Thursday, December 26, 2019

The All-Time All-America team for college football's 150th anniversary



https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/28356861/the-all-all-america-team-college-football-150th-anniversary

FIRST TEAM

CB Deion Sanders, Florida State (1985-88)
Interceptions: 14 | Punt return TDs: 3 | Punt return yards: 1,429
Legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden coached two Heisman Trophy winners, 26 consensus All-Americans and more than 150 NFL draft choices. But Bowden is certain which Seminole was the best athlete he ever coached. "Deion Sanders, no doubt about it," Bowden says. Sanders, an electrifying cornerback and punt returner, snagged 14 interceptions, four of which he returned for touchdowns. He led the FBS in punt returns with a 15.2-yard average in 1988, and set FSU career records with 126 punt returns for 1,429 yards with three scores. He was a unanimous All-American in 1987 and '88 and won the Thorpe Award as the sport's best defensive back as a senior.

K Sebastian Janikowski, Florida State (1997-99)
Points: 323 | Field goals made: 66 | PATs made: 125
After Janikowski helped the Seminoles win their second national title in 1999, FSU coach Bobby Bowden told reporters, "Boy, have you ever thought about how many national championships we might have won if we had Janikowski every year of my career?" The Seminoles were haunted by near misses -- and missed field goals -- throughout the early part of Bowden's career. That wasn't the case with the Polish-born Janikowski, who amassed 323 points in three seasons and is the only back-to-back winner of the Lou Groza Award in 1998 and '99. He set FSU and ACC records with 27 field goals in 1998.

SECOND TEAM

WR Fred Biletnikoff, Florida State (1962-64)
Receptions: 87 | Receiving yards: 1,463 | Touchdowns: 16
Biletnikoff gave few signs early in his career that he would become one of the legendary wide receivers in the game. But in 1964, paired with his classmate, quarterback Steve Tensi, Biletnikoff caught 57 passes for 987 yards and 11 touchdowns to become Florida State's first consensus All-American as a senior. He added 13, 192 and four, respectively, in a 36-19 rout of Oklahoma in the Gator Bowl that season. More importantly, Florida State beat Florida that season a) for the first time in seven attempts and b) on the Gators' first visit to Doak Campbell Stadium. Here's another way of knowing the impact you made: Florida State retired his No. 25 jersey when he graduated.

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