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 put together its postseason all-star teams this season as college football introduced an expanded 12-team playoff that had some schools playing as many as four postseason games.
The AP released an all-bowl team Jan. 7 for players who competed in non-playoff bowl games. Now the cooperative is unveiling an all-playoff team reserved only for players from the 12 College Football Playoff teams.
Since only four teams actually won any playoff games this season, all but one of the players on the all-playoff team come from those four schools.
Because some defenses operate in 4-3 schemes, others use a 3-4 and still others go with a base nickel defense, the AP covered all bases by having a defense with four linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs.
Howard completed more than 75% of his passes for 1,150 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions in four playoff games. He was named the offensive most valuable player of the championship game after going 17 of 21 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for 57 yards on 16 carries in a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.
Henderson had two touchdowns in each of Ohio State's first two playoff victories and then caught a pass well behind the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 75-yard score in the Buckeyes' 28-14 Cotton Bowl triumph over Texas. He finished the playoff with 36 carries for 265 yards and four touchdowns plus eight catches for 149 yards and one touchdown.
Before the championship game, the all-playoff team figured to include one of Penn State’s two outstanding running backs — Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen — to pair with Henderson. But Judkins forced his way onto the team with his outstanding performance against Notre Dame. He ran 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).
Texas was on the brink of playoff elimination before Golden made a 28-yard touchdown catch on a fourth-and-13 overtime play in a 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.
Greathouse totaled just 359 yards receiving over 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 had a tying 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 left in Notre Dame's 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.
This Associated Press All-America second-team selection capped his sensational freshman season by catching 19 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns in four playoff games. He scored twice in a 42-17 first-round victory over Tennessee and followed that up by having seven receptions for 187 yards and two more scores in a 41-21 Rose Bowl rout of previously unbeaten 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.
The winner of the John Mackey Award as college football's top tight end scored two touchdowns in Penn State's 31-14 Fiesta Bowl victory over Boise State. Although Penn State got no catches from its wideouts in the Orange Bowl, Warren juiced the Nittany Lions' offense by catching six passes for 74 yards and running for 21 yards on two carries. He totaled 16 receptions for 171 yards and three carries for 27 yards in three playoff games.
Skattebo, an AP All-America first-team running back, sparked Arizona State's Peach Bowl comeback by rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, catching eight passes for 99 yards and even throwing a 42-yard touchdown pass.
Banks, an AP All-America first-team tackle, allowed one quarterback hurry and no sacks in Texas' three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. He had an overall PFF blocking rating of over 75 in a 38-24 first-round victory over Clemson and against Ohio State. He had an 86.4 pass-blocking rating in the semifinal loss to the Buckeyes.
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 throughout the playoffs.
Jackson made the AP All-America team as a second-team guard, but he moved to left tackle when Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. He didn't allow a single sack in any of Ohio State's four playoff games, according to PFF.
Penn State’s left tackle allowed no sacks and just one quarterback hurry in three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF graded Rucci out at over 70 overall in each of Penn State's playoff games.
This right tackle provided stability for a Notre Dame offensive line that dealt with multiple injuries during this playoff run. He allowed just one sack in four playoff games, according to PFF.
Carter, an AP All-America first-team selection and the AP Big Ten defensive player of the year, injured his shoulder against Boise State but returned for the semifinal and collected five tackles and a sack against Notre Dame while playing hurt. He also had three tackles and a sack against SMU.
Dennis-Sutton totaled 4½ sacks in Penn State’s three playoff games. He collected two sacks and forced a fumble against Notre Dame, delivered one sack against Boise State and had 1½ against SMU.
Sawyer delivered one of the most memorable highlights of this playoff by getting a strip sack and returning the fumble 83 yards for a clinching touchdown against Texas. He also had two sacks against Oregon and 1½ against Tennessee.
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, 1½ against Texas and one against Notre Dame.
Bowen had eight tackles in each of Notre Dame’s last two games, and he 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 had six total tackles and half a tackle for loss in the Irish’s 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
Notre Dame’s sixth-year senior linebacker collected six tackles and a sack and forced a fumble against Georgia. He followed that up by recording a team-high 10 tackles against Penn State.
Simon totaled 38 tackles in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had 12 tackles in the first-round win over Tennessee and had 11 tackles plus two sacks against Oregon.
Styles had nine tackles — three for loss — plus a sack and a forced fumble against Texas. He also recorded a sack against Notre Dame.
Barron, an AP All-America first-team cornerback, assisted in the coverage scheme that limited Smith to one catch for 3 yards in Texas’ semifinal loss to Ohio State. He had 11 tackles against Arizona State. He broke up two passes against Clemson and had a 78.5 overall rating from PFF for that game.
This AP All-America first-team safety solidified Ohio State’s secondary throughout the postseason. His interception with less than two minutes left thwarted Texas’ last comeback hopes in the Cotton Bowl semifinal.
This freshman stepped into a featured role following 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 overall defensive ratings of 76.4 against Indiana and 78.5 against Georgia.
Watts, an AP All-America first-team safety, made an interception in the red zone that prevented Indiana from taking an early lead in Notre Dame’s first-round playoff game. PFF rated him at 70 or higher in three of Notre Dame’s four playoff contests.
Wheatley had two playoff interceptions — one against Boise State and another 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.
Jeter had a 27-yard field-goal attempt bounce off the left upright in the fourth quarter of the championship game, but he also helped Notre Dame get to that point by making a tiebreaking 41-yarder with seven seconds left in the Orange Bowl. Jeter went 7 of 9 on field-goal attempts in the playoffs, including 6 of 6 from 40-49 yards out.
Rendell’s 41.5 playoff punting average might not seem particularly impressive on the surface, but he landed seven of his 13 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and didn’t have a single touchback.
Harrison’s 98-yard touchdown return of the second-half kickoff in the Sugar Bowl was the best return for anyone in this playoff.
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