List of unanimous All-Americans in college football explained

The College Football All-America Team is an honorific college football all-star team compiled after each NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) season to recognize that season's most outstanding performers at their respective positions. There are several organizations that select their own All-America teams. Since 1924, the NCAA has designated selectors whose teams are used to determine "consensus" and "unanimous" All-Americans. Any player who is named to the first team by at least half the official selectors for a given season is recognized as being a consensus All-American. A player on the first team of every official selector is recognized as being a .[1] Since 2002, the five selectors designated by the NCAA for this purpose are the Associated Press (AP), the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Sporting News, and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF).[2]

Unanimous All-Americans are considered "elite, the cream of the crop from any particular season."[1] Many are later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and many also go on to have successful professional football careers. From 1924 to 2000, 364 players were unanimous selections at least once. Thus, only a handful of players—if any—each season receive the honor. The first player to do so was Red Grange, star halfback for the Illinois Fighting Illini, who received first-team honors from all six major selectors in 1924.[3]

Alabama has the most unanimous All-America selections of any school with 41 selections. In 2020, Alabama tied a record set in 2003 by University of Oklahoma with five unanimous selections in one year. Eighty-nine schools have had at least one unanimous All-America selection; the most recent schools to produce their first unanimous All-American are Cincinnati and Northwestern, doing so in 2022. The most recent All-America team, that of 2022, included 14 unanimous selections. Only 30 players have been selected a unanimous All-American in multiple seasons, the most recent being Marvin Harrison Jr. of Ohio State in 2022 and 2023. Herschel Walker is the only three-time unanimous All-American.

Key

AFCAAmerican Football Coaches Association
AABAll-America Board
APAssociated Press
COLCollier's
CNNCNN Sports Illustrated
CPCentral Press Association
FNFootball News
FBWFootball World
FWAAFootball Writers Association of America
LIBLiberty
LKLook
NANANorth American Newspaper Alliance
NEANewspaper Enterprise Association
SNSporting News
UP/UPIUnited Press/United Press International
WCWalter Camp/Walter Camp Football Foundation

List

SeasonSelectorsPlayerPositionTeam
1924AAB, FBW, INS, LIB, NEA, WC Illinois
1925AAB, AP, COL, FBW, INS, LIB, NEA, UPDartmouth
Nebraska
1926AAB, AP, COL, INS, NEA, UP Navy
1927AAB, AP, COL, INS, NANA, NEA, UPEnd Michigan
Pittsburgh
1928AAB, AP, COL, INS, NANA, NEA, UP Army
1929AAB, AP, COL, INS, NANA, NEA, UPNotre Dame
End Pittsburgh
1930AAB, AP, COL, INS, NANA, NEA, UPNotre Dame
End Ohio State
Alabama
Harvard
1931AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NEA, UPEnd Tulane
Notre Dame
1932AAB, AP, COL, FWAA, INS, LIB, NEA, UPPittsburgh
Notre Dame
End Purdue
Michigan
USC
1933AAB, AP, COL, FWAA, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, UPMichigan
USC
1934AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, SN, UP None N/A N/A
1935AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, SN, UPChicago
Stanford
1936AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, SN, UPNebraska
End Yale
End LSU
Minnesota
1937AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NANA, NEA, NW, SN, UP Yale
1938AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NEA, NW, SN, UPNotre Dame
Pittsburgh
Michigan
TCU
1939AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NEA, NW, SN, UP USC
Cornell
1940AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NEA, NW, SN, UPMichigan
Texas A&M
Tennessee
1941AAB, AP, COL, INS, LIB, NEA, NW, SN, UP Harvard
1942AAB, AP, COL, INS, LK, NEA, NW, SN, UPEnd Wisconsin
Georgia
1943AAB, AP, COL, FN, INS, LK, SN, UPMichigan
Army
1944AAB, AP, COL, FN, INS, LK, NEA, SN, UPOhio State
Navy
1945AAB, AFCA, AP, COL, FWAA, INS, LK, NEA, SN, UPOhio State
Army
Army
Saint Mary's
1946AAB, AFCA, AP, COL, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPEnd UCLA
Army
Army
Notre Dame
Georgia
1947AFCA, AP, COL, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPMichigan
Notre Dame
1948AFCA, AP, FW, INS, NEA, SN, UP Penn
Minnesota
SMU
1949AAB, AP, COL, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPCalifornia
End Notre Dame
Notre Dame
Minnesota
1950AAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPEnd Army
Ohio State
Texas
1951AAB, AFCA, AP, FW, INS, NEA, SN, UPMichigan State
Princeton
Tennessee
End Stanford
Maryland
Oklahoma
1952AAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPMaryland
Notre Dame
1953AAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPMinnesota
Maryland
Notre Dame
1954AAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPWisconsin
Arkansas
Ohio State
Notre Dame
1955AAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPEnd Navy
Ohio State
Maryland
TCU
1956AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPSyracuse
Baylor
End Michigan
Tennessee
Ohio State
Oklahoma
End Pittsburgh
1957AAB, AFCA, AP, FWAA, INS, NEA, SN, UPTexas A&M
End Auburn
1958AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPILSU
Army
Iowa
1959[4] AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPILSU
Syracuse
Ole Miss
Wisconsin
1960AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPINavy
Minnesota
End Pittsburgh
Ohio State
Ole Miss
End Missouri
TCU
1961AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPISyracuse
Ohio State
Alabama
Texas
LSU
1962AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPIOregon State
Minnesota
Alabama
LSU
Texas
1963AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, SN, UPITexas
Nebraska
Illinois
Navy
1964AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPINebraska
1965AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPINotre Dame
USC
Illinois
End Tulsa
1966AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPIEnd Michigan
Notre Dame
Alabama
Notre Dame
Arkansas
Michigan State
Florida
Michigan State
1967AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPIUCLA
Syracuse
Miami (FL)
Tennessee
Purdue
Oklahoma
USC
USC
1968AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPIOregon State
Ohio State
Purdue
End Penn State
Miami (FL)
Tennessee
USC
1969AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPITennessee
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Purdue
Penn State
1970AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPITennessee
Ohio State
Ohio State
1971AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPIAuburn
Tennessee
Cornell
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Texas
Georgia
Auburn
Michigan
1972AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, WCNebraska
Alabama
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Texas
Michigan State
USC
1973AFCA, AP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, WCPenn State
Nebraska
Ohio State
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Texas
1974AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCMichigan
USC
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Maryland
1975AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIUSC
Nebraska
Alabama
Ohio State
Navy
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Texas A&M
1976AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIWake Forest
USC
Notre Dame
Pittsburgh
Texas A&M
Oklahoma
1977AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPINotre Dame
Texas
Michigan
Oklahoma
Notre Dame
Oklahoma State
UCLA
Texas
Kentucky
USC
Ohio State
1978AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIPenn State
Penn State
Penn State
Notre Dame
Arizona State
USC
Texas
Oklahoma
UCLA
Oklahoma
USC
1979AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIUSC
Oklahoma
UCLA
Pittsburgh
Texas
Arkansas
Texas
Nebraska
NC State
Oklahoma
USC
BYU
1980AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIUCLA
Pittsburgh
Purdue
Alabama
USC
Stanford
Pittsburgh
South Carolina
Notre Dame
Baylor
North Carolina
Georgia
Purdue
1981AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIUSC
Michigan
Penn State
BYU
Nebraska
Texas
Arkansas
Georgia
UCLA
1982AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIVanderbilt
Michigan
SMU
Stanford
BYU
Clemson
Arkansas
USC
Washington
Nebraska
Arkansas
West Virginia
Georgia
1983AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCOklahoma
SMU
Pittsburgh
Nebraska
BYU
Arizona
Nebraska
Tennessee
BYU
1984AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCVanderbilt
Ohio State
TCU
Boston College
Pittsburgh
Texas
Nebraska
Illinois
1985AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCOklahoma
Virginia
Syracuse
Auburn
UCLA
Iowa
Oklahoma State
Iowa
Michigan State
Illinois
1986AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCAlabama
Oklahoma
Miami (FL)
Penn State
Baylor
Auburn
Oklahoma
Nebraska
Temple
Auburn
Miami (FL)
1987AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCLSU
Miami (FL)
Notre Dame
Air Force
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Syracuse
Florida State
Ohio State
Miami (FL)
Ohio State
1988AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCMichigan State
Michigan
Oklahoma
Auburn
Oklahoma State
Florida State
Nebraska
Alabama
1989AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC
USC
Illinois
Washington State
Duke
Notre Dame
Alabama
Florida
Michigan State
Tennessee
Indiana
Michigan
1990AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCColorado
Tennessee
Alabama
Colorado
Notre Dame
Auburn
Arizona
Miami (FL)
BYU
Notre Dame
Georgia Tech
Michigan
Colorado
Notre Dame
1991AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCTexas Tech
Florida State
Baylor
Indiana
Washington
Michigan
East Carolina
Colorado
Michigan
1992AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCTexas A&M
San Diego State
Syracuse
Georgia
Florida State
Washington
Air Force
Nebraska
Miami (FL)
1993AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, UPI, SN, WCNebraska
Florida State
San Diego State
Northern Illinois
Alabama
Virginia Tech
UCLA
Notre Dame
Arizona
Florida State
1994AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, UPI, SN, WCPenn State
Illinois
Colorado
Miami (FL)
West Virginia
Nebraska
1995AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, UPI, SN, WCRutgers
Arizona
Ohio State
USC
Washington
Florida
UCLA
Ohio State
Texas Tech
1996AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, UPI, SN, WCKansas State
Alabama
Texas Tech
Ohio State
1997AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, SN, WCMarshall
Nebraska
Texas
Michigan
1998AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, SN, WCWisconsin
USC
Ole Miss
Texas A&M
Arizona
Texas
Ohio State
1999AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, SN, WCPenn State
Penn State
Wisconsin
Florida State
Wisconsin
Virginia Tech
Alabama
Florida State
2000AFCA, AP, FN, FWAA, SN, WCCalifornia
Michigan
Miami (FL)
UTEP
Florida State
TCU
2001AFCA, AP, CNN, FN, FWAA, SN, WCSyracuse
Florida
Texas
Miami (FL)
North Carolina
Miami (FL)
Oklahoma
2002AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCIowa
Ohio State
Penn State
Kansas State
Michigan State
Arizona State
Notre Dame
2003AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCArkansas
UCLA
Pittsburgh
Iowa
Virginia Tech
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Miami (FL)
Oklahoma
Miami (FL)
2004AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCFlorida State
Oklahoma
Michigan
Texas
Virginia
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Miami (FL)
2005AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCUSC
All-purpose UCLA
Louisville
Minnesota
Penn State
Ohio State
Texas
USC
Wake Forest
Alabama
Texas
Virginia Tech
2006AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCClemson
Georgia Tech
West Virginia
Baylor
West Virginia
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Michigan
2007AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCTexas Tech
LSU
USC
Ohio State
Virginia
Michigan
Arkansas
Kansas
2008AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCTennessee
Texas Tech
Iowa
USC
Ole Miss
Texas
Utah
Alabama
Florida
2009AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCTennessee
Georgia
Stanford
Florida
TCU
Alabama
Alabama
Texas
Oklahoma State
All-purpose Clemson
Nebraska
Notre Dame
2010AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCNebraska
Oklahoma State
Clemson
Wisconsin
Florida State
Oregon
Michigan State
Purdue
Boston College
LSU
2011AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCAlabama
Oklahoma State
LSU
Stanford
Alabama
Illinois
Alabama
2012AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCLouisiana Tech
South Carolina
North Carolina
Stanford
Texas A&M
Georgia
USC
Alabama
Notre Dame
Fresno State
Alabama
Florida State
Baylor
2013[5] AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCTexas Tech
Michigan State
Pittsburgh
Florida State
Texas A&M
Alabama
Baylor
Missouri
Boston College
Stanford
2014AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCOhio State
Indiana
Alabama
Alabama
Ole Miss
Wisconsin
Louisville
Florida State
Washington
Oregon
Iowa
Arizona
2015[6] AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCDuke
Baylor
TCU
Baylor
Stanford
Utah
Florida
Alabama
Arkansas
Iowa
Penn State
Alabama
2016[7] AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCAlabama
Florida State
Vanderbilt
Ohio State
Alabama
Texas A&M
Arizona State
Ohio State
Louisville
Washington State
Michigan
Alabama
Oklahoma
Utah
2017[8] AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WC
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
NC State
Texas
Texas
Alabama
Iowa
Iowa
Stanford
Oklahoma
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Georgia
Oklahoma State
2018AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WC
Kentucky
LSU
Texas A&M
Syracuse
Wisconsin
Clemson
Alabama
Alabama
2019AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WC
LSU
Oklahoma State
Wisconsin
LSU
Florida Atlantic
Oregon
Georgia
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Baylor
Auburn
Clemson
California
Ohio State
Minnesota
Kentucky
2020AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WC
Iowa State
Alabama
Alabama
Florida
Alabama
Ohio State
Alabama
Iowa
Tulsa
Notre Dame
Alabama
Miami (FL)
Georgia Tech
2021AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WC
Iowa
NC State
Michigan State
Colorado State
Georgia
Michigan
Oregon
Alabama
Georgia
San Diego State
2022AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WC
USC
Michigan
Texas
Ohio State
Tennessee
Northwestern
Georgia
Pittsburgh
USC
Alabama
Iowa
Cincinnati
Utah
Georgia
2023AFCA, AP, FWAA, SN, WCOllie Gordon IIRBOklahoma State
Marvin Harrison Jr.WROhio State
Malik NabersWRLSU
Brock BowersTEGeorgia
Joe AltOLNotre Dame
Cooper BeebeOLKansas State
Jackson Powers-JohnsonOLOregon
Zak ZinterOLMichigan
Laiatu LatuDLUCLA
T'Vondre SweatDLTexas
Payton WilsonLBNC State
Cooper DeJeanDBIowa
Xavier WattsDBNotre Dame
Tory TaylorPIowa

Unanimous selections by school

  1. Alabama: 41
  2. Notre Dame: 39[9]
  3. Ohio State: 39
  4. Oklahoma: 35
  5. USC: 29
  6. Michigan: 28
  7. Texas: 26
  8. Nebraska: 22
  9. Georgia: 16
  10. Miami (FL): 16
  11. Florida State: 15
  12. Iowa: 15
  13. Pittsburgh: 15[10]
  14. Penn State: 14
  15. Tennessee: 14
  16. LSU: 13
  17. UCLA: 13
  18. Wisconsin: 12
  19. Michigan State: 11
  20. Baylor: 10[11]
  21. Stanford: 10[12]
  22. Arkansas: 9
  23. Auburn: 9
  24. Oklahoma State: 9
  25. Texas A&M: 9
  26. Army: 8
  27. Florida: 8
  28. Illinois: 8
  29. Minnesota: 8
  30. Syracuse: 8
  31. Purdue: 7
  32. TCU: 7
  33. Arizona: 6
  34. BYU: 6
  35. Clemson: 6
  36. Navy: 6
  37. Oregon: 6
  38. Texas Tech: 6[13]
  39. Colorado: 5
  40. Maryland: 5
  41. NC State: 5
  42. Ole Miss: 5
  43. Washington: 5[14]
  44. Utah: 4[15]
  45. Virginia Tech: 4
  46. West Virginia: 4
  47. Arizona State: 3
  48. Boston College: 3
  49. California: 3
  50. Georgia Tech: 3
  51. Indiana: 3
  52. Kansas State: 3
  53. Kentucky: 3
  54. Louisville: 3
  55. North Carolina: 3
  56. San Diego State: 3
  57. SMU: 3
  58. Vanderbilt: 3
  59. Virginia: 3
  60. Air Force: 2
  61. Cornell: 2
  62. Duke: 2
  63. Harvard: 2
  64. Missouri: 2[16]
  65. Oregon State: 2
  66. South Carolina: 2
  67. Tulsa: 2
  68. Wake Forest: 2
  69. Washington State: 2
  70. Yale: 2
  71. Chicago: 1
  72. Cincinnati: 1
  73. Colorado State: 1
  74. Dartmouth: 1
  75. East Carolina: 1
  76. Florida Atlantic: 1
  77. Fresno State: 1
  78. Iowa State: 1
  79. Kansas: 1
  80. Louisiana Tech: 1
  81. Marshall: 1
  82. Northern Illinois: 1
  83. Northwestern: 1
  84. Penn: 1
  85. Princeton: 1
  86. Rutgers: 1
  87. Saint Mary's: 1
  88. Temple: 1
  89. Tulane: 1
  90. UTEP: 1

References

General
Footnotes

Notes and References

  1. News: Myerberg. Paul. College football's unanimous and consensus All-Americans. May 16, 2017. USA Today. December 14, 2012.
  2. News: Snyder. Mark. Wolverines' Jabrill Peppers becomes a unanimous All-America. May 18, 2017. Detroit Free Press. December 14, 2016.
  3. Book: Deitch. Scott E.. NCAA Football's Finest. 2002. National Collegiate Athletic Association. United States. 36. May 16, 2017.
  4. News: Cannon, 3 Others Unanimous Picks. Hal. Middlesworth. March 3, 2016. Detroit Free Press. December 6, 1959. 67. Newspapers.com.
  5. News: FSU QB Jameis Winston leads the 2013 Consensus All-America team. May 18, 2017. NCAA.com. January 8, 2014.
  6. Web site: 2015 Consensus All-America. Football Writers Association of America. May 18, 2017.
  7. News: Bender. Bill. Heisman winner Lamar Jackson leads the way on 2016 Consensus All-America Team. May 17, 2017. Sporting News. December 15, 2016.
  8. News: DeGroff. Tammy. Anthony Miller Named NCAA Consensus All-American. December 14, 2017. gotigersgo.com. December 14, 2017.
  9. Book: Heisler. John. Faith Restored: The Resurgence of Notre Dame Football. 2013. Triumph Books. 978-1600788611. 154. May 27, 2017.
  10. News: College football notebook: Donald joins rare company at Pitt. May 27, 2017. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 19, 2013.
  11. News: Jeyarajah. Shehan. Baylor WR Corey Coleman, LT Spencer Drango both unanimous All-Americans. June 5, 2017. The Dallas Morning News. December 16, 2015.
  12. News: Park. Do-Hyoung. Garnett, McCaffrey recognized with All-America honors. May 27, 2017. The Stanford Daily. December 16, 2015.
  13. News: Williams. Don. Amaro achieves unanimous all-America status with recognition from final two teams. May 27, 2017. Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. December 18, 2013.
  14. News: Caple. Christian. Hau'oli Kikaha becomes Huskies' fifth unanimous All-American. May 27, 2017. The News Tribune. December 17, 2014.
  15. News: Goon. Kyle. Utah football: Mitch Wishnowsky earns unanimous consensus All-American status. May 27, 2017. The Salt Lake Tribune. December 14, 2016.
  16. News: Morrison. David. Missouri's Michael Sam a unanimous All-American. December 1, 2017. Columbia Daily Tribune. December 18, 2013.