Overview

As the college football season wraps up, the excitement surrounding the 2024 CBS Sports / 247Sports All-America team reaches new heights. A panel of experts from CBS Sports and 247Sports convened, navigating tough selections to recognize the outstanding players who have dominated the field over the past season.

Unanimous Selections

Notably, only three players were distinguished as unanimous selections for the second straight year: Ashton Jeanty from Boise State, Texas's Kelvin Banks, and Alex Mastromanno of Florida State. Jeanty and Banks were already recognized as unanimous selections on the midseason team, while Mastromanno continues to stand out as one of the top punters in the nation.

Retained Accolades

A slew of talented players retained their preseason accolades, including Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona), Will Campbell (LSU), Mason Graham (Michigan), Danny Stusman (Oklahoma), and defensive backs Caleb Downs (Ohio State), Malaki Starks (Georgia), and Xavier Watts (Notre Dame).

Travis Hunter's Triple Honors

Superstar Travis Hunter from Colorado not only repeated his preseason honors as a cornerback and all-purpose player on the first team but also earned a spot as a wide receiver on the second team. This makes him the first athlete since Houston's Marcus Jones to achieve three All-America placements, a feat that highlights his diverse skill set on the field.

Conference Breakdown

In total, the 2024 All-America team features representatives from 38 programs across nine conferences, along with Notre Dame, showcasing just how widespread talent is in college football. Colorado, Ohio State, Penn State, and Texas each enjoyed two first-team selections, while Colorado, Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan, and Oregon received three All-America nods overall, indicating their strong recruiting classes and player development plans.

Big Ten vs SEC

In a twist of fate, the Big Ten reclaimed superiority over the SEC in the CBS Sports / 247Sports All-America selections after the SEC held the top spot in 2023. The Big Ten had 15 players recognized, with seven programs contributing to this impressive total. The SEC was not far behind, having the most programs represented (eight) and matching the Big Ten's six first-team selections.

Selection Breakdown by Conference

Here's a breakdown of the selections by conference: - **Big Ten**: 15 total selections, 6 first-team players - **SEC**: 12 total selections, 6 first-team players - **ACC**: 9 total selections - **Mountain West**: 2 total selections - **MAC**: 1 total selection - **Notre Dame** (Independent): 1 total selection - **Sun Belt**: 1 total selection - **Conference USA**: 1 total selection

2024 CBS Sports All-America Selections

**First Team** *Offense:* - **QB**: Cam Ward (Miami Senior) - **RB**: Ashton Jeanty (Boise State Junior) - **RB**: Cam Skattebo (Arizona State Senior) - **WR**: Nick Nash (San Jose State Redshirt Senior) - **WR**: Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona Junior) - **TE**: Tyler Warren (Penn State Senior) - **C**: Seth McLaughlin (Ohio State Senior) - **OL**: Kelvin Banks (Texas Junior) - **OL**: Will Campbell (LSU Junior) - **OL**: Wyatt Milum (West Virginia Senior) - **OL**: Tyler Booker (Alabama Junior) *Defense:* - **DL**: Abdul Carter (Penn State Junior) - **DL**: Mason Graham (Michigan Junior) - **DL**: Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College Junior) - **LB**: Shaun Dolac (Buffalo Senior) - **LB**: Jay Higgins (Iowa Senior) - **LB**: Danny Stusman (Oklahoma Senior) - **CB**: Travis Hunter (Colorado Junior) - **CB**: Jahdae Barron (Texas Senior) - **DB**: Caleb Downs (Ohio State Sophomore) - **DB**: Malaki Starks (Georgia Junior) - **DB**: Xavier Watts (Notre Dame Redshirt Senior) *Special Teams:* - **K**: Kenneth Almendares (Louisiana Redshirt Senior) - **P**: Alex Mastromanno (Florida State Redshirt Senior) - **KR**: Keelan Marion (BYU Redshirt Junior) - **PR**: Kam Shanks (UAB Redshirt Freshman) - **AP**: Travis Hunter (Colorado Junior) **Second Team** and **Honorable Mentions** features additional players who were notable but missed the main cut.

Conclusion

This enriching insight into the talents of the 2024 season not only sheds light on standout players but also hints at the dynamic future of college football, where the rivalry between conferences continues to escalate. Stay tuned as the next chapter unfolds!