Ohio State’s run to its first national championship in a decade enabled the Buckeyes to dominate the Associated Press All-College Football Playoff team.
The AP changed the way it assembled its postseason all-star teams this season because college football introduced an expanded 12-team playoff with some schools playing as many as four postseason games.
AP released one. All-bowl team Jan. 7 for players who participated in non-playoff bowl games. Now the cooperative is unveiling an all-playoff team exclusive to players from the 12 College Football Playoff teams.
Since only four teams have actually won any playoff games this season, all but one player on the All-Playoff team comes from those four schools.
Because some defenses operate in 4-3 schemes, others use a 3-4 and still others run with a base nickel defense, the AP plays through defenses with four linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs. Covered all bases.
QB Will Howard, Ohio State
Howard has completed over 75% of his passes for 1,150 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions in four playoff games. It was named. Offensive Most Valuable Player In the championship game after going 17 of 21 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and 57 yards on 16 carries. 34-23 victory Above Notre Dame.
RB Traveon Henderson, Ohio State
Henderson scored two touchdowns in each of Ohio State’s first two playoff victories and then caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 75-yard score against the Buckeyes. 28-14 Cotton Bowl victory Over Texas he finished the playoffs with 36 carries for 265 yards and four touchdowns plus eight catches for 149 yards and one touchdown.
RB Quinson Judkins, Ohio State
Before the championship game, the all-playoff team considered adding Penn State’s two standout running backs — Nicholas Singleton or Ketron Allen — to pair with Henderson. But Judkins made the team with his stellar performance against Notre Dame. He rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries while also catching two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. Judkins finished the playoffs with 255 yards rushing and seven total touchdowns (6 rushing, 1 receiving).
WR Matthew Golden, Texas
Texas was on the brink of a playoff exit before Golden caught a 28-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-13 overtime play. 39-31 Peach Bowl Quarterfinal victory over Arizona State. He totaled 11 receptions for 249 yards to go along with that touchdown in three playoff games. That included seven receptions for 149 yards against Arizona State.
W. R. Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame
Greathouse allowed just 359 yards in Notre Dame’s first 14 games before going over the 100-yard mark in each of the Fighting Irish’s last two contests. He caught seven passes for 105 yards and a game-tying 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 left at Notre Dame. 27-24 Orange Bowl victory Over Penn State. He then had six receptions for 128 yards — including touchdowns of 34 and 30 yards — to spark Notre Dame’s rally in the championship game.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
This Associated Press All America The second-team selection finished his sensational freshman season by catching 19 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns in four playoff games. He scored twice in one. 42-17 victory in the first round over Tennessee and followed that up with seven receptions for 187 yards and two more scores in one 41-21 Rose Bowl rout of previously undefeated Oregon. Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame, and his 56-yard catch on a third-and-11 play set up a clinching field goal.
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
The John Mackey Award winner as college football’s top tight end scored two touchdowns at Penn State 31-14 Fiesta Bowl victory Above Boise State. Although Penn State didn’t get any catches from its wideouts in the Orange Bowl, Warren fueled the Nittany Lions’ offense by catching six passes for 74 yards and rushing for 21 yards on two carries. He had 16 receptions for 171 yards and three carries for 27 yards in three playoff games.
All-Purpose Cam Scituatebo, Arizona State
Skitbo, The AP All-America first-team running back sparked Arizona State’s Peach Bowl comeback with 143 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, catching eight passes for 99 yards and even a 42-yarder. Threw a touchdown pass.
OL Kelvin Banks, Texas
Banks, an AP All-America first-team tackle, gave up one quarterback hurry and no sacks in Texas’ three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. His overall PFF blocking rating was over 75 in one. 38-24 victory in the first round at Clemson and against Ohio State. He had an 86.4 pass blocking rating in the semifinal loss to the Buckeyes.
OL Carson Hinzman, Ohio State
After playing center in 2023, Hinzman moved to left guard this season to make room for Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin. But after McLaughlin Injured his Achilles tendon. In November, Hinzman moved back to center and helped open up plenty of holes for Henderson and Judkins during the playoffs.
OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
Jackson made the AP All-America team as a second-team guard, but moved to left-handed when Josh Simmons A knee injury ended the season in October. According to PFF, he did not allow a sack in any of Ohio State’s four playoff games.
OL Nolan Rookie, Penn State
Penn State’s left tackle allowed no sacks and just one quarterback hurry in three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF totaled Rucci over 70 in each of Penn State’s playoff games.
OL Amil Wagner, Notre Dame
The right tackle provided stability to a Notre Dame offensive line that has dealt with multiple injuries during this playoff run. According to PFF, he allowed just one sack in four playoff games.
DL Abdul Carter, Penn State
Carter, an AP All-America first-team selection and AP Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Suffered a shoulder injury against Boise State but returned for the semifinals and collected five tackles and a sack against Notre Dame while playing through the injury. He also had three tackles and a sack against SMU.
DL Danny Dennis Sutton, Penn State
Dennis Sutton totaled 4½ sacks in Penn State’s three playoff games. He collected two sacks and forced a sack against Notre Dame, a sack against Boise State and a sack and a half against SMU.
DL Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Sawyer had one of the most memorable highlights of the playoffs by receiving a strip sack and returning it 83 yards for the clinching touchdown against Texas. He had two sacks against Oregon and a sack and a half against Tennessee.
DL JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Tuimoloau totaled 10 tackles for loss and 6½ sacks in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had two sacks each against Tennessee and Oregon, one and a half against Texas and one against Notre Dame.
LB Drake Bowen, Notre Dame
Bowen had eight tackles in each of Notre Dame’s last two games, and also forced a fumble against Ohio State. He had 1½ tackles for loss in Notre Dame’s 27–17 first-round victory over Indiana and six total tackles and a half tackle for loss in the Irish’s 23–10 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia. .
LB Jake Kizer, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s sixth-year senior linebacker collected six tackles and a sack and caused a flurry against Georgia. He followed that up by recording a team-high 10 tackles against Penn State.
LB Cody Simon, Ohio State
Simon totaled 38 tackles in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had 12 tackles in a first-round win over Tennessee and 11 tackles plus two sacks against Oregon.
LB Sonny Stiles, Ohio State
Stiles had nine tackles — three for loss — plus a sack and a forced fumble against Texas. He also recorded a sack against Notre Dame.
DB Jahde Baron, Texas
Barron, an AP All-America first-team cornerback, helped with a coverage scheme that limited Smith to one catch for 3 yards in Texas’ semifinal against Ohio State. He had 11 tackles against Arizona State. He broke up two passes against Clemson and had an overall PFF rating of 78.5 for the game.
DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
This AP All-America first-team safety anchored Ohio State’s secondary during the postseason. His interception with less than two minutes left dashed Texas’ hopes of an eventual return to the Cotton Bowl semifinals.
DB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
The freshman stepped into a prominent role after a season-ending injury to AP All-America preseason second-team selection Benjamin Morrison and developed into Notre Dame’s best cornerback. PFF gave him an overall defensive rating of 76.4 against Indiana and 78.5 against Georgia.
DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Watts, an AP All-America first-team safety, had an interception in the red zone that prevented Indiana from taking an early lead in Notre Dame’s first-round playoff game. PFF graded him 70 or higher in three of Notre Dame’s four playoff contests.
DB Zackie Wheatley, Penn State
Wheatley had two playoff interceptions – one against Boise State and the other against Notre Dame. He collected 16 tackles and a sack in the Notre Dame game. He made seven tackles and broke up a pass against SMU.
K Mitch Jeter, Notre Dame
Jeter missed a 27-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter of the championship game, but he made a tie-breaking 41-yarder with seven seconds left in the Orange Bowl to put Notre Dame at that point. I helped. Jeter went 7 of 9 on field goal attempts in the playoffs, including 6 of 6 from 40-49 yards.
P. James Randall, Notre Dame
Randle’s 41.5 playoff punting average might not seem particularly impressive, but he landed seven of his 13 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and didn’t have a single touchback.
KR Jayden Harrison, Notre Dame
Harrison’s 98-yard touchdown return of the second half kickoff in the Sugar Bowl was the best return by anyone in the playoffs.
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