USC’s Williams, Alabama’s Anderson lead AP All-America team

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was one of three Southern California players selected to The Associated Press All-America team released Monday.

Offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees and defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu joined their quarterback to give USC more players on the first team than any other school. The AP All-America team is presented by Regions Bank.

Williams, named last week the AP player of the year, became the eighth USC player to win the Heisman over the weekend after accounting for 47 touchdowns this season and leadking USC to the Pac-12 title game.

The Trojans also had center Brett Neilon and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon selected to the third team.

Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. was selected to the first team for the second straight season, along with Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn, who made it as an all-purpose player for the second year in a row.

Joining Williams in the All-America first-team backfield is Texas running back Bijan Robinson and Michigan’s Blake Corum.

Michigan also had center Olusegun Oluwatimi and kicker Jake Moody picked for the second team.

The second-ranked Wolverines face No. 3 TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. The Horned Frogs’ lone first-team All-American was defensive back Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson. TCU quarterback Max Duggan and guard Steve Avila made the second team.

Top-ranked Georgia placed two players on the first-team defense with tackle Jalen Carter and safety Christopher Smith. Tight end Brock Bowers and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson were second-team selections.

The Bulldogs face No. 4 Ohio State in the CFP’s Peach Bowl semifinal on New Year’s Eve. Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. was Ohio State’s only first-team All-American, but the Buckeyes added four players on the second team: Offensive tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and safety Ronnie Hickman.

First team breakdown/team

USC – 3

Georgia – 2

Notre Dame – 2

Texas, Northwestern, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Tennessee, Iowa State, Kansas State, North Carolina State, Alabama, Pitt, Cincinnati, Iowa, Arkansas, Utah, Illinois, Miami, TCU, Michigan State – 1

First team breakdown/conference

Big Ten – 7

SEC – 6

Big 12 – 4

Pac-12 – 4

ACC – 3

Independents – 2

American Athletic – 1.

FIRST TEAM

Offense

Quarterback — Caleb Williams, second-year, Southern California.

Running backs — Bijan Robinson, third-year, Texas; Blake Corum, third-year, Michigan.

Tackles — Peter Skoronski, third-year, Northwestern; Joe Alt, second-year, Notre Dame.

Guard — O’Cyrus Torrence, fourth-year, Florida; Andrew Vorhees, sixth-year, Southern California.

Center — John Michael Schmitz, sixth-year, Minnesota.

Tight end — Michael Mayer, third-year, Notre Dame.

Wide receivers — Marvin Harrison Jr., second-year, Ohio State; Jalin Hyatt, third-year, Tennessee; Xavier Hutchinson, third-year, Iowa State.

All-purpose player — Deuce Vaughn, third-year, Kansas State.

Kicker — Christopher Dunn, fifth-year, North Carolina State.

Defense

Edge rushers — Will Anderson Jr., third-year, Alabama; Tuli Tuipulotu, third-year, Southern California.

Tackles — Jalen Carter, third-year, Georgia; Calijah Kancey, fourth-year, Pittsburgh.

Linebackers — Ivan Pace Jr., fourth-year, Cincinnati; Jack Campbell, fourth-year, Iowa; Drew Sanders, third-year, Arkansas.

Cornerbacks — Clark Phillips III, third-year, Utah; Devon Witherspoon, fourth-year, Illinois.

Safeties — Kamren Kinchens, second-year, Miami; Christopher Smith, fifth-year, Georgia.

Defensive back — Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, fourth-year, TCU.

Punter — Bryce Baringer, sixth-year, Michigan State.

SECOND TEAM

Offense

Quarterback — Max Duggan, fourth-year, TCU.

Running backs — Chase Brown, fifth-year, Illinois; Mohamed Ibrahim, sixth-year, Minnesota.

Tackles — Paris Johnson Jr., third-year, Ohio State; Dawand Jones, fourth-year, Ohio State.

Guards — Cooper Beebe, fourth-year, Kansas State; Steve Avila, fifth-year, TCU.

Center — Olusegun Oluwatimi, sixth-year, Michigan.

Tight end — Brock Bowers, second-year, Georgia.

Wide receivers — Charlie Jones, sixth-year, Purdue; Rashee Rice, fourth-year, SMU; Josh Downs, third-year, North Carolina.

All-purpose player — Zach Charbonnet, fourth-year, UCLA.

Kicker — Jake Moody, fifth-year, Michigan.

Defense

Edge rushers — Tyree Wilson, fifth-year, Texas Tech; Isaiah Foskey, fourth-year, Notre Dame.

Tackles — Jer’Zhan Newton, third-year, Illinois; Jonah Tavai, fifth-year, San Diego State.

Linebackers — Tommy Eichenberg, fourth-year, Ohio State; Jeremiah Trotter Jr., second-year, Clemson; Jamon Dumas-Johnson, second-year, Georgia.

Cornerbacks — Emmanuel Forbes, third-year, Mississippi State; Joey Porter Jr., fourth-year, Penn State.

Safeties — Kaevon Merriweather, fifth-year, Iowa; Ronnie Hickman, fourth-year, Ohio State.

Defensive back — Brian Branch, third-year, Alabama.

Punter — Tory Taylor, third-year, Iowa.

THIRD TEAM

Offense

Quarterback — Hendon Hooker, sixth-year, Tennessee.

Running backs — DeWayne McBride, third-year, UAB; Israel Abanikanda, third-year; Pittsburgh.

Tackles — Blake Freeland, fourth-year, BYU; Alex Palczewski, sixth-year, Illinois

Guards — Jaxson Kirkland, sixth-year, Washington; Christian Haynes, fourth-year, Connecticut.

Center — Brett Neilon, sixth-year, Southern California.

Tight end — Dalton Kincaid, fifth-year, Utah.

Wide receivers — Nathaniel Dell, fifth-year, Houston; Rome Odunze, third-year, Washington; Zay Flowers, fourth-year, Boston College.

All-purpose player — Jahmyr Gibbs, third-year, Alabama.

Kicker – Joshua Karty, third-year, Stanford.

Defense

Edge rushers — Felix Anudike-Uzomah, third-year, Kansas State; Jose Ramirez, fifth-year, Eastern Michigan.

Tackles — Dontay Corleone, second-year, Cincinnati; Mekhi Wingo, second-year, LSU.

Linebackers — Jason Henderson, two-year, Old Dominion; Nick Herbig, third-year, Wisconsin; Jaylan Ford, third-year, Texas.

Cornerbacks — Kool-Aid McKinstry, second-year, Alabama; Mekhi Blackmon, fifth-year, Southern California.

Safeties — Marcus Fuqua, fourth-year, Buffalo; Jordan Battle, fourth-year, Alabama.

Defensive back — Quinyon Mitchell, third-year, Toledo.

Punter — Mason Fletcher, second-year, Cincinnati.

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Selection panel: Ryan Aber, The Oklahoman; Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com; Mike Berardino, South Bend Tribune; Ryan Thorburn, Casper Star-Tribune; Sam McKewon, Omaha World-Herald; Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Advertiser; Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station Eagle; Bob Asmussen, The News Gazette (Ill.); Damien Sordelett, ; Garland Gillen, WVUE-TV (La.); Kayla Anderson, WKRN-TV (Tenn.); Kirk Bohls, Austin American-Statesman; Johnny McGonigal, PennLive.com; Matt Brown, The Athletic; Matt Baker, Tampa Bay Times; Adam Grosbar, Southern California News Group; Nate Mink, Syracuse Media Group; Josh Furlong, KSL.com (Utah).

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