The 1985 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 1985. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1985 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); (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers; and (5) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC). Other selectors included Football News (FN), Gannett News Service (GNS), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), Pro Football Weekly, Scripps Howard (SH), and The Sporting News (TSN).
Ten players were unanimously selected as first-team All-Americans by all five official selectors. They are: Bo Jackson, Auburn running back who rushed for 1,786 yards and won the 1985 Heisman Trophy; Chuck Long, Iowa quarterback who won the 1985 Davey O'Brien Award and Maxwell Award and placed second in the 1985 Heisman Trophy voting; Lorenzo White, Michigan State running back who became the first Big Ten Conference player to rush for over 2,000 yards and placed fourth in the 1985 Heisman Trophy voting; Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma linebacker who won the 1985 Dick Butkus Award; David Williams, Illinois wide receiver who caught 85 passes for 1,047 yards and finished his college career as the second leading receiver in NCAA history; Larry Station, Iowa linebacker who led the team in tackles for the fourth straight season with 129; John Lee, UCLA placekicker who set the NCAA record for highest percentage of extra points and field goals made in a career with 93.3% (116 of 117 PATs, 79 of 92 FGs); Jim Dombrowski, Virginia offensive tackle; Leslie O'Neal, Oklahoma defensive end; and Tim Green, Syracuse defensive end.
Consensus All-Americans The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1985 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 OtherBo JacksonRunning backAuburn5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, SH, TSNChuck LongQuarterbackIowa5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, SH, TSNLorenzo WhiteRunning backMichigan State5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, SH, TSNDavid WilliamsWide receiverIllinois5/3/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCNEA, SH, TSNJim DombrowskiOffensive tackleVirginia5/2/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCNEA, TSNJeff BregelOffensive guardUSC4/3/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPINEA, SH, TSNWillie SmithTight endMiami (Fla.)3/3/6AFCA, AP, WCNEA, SH, TSNPeter AndersonCenterGeorgia3/2/5AFCA, AP, UPIGNS, TSNTim McGeeWide receiverTennessee2/3/5AFCA, AP, UPIGNS, NEA, SHJohn RienstraOffensive guardTemple2/3/5AP, FWAAGNS, NEA, SHBrian JozwiakOffensive tackleWest Virginia3/0/3AP, UPI, WC-J. D. MaarleveldOffensive tackleMaryland2/1/3AFCA, UPINEAJamie DukesOffensive guardFlorida State2/1/3FWAA, WCSHReggie DupardRunning backSMU1/0/1FWAA-Napoleon McCallumRunning backNavy1/0/1WC-Thurman ThomasRunning backOklahoma State1/0/1UPI-
Defense Name Position School Number Official OtherLeslie O'NealDefensive endOklahoma State5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, SH, TSNTim GreenDefensive endSyracuse5/3/8AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, SH, TSNTony CasillasDefensive tackleOklahoma4/4/8AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, SH, TSNLarry StationLinebackerIowa5/2/7AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCNEA, SHDavid FulcherDefensive backArizona State4/3/7AFCA, AP, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, TSNBrian BosworthLinebackerOklahoma5/1/6AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNSMike RuthMiddle guardBoston College4/2/6AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, SHMike HammersteinDefensive tackleMichigan3/3/6AFCA, AP, UPIGNS, NEA, SHBrad CochranDefensive backMichigan4/1/5AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WCSHScott ThomasDefensive backAir Force3/1/4AFCA, FWAA, WCNEAJohnny HollandLinebackerTexas A&M2/0/2AP, FWAA-
Special teams Name Position School Number Official OtherJohn LeePlacekickerUCLA5/4/9AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WCGNS, NEA, SH, TSNBarry HeltonPunterColorado3/1/4AP, UPI, WCGNS
Offense
Quarterbacks
Chuck Long, Iowa (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN) Vinny Testaverde, Miami (Fla.) (CFHOF) (AP-2, UPI-2, NEA-2) Jim Everett, Purdue (AP-3, NEA-2)
Running backs
Bo Jackson, Auburn (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN) Lorenzo White, Michigan State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN) Napoleon McCallum, Navy (CFHOF) (AP-2, WC) Reggie Dupard, SMU (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-2) Thurman Thomas, Oklahoma State (CFHOF) (AP-3, UPI-1) Doug DuBose, Nebraska (UPI-2) Paul Palmer, Temple (CFHOF) (UPI-2) Tom Rathman, Nebraska (AP-3) Ronnie Harmon, Iowa (NEA-2)
Wide receivers
David Williams, Illinois (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1, SH, TSN) Tim McGee, Tennessee (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, GNS, NEA-1, SH) Lew Barnes, Oregon (AP-2, FWAA) Kelvin Martin, Boston College (TSN) Webster Slaughter, San Diego State (AP-2) Mark Bellini, BYU (AP-3, UPI-2) Walter Murray, Hawaii (AP-3, GNS) Richard Estell, Kansas (UPI-2) Reggie Bynum, Oregon State (NEA-2) Michael Irvin, Miami (Fla.) (NEA-2)
Tight ends
Willie Smith, Miami (Fla.) (AFCA, AP-1, WC, NEA-1, SH, TSN) Brian Forster, Rhode Island (GNS) Keith Jackson, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AP-2) Eric Kattus, Michigan (AP-3) William Harris, Texas (NEA-2)
Centers
Peter Anderson, Georgia (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, GNS, TSN) Gene Chilton, Texas (AP-3, UPI-2, WC, NEA-1) Bill Lewis, Nebraska (AP-2, FWAA, NEA-2, SH)
Guards
Jeff Bregel, USC (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-1, SH, TSN) John Rienstra, Temple (AP-1, FWAA, GNS, NEA-1, SH) J. D. Maarleveld, Maryland (AFCA, UPI-1, NEA-1 [OT]) Jamie Dukes, Florida State (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, WC, NEA-2, SH) Jeff Zimmerman, Florida (AP-3, UPI-2, WC, GNS, NEA-2, TSN) Tim Scannell, Notre Dame (SH) Todd Moules, Penn State (AP-3)
Tackles
Jim Dombrowski, Virginia (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1, TSN) Brian Jozwiak, West Virginia (AP-1, UPI-1, WC, NEA-2) John Davis, Georgia Tech (TSN) Don Smith, Army (AFCA, AP-2 [G]) James FitzPatrick, USC (GNS) Joe Milinichik, North Carolina State (GNS, NEA-2) John Clay, Missouri (AP-2) Doug Williams, Texas A&M (AP-2, UPI-2) Mark Cochran, Baylor (UPI-2) Steve Wallace, Auburn (AP-3) Will Wolford, Vanderbilt (AP-3)
Defense
Defensive ends
Leslie O'Neal, Oklahoma State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1 [DT], SH, TSN) Tim Green, Syracuse (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-2, SH, TSN) Pat Swilling, Georgia Tech (CFHOF) (FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-2) Jim Skow, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2)
Defensive tackles
Tony Casillas, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1 [NG], SH, TSN) Mike Hammerstein, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, GNS, NEA-1, SH) Jon Hand, Alabama (NEA-2, TSN) Jerome Brown, Miami (Fla.) (AP-2) Mark Walen, UCLA (AP-2) Jason Buck, BYU (AP-3) Tim Johnson, Penn State (AP-3) Mark Messner, Michigan (CFHOF) (AP-3)
Middle guards
Mike Ruth, Boston College (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-2, SH) Jerry Ball, SMU (AP-3)
Linebackers
Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-2) Larry Station, Iowa (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1, SH) Johnny Holland, Texas A&M (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2) Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (CFHOF) (AP-2, UPI-2 [DL], WC, TSN) Pepper Johnson, Ohio State (UPI-1) Michael Brooks, LSU (AP-1, GNS, NEA-2, SH) Kevin Murphy, Oklahoma (AP-2, UPI-2 [line], NEA-1, TSN) Alonzo Johnson, Florida (AP-3, UPI-2 [line], GNS, SH, TSN) Shane Conlan, Penn State (CFHOF) (AP-3, UPI-2, NEA-1) Chris Spielman, Ohio State (CFHOF) (AP-3, NEA-1) Mike Mallory, Michigan (AP-3, UPI-2) John Offerdahl, Western Michigan (AP-2, NEA-2)
Defensive backs
David Fulcher, Arizona State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1, TSN) Brad Cochran, Michigan (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, SH) Scott Thomas, Air Force (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-3, FWAA, UPI-2, WC, NEA-1) Allen Durden, Arizona (AP-2, UPI-1, WC, NEA-1) Thomas Everett, Baylor (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1) Mark Moore, Oklahoma State (AP-1, UPI-2, GNS, NEA-2, TSN) Tim McDonald, USC (TSN) Mark Collins, Cal-State Fullerton (AP-3, GNS, NEA-2, TSN) Michael Zordich, Penn State (AP-2 [LB], FWAA, SH) Rod Woodson, Purdue (CFHOF) (NEA-1) Chris White, Tennessee (AP-2, SH) Phil Parker, Michigan State (UPI-2, NEA-2) Vestee Jackson, Washington (NEA-2) Greg Lasker, Arkansas (AP-3)
Special teams
Placekickers
John Lee, UCLA (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-1, SH, TSN) John Diettrich, Ball State (AP-2) Carlos Reveiz, Tennessee (AP-3, UPI-2) Chris White, Illinois (NEA-2)
Punters
Barry Helton, Colorado (AP-1, UPI-1, WC, GNS, NEA-2) Lewis Colbert, Auburn (AFCA, UPI-2, TSN) Bill Smith, Mississippi (FWAA) Ray Criswell, Florida (NEA-1) Mark Simon, Air Force (AP-2, SH) Steve Kidd, Rice (AP-3)
Returners
Erroll Tucker, Utah (FWAA, GNS, TSN)
Key Bold – Consensus All-American -1 – First-team selection -2 – Second-team selection -3 – Third-team selection CFHOF = College Football Hall of Fame inductee
Official selectors
AFCA – American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), selected by the members of the AFCA for the Kodak All-America team AP – Associated Press FWAA – Football Writers Association of America UPI – United Press International WC – Walter Camp Football Foundation
Other selectors
FN – Football News GNS – Gannett News Service selected by Joel S. Buchsbaum NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association PFW – Pro Football Weekly SH – Scripps Howard TSN – The Sporting News
See also 1985 All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team 1985 All-Big Eight Conference football team 1985 All-Big Ten Conference football team 1985 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team 1985 All-SEC football team
References