While the bowl games and College Football Playoff are yet to be played, it’s award season around college football. Things got kicked off in earnest last week with the 29th annual Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday evening.
That was a broadly disappointing evening for the Hawkeyes as kicker Keith Duncan was confoundingly robbed of the Lou Groza Award for the nation’s top kicker. Three Hawkeyes did earn Walter Camp All-American honors, but Duncan was again robbed by Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship, who earned 1st team honors ahead of Duncan. Iowa’s only first teamer was offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs. Duncan and defensive end A.J. Epenesa were eached named to the second team.
Today, the honors continued to roll in for the trio, who were all named to the AP All-America team. This time, however, they got it right and named Duncan to the first team. Wirfs and Epenesa, meanwhile, were both named to the second team.
Here’s a look at the full set of All-Americans per the AP:
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Joe Burrow, senior, LSU.
Running backs — Chuba Hubbard, sophomore, Oklahoma State; Jonathan Taylor, junior, Wisconsin.
Tackles — Penei Sewell, sophomore, Oregon; Andrew Thomas, junior, Georgia.
Guards — Wyatt Davis, sophomore, Ohio State; Kevin Dotson, senior, Louisiana-Lafayette.
Center — Tyler Biadasz, junior, Wisconsin.
Tight end — Harrison Bryant, senior, Florida Atlantic.
Wide receivers — Ja’Marr Chase, sophomore, LSU; CeeDee Lamb, junior, Oklahoma.
All-purpose player — Lynn Bowden Jr., junior, Kentucky.
Kicker — Keith Duncan, junior, Iowa.
DEFENSE
Ends — Chase Young, junior, Ohio State; James Lynch, junior, Baylor.
Tackles — Derrick Brown, senior, Auburn; Javon Kinlaw, senior, South Carolina.
Linebackers — Isaiah Simmons, junior, Clemson; Evan Weaver, senior, California; Micah Parsons, sophomore, Penn State.
Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley, freshman, LSU; Jeff Okudah, junior, Ohio State.
Safeties — Antoine Winfield Jr., sophomore, Minnesota; J.R. Reed, senior, Georgia.
Punter — Max Duffy, junior, Kentucky.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Justin Fields, sophomore, Ohio State.
Running backs — J.K. Dobbins, junior, Ohio State; Travis Etienne, junior, Clemson.
Tackles — Jedrick Wills Jr., junior, Alabama; Tristan Wirfs, junior, Iowa.
Guards — Shane Lemieux, senior, Oregon; John Simpson, senior, Clemson.
Center — Creed Humphrey, sophomore, Oklahoma.
Tight end — Hunter Bryant, junior, Washington.
Wide receivers — Devonta Smith, junior, Alabama; Michael Pittman, senior, Southern California.
All-purpose player — Jaylen Waddle, sophomore, Alabama.
Kicker — Rodrigo Blankenship, senior, Georgia.
DEFENSE
Ends — A.J. Epenesa, junior, Iowa; Curtis Weaver, junior, Boise State.
Tackles — Jaylen Twyman, sophomore, Pittsburgh; Jordan Elliott, junior, Missouri.
Linebackers — Hamilcar Rashed Jr., junior, Oregon State; Zack Baun, senior, Wisconsin; Jordyn Brooks, senior, Texas Tech..
Cornerbacks — Amik Robertson, junior, Louisiana Tech; Jaylon Johnson, junior, Utah.
Safeties — Julian Blackmon, senior, Utah; Grant Delpit, junior, LSU.
Punter — Braden Mann, senior, Texas A&M.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Jalen Hurts, senior, Oklahoma.
Running backs — Zack Moss, senior, Utah; AJ Dillon, junior, Boston College.
Tackles — Calvin Throckmorton, senior, Oregon; Colton McKivitz, senior, West Virginia.
Guards — Jonah Jackson, senior, Ohio State; Ben Bredeson, senior, Michigan.
Center — Matt Hennessy, junior, Temple.
Tight end — Charlie Kolar, sophomore, Iowa State.
Wide receivers — Omar Bayless, senior, Arkansas State; Rashod Bateman, sophomore, Minnesota.
All-purpose player — Brandon Aiyuk, senior, Arizona State.
Kicker — Nick Sciba, sophomore, Wake Forest.
DEFENSE
Ends — Bradlee Anae, senior, Utah; Alex Highsmith, senior, Charlotte.
Tackles — Leki Fotu, senior, Utah; Neville Gallimore, senior, Oklahoma.
Linebackers — Logan Wilson, senior, Wyoming; Kenneth Murray, junior, Oklahoma; Malik Harrison, senior, Ohio State.
Cornerbacks — Trevon Diggs, senior, Alabama; Luc Barcoo, senior, San Diego State.
Safeties — Tanner Muse, senior, Clemson; Xavier McKinney, junior, Alabama.
Punter — Sterling Hofrichter, senior, Syracuse.
For transparency, the AP also releases the panelists who have a vote. You can see that below.
Selection panel: Nathan Baird, Cleveland.com; Matt Baker, Tampa Bay (Florida) Times; Kirk Bohls, Austin (Texas) American-Statesman; Tom Bragg, Charleston (West Virginia) Gazette-Mail; Robert Cessna, Bryan-College Station (Texas) Eagle;Josh Furlong, KSL.com (Utah); Tom Green, Alabama Media Group (AL.com); Eric Hansen, The South Bend (Indiana) Tribune; James Kratch, NJ.com/Star-Ledger; Nate Mink, Syracuse Media Group; Dave Reardon, Honolulu Star-Advertiser; Mark Whicker, Los Angeles Daily News; Jon Wilner, San Jose (California) Mercury News; Norman Wood, The Daily Press (Virginia); Adam Zucker, CBS Sports.
As with the Walter Camp All-America teams, this marks the sixth straight year Iowa has had at least one AP All-American. It marks the first time since 2017 the Hawkeyes have had a player named to the first team (Josey Jewell, Josh Jackson).
Of note, Duncan and Wirfs now each have a first team selection toward the possibility of becoming a consensus All-American. All three of Iowa’s All-Americans are currently in their junior year, so any of the three who attain the lofty “consensus” tag would be in the running for the Wall of Honor at Kinnick Stadium should they return for their senior season.
Congratulations again to Keith Duncan, Tristan Wirfs and A.J. Epenesa!