The Associated Press released its Preseason All-American team on Monday, with 27 selections named to both the First and Second Teams.
The First-Team selections, which is a who’s who of the top names in college football, includes 18 players from either the SEC or Big Ten (Ohio State leads with four selections), and just seven selections between the ACC and Big 12.
The Big 12, which officially expanded to 16 teams earlier this month, had just three selections among the elite names of college football. However, any list that didn’t include the trio would be hard to take seriously, given the expectations around each of them.
The first Big 12 player mentioned is Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon, who is fresh off a season that earned him the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top running back.
Among a list of 20 or so other returning starters, Gordon headlines a Cowboys’ squad that expects to contend for a Big 12 title in Mike Gundy’s 20th season.
The second Big 12 name on the list in Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. In 2023, McMillan was a nightmare for opposing secondaries, hauling in 90 receptions for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Arizona enters the Big 12 with a new head coach, but the return of McMillan and superstar quarterback Noah Fifita gives the Wildcats a reason for optimism.
The third and final Big 12 player mentioned on this list is Colorado wideout/cornerback Travis Hunter. Named the first-team selection as the “All-Purpose Player,” Hunter is expected to be among the most utilized weapons in college football this fall, and rightfully so.
NFL scouts view him as a Top 10 pick in the 2025 draft, and the Buffaloes would be wise to use him in every way imaginable during his presumed final year at the collegiate level.
