Associated Press releases midseason All-America team

We’ve now reached the halfway point of the college football season, with conference championship games just seven weeks away; as such, the Associated Press on Tuesday released its midseason All-American team.

The Associated Press’ midseason college football All-American team is highlighted by Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Texas running back Bijan Robinson. The team includes two members of Georgia’s best-in-show defense.

The SEC leads all conferences with seven Associated Press Midseason All-American mentions, followed by the Big Ten and the ACC, each with five apiece.

Here’s a look at the Associated Press’ full midseason All-American team.

Associated Press All-American Offense

Quarterback: Bryce Young, sophomore, Alabama.

Running backs: Kenneth Walker III, junior, Michigan State; Bijan Robinson, sophomore, Texas.

Offensive Tackles: Evan Neal, junior, Alabama; Ikem Ekwonu, junior, North Carolina State.

Guards: Eli Cox, sophomore, Kentucky; Zion Johnson, senior, Boston College.

Center: Tyler Linderbaum, junior, Iowa.

Tight end: Isaiah Likely, senior, Coastal Carolina.

Wide receivers: Drake London, junior, Southern California; Jerreth Sterns, junior, Western Kentucky.

All-purpose player: Sean Tucker, freshman, Syracuse.

Kicker: Nick Sciba, senior, Wake Forest.

Associated Press All-American Defense

Defensive Ends: Aidan Hutchinson, senior, Michigan; Cody Roscoe, senior, Syracuse.

Defensive Tackles: Jordan Davis, senior, Georgia; Demarvin Leal, junior, Texas A&M.

Linebackers: Will Anderson Jr., sophomore, Alabama; Devin Lloyd, junior, Utah; Nakobe Dean, junior, Georgia.

Cornerbacks: Ahmad Gardner, junior, Cincinnati; Matt Hankins, senior, Iowa.

Safeties: Kyle Hamilton, junior, Notre Dame; Jaquan Brisker, senior, Penn State.

Punter Matt Araiza, junior, San Diego State.

Notable changes from preseason to midseason team

There were plenty of changes between the Associated Press’ preseason All-American team and its midseason team, starting at the top: Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler, who has since lost the starting quarterback job to true freshman Caleb Williams, was left off the midseason list.

Iowa State running back Breece Hall, who was named a preseason All-American, was also left off the midseason list; however, Hall has put together a productive season, tallying 748 rushing yards and ten touchdowns through just six games. The emergence of Kenneth Walker at Michigan State, on the other hand, made it difficult to vote Hall onto the team.

There was lots of change at wide receiver, too, as neither of the preseason mentions made the midseason team. Despite Ohio State’s offense thriving in 2021, wide receiver Chris Olave did not make the midseason team, after getting a preseason nod. Olave is having a spectacular season, with 115-plus receiving yards in every game except one — that one two-catch, 12-yard performance may have led to his exclusion. Clemson’s Justyn Ross, a preseason nominee, was also left off the midseason team, as Clemson’s offensive struggles have led to an uncharacteristically quiet season from the junior wideout.