Oklahoma & Oklahoma State legends land on AP all-time All-America football teams

The Associated Press celebrates 100 years of All-America football with its centennial AP All-Time All-America teams, honoring the greatest college players across a century of gridiron history. Among the star-studded rosters, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State place some of their own legends in the spotlight.

Oklahoma State

For Oklahoma State, Barry Sanders (1988) earned a spot on the first-team offense as one of the most electrifying running backs in college football history. Sanders’ record-breaking career, including his unforgettable Heisman Trophy-winning season, cements his legacy not just at OSU but across the sport.

Oklahoma

OU is represented by Keith Jackson (TE, 1986-87, second team), while in defense, LeeRoy Selmon (DT, 1975, second team) gives the Sooners a nod in the AP centennial selections. Brian Bosworth also earned second-team honors for Oklahoma. “The Boz,” earned back-to-back AP First-Team All-American honors in 1985 and 1986. He won the Dick Butkus Award twice, given to the nation’s top linebacker

Selections were based solely on collegiate achievement: all honorees were AP first-team All-Americans at least once in their careers, with professional success not factoring into the decision. A panel of 12 AP college football writers voted across generations to assemble the teams.

The AP All-Time first team features legends such as Tim Tebow, Deion Sanders, Ed Reed, and Barry Sanders, while the second team balances stars from multiple eras, including OU’s LeeRoy Selmon and OSU’s Barry Sanders. Across both teams, Oklahoma-based programs demonstrate their storied tradition of producing elite talent on both sides of the ball.

First Team Offense

QB – Tim Tebow, Florida (2007)

RB – Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State (1988)

RB – Herschel Walker, Georgia (1980-81-82)

WR – Randy Moss, Marshall (1997)

WR – Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh (2003)

TE – Brock Bowers, Georgia (2023)

OT – Orlando Pace, Ohio State (1995-96)

OT – Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh (1982-83-84)

OG – John Hannah, Alabama (1972)

OG – Jim Parker, Ohio State (1956)

OC – Chuck Bednarik, Penn (1947-48)

AP – Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska (1972)

K – Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State (1998-99)

First Team Defense

DE – Hugh Green, Pittsburgh (1978-79-80)

DE – Randy White, Maryland (1974)

DT – Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (2009)

DT – Bronko Nagurski, Minnesota (1929)

LB – Dick Butkus, Illinois (1964)

LB – Derrick Thomas, Alabama (1988)

LB – Chris Spielman, Ohio State (1986-87)

CB – Charles Woodson, Michigan (1996-97)

CB – Deion Sanders, Florida State (1987-88)

S – Ronnie Lott, USC (1980)

S – Ed Reed, Miami (2000-01)

P – Tory Taylor, Iowa (2023)

Second Team Offense

QB – Vince Young, Texas (2005)

RB – Archie Griffin, Ohio State (1974-75)

RB – Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh (1976)

WR – DeVonta Smith, Alabama (2020)

WR – Desmond Howard, Michigan (1991)

TE – Keith Jackson, Oklahoma (1986-87)

OT – Jonathan Ogden, UCLA (1995)

OT – Bryant McKinnie, Miami (2001)

OG – Brad Budde, USC (1979)

OG – John Smith, Notre Dame (1927)

OC – Dave Rimington, Nebraska (1981-82)

AP – Tim Brown, Notre Dame (1986-87)

K – Martin Gramatica, Kansas State (1997)

Second Team Defense

DE – Bubba Smith, Michigan State (1966)

DE – Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech (1984)

DT – LeeRoy Selmon, Oklahoma (1975)

DT – Warren Sapp, Miami (1994)

LB – Jerry Robinson, UCLA (1976-77-78)

LB – Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma (1985-86)

LB – Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina (1980)

CB – Champ Bailey, Georgia (1998)

CB – Tyrann Mathieu, LSU (2011)

S – Bennie Blades, Miami (1986-87)

S – Al Brosky, Illinois (1951)

P – Reggie Roby, Iowa (1981)