1977 All-America college football team

Official list of the best college football players of 1977 August 2023 25em 1977 College Football All-America Team border-top:#aaa 1px solid border-top:1px #aaa solid College Football All-America Team 1977 NCAA Division I football season border-top:1px #aaa solid 1975 1976 ← → 1978 1979 The 1977 All-America college football team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1977. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes four selectors as "official" for the 1977 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers; (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected by the nation's football writers; and (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers. Other selectors included Football News (FN), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), The Sporting News (TSN), and the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC). Eight players were unanimously selected by all four official selectors and all four unofficial selectors. They were Ken MacAfee of Notre Dame, offensive tackle Chris Ward of Ohio State, offensive guard Mark Donahue of Michigan, running backs Earl Campbell of Texas and Terry Miller of Oklahoma State, defensive ends Art Still of Kentucky and Ross Browner of Notre Dame, defensive tackle Brad Shearer of Texas. Consensus All-Americans The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1977 and displays which first-team designations they received. Offense Name Position School NumberThis column lists the number of selectors choosing the player as a first-team All-American as follows: official selectors/other selectors/total selectors. Official OtherEarl CampbellRunning backTexas4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCMark DonahueOffensive guardMichigan4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCKen MacAfeeTight endNotre Dame4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCTerry MillerRunning backOklahoma State4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCChris WardOffensive tackleOhio State4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCOzzie NewsomeReceiverAlabama3/4/7AFCA, AP, FWAAFN, NEA, TSN, WCLeotis HarrisOffensive guardArkansas3/4/8AFCA, AP, UPINEA, WCCharles AlexanderRunning backLSU3/1/4AFCA, FWAA, UPIWCGuy BenjaminQuarterbackStanford2/2/4FWAA, UPIFN, NEADan IronsOffensive tackleTexas Tech2/2/4AFCA, UPIFN, WCJohn JeffersonReceiverArizona State3/0/3AFCA, AP, FWAA--Tom BrzozaCenterPittsburgh2/1/3AP, UPIWC Defense Name Position School Number Official OtherRoss BrownerDefensive endNotre Dame4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCBrad ShearerDefensive tackleTexas4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCArt StillDefensive endKentucky4/4/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCZac HendersonDefensive backOklahoma4/3/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, WCJerry RobinsonLinebackerUCLA4/3/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, WCRandy HollowayDefensive tacklePittsburgh3/4/7AFCA, FWAA, UPIFN, NEA, TSN, WCDennis ThurmanDefensive backUSC4/2/6AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPIFN, WCLuther BradleyDefensive backNotre Dame2/3/5AFCA, UPIFN, TSN, WCBob JuryDefensive backPittsburgh2/2/4AP, FWAATSN, WCTom CousineauLinebackerOhio State2/1/3FWAA, UPIWCGary SpaniLinebackerKansas State2/1/3AFCA, UPIFNDee HardisonDefensive tackleNorth Carolina2/1/3AP, FWAAFN Offense Receivers Ozzie Newsome, Alabama (AFCA [split end], AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN [end], NEA-1, TSN, WC) John Jefferson, Arizona State (AFCA [flanker], AP-1, FWAA, NEA-2) Wes Chandler, Florida (AP-2, UPI-1, FN [running back], NEA-1, TSN) James Lofton, Stanford (AP-2, NEA-2) Gordon Jones, Pittsburgh (AP-3) Mike Renfro, TCU (AP-3) Tight ends Ken MacAfee, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN [end], NEA-1, TSN, WC) Mickey Shuler, Penn State (AP-2, NEA-2) Clennie Brundidge, Army (UPI-2) Mike Moore, Grambling (AP-3) Tackles Chris Ward, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Dan Irons, Texas Tech (AFCA, UPI-1, FN, WC) Keith Dorney Penn State (AP-3, FWAA) Gordon King, Stanford (UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN) Dennis Baker, Wyoming (AP-1) William Fifer, West Texas State (AP-2) Mike Kenn, Michigan (AP-2) J. T. Taylor, Missouri (AP-3, UPI-2) Frank Myers, Texas A&M (NEA-2) Jeff Morrow, Minnesota (NEA-2) Guards Mark Donahue, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Leotis Harris, Arkansas (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, NEA-1, WC) Joe Bostic, Clemson (AP-3, FWAA, NEA-2) Greg Roberts, Oklahoma (AP-3, FN) George Collins, Georgia (TSN) Jim Hough, Utah State (AP-2) Ernie Hughes, Notre Dame (AP-2, UPI-2) Leon White, Colorado (UPI-2) Bob Cryder, Alabama (NEA-2) Centers Tom Brzoza, Pittsburgh (AP-1, UPI-1, WC) Walt Downing, Michigan (AFCA, AP-3, FN, NEA-2, TSN) Tom Davis, Nebraska (FWAA, UPI-2) Blair Bush, Washington (AP-2, NEA-1) Quarterbacks Guy Benjamin, Stanford (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1) Doug Williams, Grambling State (AP-1, UPI-2, NEA-2, TSN, WC) Matt Cavanaugh, Pittsburgh (AFCA) Derrick Ramsey, Kentucky (AP-3) Running backs Earl Campbell, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Terry Miller, Oklahoma State (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Charles Alexander, LSU (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-2, WC) John Pagliaro, Yale (AP-3, WC) Jerome Persell, Western Michigan (AP-2) I. M. Hipp, Nebraska (UPI-2, NEA-2) Johnny Davis, Alabama (UPI-2) Ben Cowins, Arkansas (UPI-2) Bo Robinson, West Texas State (AP-3) Defense Defensive ends Art Still, Kentucky (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Ross Browner, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) John Anderson, Michigan (UPI-2) Kelton Dansler, Ohio State (AP-2) Willie Fry, Notre Dame (UPI-2) Hugh Green, Pittsburgh (AP-2) Al Harris, Arizona State (NEA-2) Jerry DeLoach, California (AP-3) Chuck Schott, Army (AP-3) Defensive tackles Brad Shearer, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Randy Holloway, Pittsburgh (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, TSN, WC) Dee Hardison, North Carolina (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN, NEA-2) Mike Bell, Colorado State (AP-2) Manu Tuiasosopo, UCLA (UPI-2) Mekeli Ieremia, Brigham Young (NEA-2) Larry Bethea, Michigan State (AP-3, NEA-2 [DE]) Jimmy Walker, Arkansas (AP-3) Middle guards Aaron Brown, Ohio St. (AFCA, UPI-2, WC) Reggie Kinlaw, Oklahoma (AP-3, UPI-1) Randy Sidler, Penn State (AP-1) Don Latimer, Pittsburgh (AP-2) Linebackers Jerry Robinson, UCLA (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, WC) Tom Cousineau, Ohio State (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-2, WC) Gary Spani, Kansas St. (AFCA, AP-3, UPI-1, FN, NEA-2) Mike Woods, Cincinnati (AP-1, NEA-1, TSN) Lucius Sanford, Georgia Tech (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2, TSN) Clay Matthews, Jr., USC (NEA-1, TSN) Daryl Hunt, Oklahoma (AP-3, UPI-2, FN, WC) John Anderson, Michigan (FWAA) George Cumby, Oklahoma (AP-1) Bob Golic, Notre Dame (AP-2, UPI-2) Harold Randolph, East Carolina (NEA-2) Michael Jackson, Washington (AP-3) Defensive backs Zac Henderson, Oklahoma (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-1, WC) Dennis Thurman, USC (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, FN, NEA-2, WC) Luther Bradley, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-1, FN, NEA-2, TSN, WC) Bob Jury, Pittsburgh (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-2, TSN, WC) Keith Simpson, Memphis State (NEA-1, TSN) Ray Griffin, Ohio State (UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN) Ken Greene, Washington State (NEA-1) Dwight Hicks, Michigan (AP-2) Bill Krug, Georgia (UPI-2) Charles Williams, Jackson State (AP-2) Eric Felton, Texas Tech (NEA-2) Larry Anderson, Louisiana Tech (AP-3) Ron Johnson, Eastern Michigan (AP-3) John Sturges, Navy (AP-3) Special teams Kickers Steve Little, Arkansas (FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-1, TSN) Tony Franklin, Texas A&M (NEA-2) Punters Russell Erxleben, Texas (FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-1, TSN) Johnny Evans, NC State (NEA-2) Key Bold – Consensus All-AmericanFootball Award Winners National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 2016 March 18, 2017 3, 11–12 http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2016/Awards.pdf -1 – First-team selection -2 – Second-team selection -3 – Third-team selection Official selectors AFCA – American Football Coaches Association, selected by more than 2,000 members for KodakAll-American squad named Las Cruces (NM) Sun-News November 24, 1977 12 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4546589/all_american_squad_named/ AP – Associated PressGrambling Senior QB Named to AP Team Beckley (WV) Post-Herald November 30, 1977 20 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4542665/grambling_senior_qb_named_to_ap_team/ FWAA – Football Writers Association of AmericaFWAA All-America Since 1944: The All-Time Team Ted Gangi March 2, 2016 http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/allamerica/alltime.pdf March 4, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190304073432/http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/allamerica/alltime.pdf dead UPI – United Press InternationalUPI All-America St. Louis Post-Dispatch December 2, 1977 2C https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4546267/notre_dame_trio_head_upi_allamerica/ Other selectors FN – Football NewsCollege football St. Louis Post-Dispatch November 20, 1977 9F https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4547795/1977_football_news_all_america_team/ NEA – Newspaper Enterprise AssociationCampbell, Browner top All Americans The Waxahachie Daily Light December 8, 1977 3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4547638/campbell_browner_top_all_americans/ TSN – The Sporting NewsAll America teams: Sporting News The Courier-Journal (Louisville) December 7, 1977 D3 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4547695/1977_tsn_all_america_team/ WC – Walter Camp Football FoundationIrish, Pittsburgh, Buckeyes dominate Camp All-America Alamogordo Daily News December 13, 1977 2 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/41754620/irish_pittsburgh_buckeyes_dominate/ Newspapers.com See also 1977 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team 1977 All-Big Eight Conference football team 1977 All-Big Ten Conference football team 1977 All-Pacific-8 Conference football team 1977 All-SEC football team 1977 All-Southwest Conference football team References All-America Team Category:All-America college football teams