre Dillard, senior, Washington State; Cody Ford, junior, Oklahoma
Guards — Terrone Prescod, senior, North Carolina State; Chris Lindstrom, senior, Boston College
Center — Michael Jordan, junior, Ohio State
Tight end — Noah Fant, junior, Iowa
Wide Receivers — A.J. Brown, junior, Mississippi; David Sills V, senior, West Virginia
All-purpose player — J.J. Taylor, sophomore, Arizona
Kicker — Matt Gay, senior, Utah
DEFENSE
Ends — Chase Winovich, senior, Michigan; Jaylon Ferguson, senior, Louisiana Tech
Tackles — Jeffery Simmons, junior, Mississippi State; Ed Oliver, junior, Houston
Linebackers — Paddy Fisher, sophomore, Northwestern; David Woodward, sophomore, Utah State; Te’Von Coney, senior, Notre Dame
Cornerbacks — Hamp Cheevers, junior, Boston College; Lavert Hill, junior, Michigan
Safeties — Andre Cisco, freshman, Syracuse; Jonathan Abram, senior, Mississippi State
Punter — James Smith, sophomore, Cincinnati
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FIRST-TEAM BREAKDOWN
By school (first-team selections-overall)
Alabama — 4-6.
Clemson — 3-4.
Kentucky — 2-3.
LSU — 2-4.
Oklahoma — 2-4.
Texas A&M — 2-3.
Wisconsin — 2-3.
Georgia — 1-2.
Memphis — 1-1.
Northern Illinois — 1-1.
North Carolina State — 1-2.
Notre Dame — 1-3.
Purdue— 1-1.
Syracuse — 1-2.
Washington — 1-3.
By conference
SEC — 11.
ACC — 5.
Big Ten — 3.
Big 12 — 2.
American — 1.
Pac-12 — 1.
MAC — 1.
Independent — 1.
By class/eligibility
Freshman — 2.
Sophomore — 3.
Junior — 12.
Senior — 8.
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Selection panel: Rob Asmussen, Champaign (Ill.) News-Gazette; Matt Baker, Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times; Michael Barber, Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch; Matt Brown, The Athletic; Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station (Texas) Eagle; Rece Davis, ESPN; Pat Dooley, Gainesville (Fla.) Sun; Scott Hamilton, WECT-TV (Wilmington, N.C.); Eric Hansen, The South Bend (Ind.) Tribune; Brian Howell, Buffzone.com, Boulder (Colo.) Daily Camera; Rob Long, WJZ FM 105.7 The Fan Baltimore; Sean Manning, The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.); Conor O’Neill, Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal; Soren Petro, 810 WHB Kansas City, Mo.; Keith Sargeant, NJ.Com/Star-Ledger; Jon Wilner, San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News.
The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.
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