1997 College Football All-America Team

The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original usage of the term All-America seems to have been to such a list selected by football pioneer Walter Camp in the 1890s. The NCAA officially recognizes All-Americans selected by the AP, AFCA, FN, FWAA, TSN, and the WCFF to determine Consensus All-Americans.

Quarterback

• Peyton Manning, Tennessee (AP-1, AFCA, FN, FWAA, WCFF)
• Ryan Leaf, Washington State (AP-2, TSN)
• Cade McNown, UCLA (AP-3)

Running backs

• Ricky Williams, Texas (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, FWAA-Writers, WCFF, TSN)
• Curtis Enis, Penn State (AP-1, FWAA-Writers, WCFF)
• Skip Hicks, UCLA (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches, TSN)
• Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (FN)
• Ahman Green, Nebraska (AP-2)
• Tavian Banks, Iowa (AP-3)
• Fred Taylor, Florida (AP-3)

Wide receivers

• Randy Moss, Marshall (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, FWAA-Writers, TSN, WCFF)
• Jacquez Green, Florida (AP-1, FWAA, WCFF)
• Jerome Pathon, Washington (AFCA)
• Brian Alford, Purdue (AP-2, FN)
• E. G. Green, Florida State (AP-2)
• Troy Edwards, Louisiana Tech (AP-3)
• Bobby Shaw, California (AP-3)

Tight end

• Alonzo Mayes, Oklahoma State (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FWAA-Writers, WCFF, TSN)
• Jerame Tuman, Michigan (AP-2, FN)
• Rufus French, Ole Miss (AP-3)

Guards/tackles

• Aaron Taylor, Nebraska (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp, TSN)
• Alan Faneca, LSU (AP-1, FN, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp)
• Kyle Turley, San Diego State (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches, FN, FWAA-Writers, TSN)
• Chad Overhauser, UCLA (AP-1, FWAA-Writers, TSN)
• Benji Olson, Washington (AP-1, Walter Camp)
• Victor Riley, Auburn (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches)
• Matt Stinchcomb, Georgia (AP-3, AFCA-Coaches)
• Flozell Adams, Michigan State (AP-2, Walter Camp)
• Rob Murphy, Ohio State (FN)
• Tra Thomas, Florida State (AP-2)
• Eric Anderson, Nebraska (AP-3)
• Jim Bundren, Clemson (AP-3)
• Kyle Murphy, Arizona State (AP-3)

Center

• Olin Kreutz, Washington (AP-1, FN, WCFF, TSN)
• Kevin Long, Florida State (AP-3, AFCA-Coaches)
• Ben Fricke, Houston (AP-2, FWAA-Writers)

Linemen

• Andre Wadsworth, Florida State (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, Walter Camp, TSN)
• Grant Wistrom, Nebraska (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp, TSN)
• Greg Ellis, North Carolina (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, Walter Camp)
• Jason Peter, Nebraska (AP-1, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp, TSN)
• Glen Steele, Michigan (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches)
• Jeremy Staat, Arizona State (AP-2, FWAA-Writers)
• Lamanzer Williams, Minnesota (AP-3, FWAA-Writers)
• Kailee Wong, Stanford (FN)
• Jared DeVries, Iowa (AP-2)
• Leon Bender, Washington State (AP-3)
• Ed Chester, Florida (AP-3)
• Henry Slay, West Virginia (AP-3)

Linebackers

• Andy Katzenmoyer, Ohio State (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp)
• Sam Cowart, Florida State (AP-1, FN, FWAA-Writers, TSN)
• Anthony Simmons, Clemson (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, TSN)
• Brian Simmons, North Carolina (AP-1, FN, Walter Camp)
• Jamie Duncan, Vanderbilt (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches, FWAA-Writers)
• Leonard Little, Tennessee (AP-2, Walter Camp)
• Takeo Spikes, Auburn (AP-2, TSN)
• Pat Tillman, Arizona State (AP-2, TSN)
• Ron Warner, Kansas (FN)
• Sam Sword, Michigan (AP-2)
• Daryl Bush, Florida State (AP-3)
• Kivuusama Mays, North Carolina (AP-3)
• Ike Reese, Michigan State (AP-3)
• Chris Gizzi, Air Force (AP-3)

Backs

• Charles Woodson, Michigan (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, FN, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp, TSN)
• Dré Bly, North Carolina (AP-1, FN, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp)
• Donovin Darius, Syracuse (AP-1, AFCA-Coaches, TSN)
• Brian Lee, Wyoming (AP-1, FN, FWAA-Writers, Walter Camp)
• Fred Weary, Florida (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches, FN, Walter Camp, TSN)
• Antoine Winfield, Ohio State (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches, FWAA-Writers)
• Anthony Poindexter, Virginia (TSN, AP-3)
• Marcus Ray, Michigan (AP-2)
• Shaun Williams, UCLA (AP-2)
• Larry Atkins, UCLA (AP-3)
• Kevin Williams, Oklahoma State (AP-3)
• Patrick Surtain, Southern Mississippi (AP-3)

Placekicker

• Martín Gramática, Kansas State (AP-1, FN, FWAA-Writers, TSN)
• Chris Sailer, UCLA (AP-2, AFCA-Coaches, WCFF)
• Brad Palazzo, Tulane (AP-3)

Punter

• Chad Kessler, LSU (AP-1, FN, WCFF, TSN)
• Chris Sailer, UCLA (FWAA-Writers)
• Shane Lechler, Texas A&M (AP-2)
• John Baker, North Texas (AP-3)

All-purpose / kick returners

• Tim Dwight, Iowa (AP-All-Purpose-1, AFCA-Coaches, FWAA-Writers, TSN)
• Quinton Spotwood, Syracuse (AP-All-Purpose-2)
• Kevin Faulk, LSU (AP-All-Purpose-3)

• 1997 All-ACC football team
• 1997 All-Big 12 Conference football team
• 1997 All-Big Ten Conference football team
• 1997 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team
• 1997 All-SEC football team

• "AP All-America Team". The Daily Times. December 10, 1997. p. 3D. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
• "LSU names two Tigers All-America". The Daily Advertiser. November 13, 1997. p. 4C. Retrieved December 20, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
• Gangi, Ted; Yonis, Josh. "FWAA All-America Team" (PDF). Football Writers Association of America. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 27, 2015.
• "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. pp. 15, 16. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
• "College Football: TSN All American Teams". Sporting News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2009.
• "All-America Teams". Walter Camp Football Foundation. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012.