The 1966 College Football All-America team is composed of

college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...

players who were selected as

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

ns by various organizations that chose

College Football All-America Team The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best college football players in the United States at their respective positions. The original use of the term '' All-America'' seems to have been to the 1889 College Footbal ...

s in 1966. The

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

recognizes six selectors as "official" for the 1966 season. They are (1) the

American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...

(AFCA), (2) the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

(AP), (3) the Central Press Association (CP), (4) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), (5) the

Newspaper Enterprise Association The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) is an editorial column and comic strip newspaper syndication service based in the United States and established in 1902. The oldest syndicate still in operation, the NEA was originally a secondary news ...

(NEA), and (6) the

United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...

(UPI). Four of the six teams (AP, UPI, NEA, and FWAA) were selected by polling of sports writers and/or broadcasters. The Central Press team was selected with input from the captains of the major college teams. The AFCA team was based on a poll of coaches. Other notable selectors, though not recognized by the NCAA as official, included ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine, ''

The Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...

'' (TSN), and the

Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF) is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The organization also presents various awards. It is named in honor of foo ...

(WCFF). The undefeated Notre Dame and

Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...

teams finished the season ranked #1 and #2, played to a 10-10 tie in the

1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game The 1966 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State football game is considered one of the greatest and most controversial games in college football history played between Michigan State and Notre Dame. The game was played in Michigan State's Spartan Stadium ...

, and dominated the 1966 All-America selections. Notre Dame had six players who received first-team honors: guard Tom Regner (AFCA, AP, CP, NEA, UPI, Time, TSN, WCFF); back

Nick Eddy Nicholas Matthew Eddy (born August 23, 1944) is a former American football player. He was raised in Tracy, California. A broad-shouldered 6 feet, 195 lbs, he attended the University of Notre Dame on a football scholarship. Eddy was a stand ...

(AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, WCFF); defensive end

Alan Page Alan Cedric Page (born August 7, 1945) is an American retired judge and former professional football He gained national recognition as a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) during 15 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and C ...

(CP, FWAA, NEA, Time, TSN, WCFF); linebacker

Jim Lynch James Robert Lynch (August 28, 1945 – July 21, 2022) was an American football linebacker. Lynch played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, where he was named an All-American and won the Maxwell Award in 1966. Lynch is a memb ...

(AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, Time, TSN, WCFF); and defensive tackles

Pete Duranko Peter Nicholas Duranko (December 15, 1943 – July 8, 2011) was a college and professional American football player. A defensive end, he played college football at the University of Notre Dame, and his professional career for the Denver Broncos. ...

(AFCA, UPI) and Kevin Hardy (Time, TSN). Michigan State had five: defensive end

Bubba Smith Charles Aaron Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011), commonly known as Bubba Smith, was an American football defensive end and actor. He first came into prominence at Michigan State University, where he twice earned All-American hon ...

(AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, Time, TSN, WCFF); offensive end Gene Washington (AFCA, UPI, Time, TSN); running back Clint Jones (AP, CP, NEA, Time, TSN, WCFF); defensive back/linebacker George Webster (AFCA, AP, CP, FWAA, NEA, UPI, Time, TSN, WCFF); and tackle Jerry West (NEA).

Consensus All-Americans

The NCAA recognizes 22 players as "consensus" All-Americans for the 1966 season. The following chart identifies the consensus All-Americans and displays which first-team designations they received.

Offensive selections

Ends

Jack Clancy Jack David Clancy (born June 18, 1944) is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Miami Dolphins in 1967 and 1969 and for the Green Bay Packers in 1970. He also played in college for the University of Michigan Wolverines f ...

, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1 plit end UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Ray Perkins Walter Ray Perkins (November 6, 1941 – December 9, 2020) was an American football coach and player. He played as a wide receiver for the University of Alabama and Baltimore Colts. He later worked as a football coach for 28 years, including sti ...

, Alabama (AFCA lanker AP-1, CP-2, FWAA, NEA-1 afety UPI-2, FN, WCFF) * Gene Washington, Michigan State (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA, NEA-2 plit end UPI-1, Time, TSN) * Jim Beirne, Purdue (CP-1) *

Eppie Barney Eppie L. Barney Jr. (March 20, 1944 – January 21, 2004) was a professional American football player who played wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns. Eppie solidified himself as one of the finest receivers in Iowa State history during his te ...

, Iowa (AP-2 nd * Larry Gilbert, Texas Tech (AP-2 nd * Jim Seymour, Notre Dame (CP-2, NEA-2 lanker UPI-2, FN)

Tight ends

Austin Denney Austin Cheek Denney Jr. (January 2, 1944 – January 20, 2009) was an American football tight end in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills. He played college football at the University of Tennessee. Early years De ...

, Tennessee (NEA-1) *

Cas Banaszek Casimir Joseph Banaszek (October 24, 1945 – December 4, 2019) was a professional American football offensive lineman who played ten seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He played his college football at Northwestern University, and was named ...

, Northwestern (NEA-2)

Tackles

Cecil Dowdy Cecil Dowdy (May 9, 1945 – November 24, 2002) was an American college football player and businessman. He played offensive tackle for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide from 1964 through 1966. He was a member of both the 1964 and 1965 ...

, Alabama (AFCA uard AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, WCFF) *

Ron Yary Anthony Ronald Yary (born July 16, 1946) is an American former professional football player who played as an offensive tackle primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams in the National Football League (NFL). He was ...

, USC (College and Pro Football Halls of Fame) (AFCA, AP-2, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Wayne Mass Wayne R. Mass (March 11, 1946 – July 4, 2019) was an American football offensive tackle who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles. He was ...

, Clemson (AFCA, CP-2, UPI-2) * Jerry West, Michigan State (NEA-1) * Jack Calcaterra, Purdue (AP-2, UPI-2) * Reeve Vannaman, Cornell (CP-2)

Guards

* Tom Regner, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF) * LaVerne Allers, Nebraska (AP-1, CP-1, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, WCFF) *

Mo Moorman Maurice "Mo" Moorman (born July 24, 1945) is a former American college and professional football player. He played collegiately for Texas A&M, and went to the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs as a first-round draft choice in 1968. ...

, Texas A&M (FWAA, NEA-2 ackle Time, TSN) *

Gary Bugenhagen Gary Alan Bugenhagen (born February 6, 1945) is a former professional American football offensive lineman in the American Football League (AFL) and in the National Football League (NFL). He was the 4th round draft pick (#102 overall) of the Buffal ...

, Syracuse (AP-1 ackle FWAA) *

Bob Hyland Robert Joseph Hyland (born July 21, 1945) is a former American football guard who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, New York Giants, and the New England Patriots. He played coll ...

, Boston College (CP-2, Time, TSN) * Edgar Chandler, Georgia (NEA-1, UPI-2) * Lynn Thornhill, Southern Methodist (AP-2) *

Del Williams Delano Roger Williams (November 9, 1945 – November 30, 1984) was an American football offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 1967 NFL Draft. He played college fo ...

, Florida State (AP-2, CP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2)

Centers

* Jim Breland, Georgia Tech (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WCFF) * Bill Carr, Florida (AP-2, CP-2, Time, TSN) * Ray Pryor, Ohio State (FWAA, NEA-2) * Bob Johnson, Tennessee (FN) *

George Goeddeke George Goeddeke ( ; born July 29, 1945) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive lineman for the Denver Broncos in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) in the 1960s and 1970s. ...

, Notre Dame (UPI-2)

Quarterbacks

* Steve Spurrier, Florida (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA ie AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF) * Bob Griese, Purdue (College and Pro Football Halls of Fame) (AFCA ie AP-2, CP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2, FN) *

Gary Beban Gary Joseph Beban (born August 5, 1946) is an American former professional football player. Beban won the 1967 Heisman Trophy, narrowly beating out O.J. Simpson, and the Maxwell Award while playing quarterback for the UCLA Bruins. He played ...

, UCLA (FN)

Running backs

Mel Farr Melvin Farr (November 3, 1944 – August 3, 2015) was an American professional football player and businessman. A native of Beaumont, Texas, Farr played college football as a halfback on the 1965 and 1966 UCLA Bruins football teams that were ...

, UCLA (AFCA, AP-1, CP-2, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN alfback Time, TSN, WCFF) *

, Notre Dame (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1 (FL), UPI-1, FN alfback WCFF) * Clint Jones, Michigan State (AP-1, CP-1, NEA-1, UPI-2, Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Floyd Little Floyd Douglas Little (July 4, 1942 – January 1, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He ...

, Syracuse (College and Pro Football Halls of Fame) (AFCA, AP-2, CP-2, NEA-2, UPI-1, WCFF) *

Ray McDonald Raymondo Antoine McDonald (born September 2, 1984) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida, where he was a member o ...

, Idaho (AP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2, Time, TSN) * Lenny Snow, Georgia Tech (FWAA, UPI-2, FN alfback *

Larry Csonka Larry Richard Csonka (; born December 25, 1946) is a former professional American football fullback who played for the Miami Dolphins for the majority of his career, along with the New York Giants for three years, and a short stint with the Me ...

, Syracuse (College and Pro Football Halls of Fame) (CP-1 ullback FN ullback * Jim Bohl, New Mexico State (FN alfback * Warren McVea, Houston (FN alfback * Bob Apisa, Michigan State (FN ullback * Larry Conjar, Notre Dame (FN ullback * Garrett Ford, Sr., West Virginia (AP-2) * Pete Pifer, Oregon State (CP-2 ullback

Defensive selections

Defensive ends

, Michigan State (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN nd Time, TSN, WCFF) *

, Notre Dame (College and Pro Football Halls of Fame) (AP-2, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-2, FN nd Time, TSN, WCFF) * George Foussekis, Virginia Tech (AP-2) * Sam Harris, Colorado (CP-2, UPI-2) * Billy Anders, Ohio State (CP-2) * Dennis Randall, Oklahoma State (NEA-2) *

Ted Hendricks Theodore Paul Hendricks (born November 1, 1947), nicknamed "the Mad Stork", is a former professional football player who played as an outside linebacker for 15 seasons with the Baltimore Colts, Green Bay Packers, and the Oakland/Los Angeles R ...

, Miami (College and Pro Football Halls of Fame) (NEA-2)

Defensive tackles

Loyd Phillips Loyd Phillips (May 2, 1945 — December 27, 2020) was an American professional football player and a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. He was the winner of the 1966 Outland Trophy as the country's most outstanding interior lineman whil ...

, Arkansas (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI, FN ackle Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Tom Greenlee Tom Greenlee was a consensus All-American defensive end at the University of Washington, drafted by the Chicago Bears as a defensive back in the 1967 NFL Draft. High school Greenlee attended Franklin High School where he was an All-Metro defens ...

, Washington (AFCA, AP-1 efensive end UPI-1 efensive end WCFF) *

, Notre Dame (AFCA, UPI) *

Dennis Byrd Dennis DeWayne Byrd (October 5, 1966 – October 15, 2016) was an American football defensive end and defensive tackle for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He attended college at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. ...

, North Carolina State (College Football Hall of Fame) (AP-2, NEA-1, FWAA) * George Patton, Georgia (AP-1, CP-1, UPI-2, FN ackle * Kevin Hardy, Notre Dame (AP-2, UPI-2, FN ackle Time, TSN) *

Bill Stanfill William Thomas Stanfill (January 13, 1947 – November 10, 2016) was a defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and then the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970. He was a member of Miami's two Super Bowl-winning t ...

, Georgia (College Football Hall of Fame) (NEA-2) * Ed Philpott, Miami (OH) (CP-2, NEA-2) * Jim Urbanek, Mississippi (CP-2, FN ackle

Middle guards

* Wayne Meylan, Nebraska (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA efensive tackle AP-1, CP-2 uard FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN uard WCFF) * John LaGrone, SMU (AFCA iddle guard AP-2, CP-1 uard FWAA, NEA-1 inebacker UPI-2, WCFF) * John Richardson, UCLA (CP-1 uard *

Granville Liggins Granville "Granny" Liggins (born June 2, 1946 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is a former American football and a Canadian Football League player. College At the University of Oklahoma, Liggins was not only a football player, but also a wrestler. In 1967, ...

, Oklahoma (CP-2 uard NEA-2, FN uard

Linebackers

, Notre Dame (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Paul Naumoff Paul Peter Naumoff (July 3, 1945 – August 17, 2018) was an American football player. He played college football at the University of Tennessee from 1964 to 1966 and was selected as a consensus first-team All-American at the linebacker positio ...

, Tennessee (AFCA, AP-1, CP-2, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, WCFF) * Bob Matheson, Duke (AP-1, Time, TSN) * Townsend Clarke, Army (AP-2, CP-1, NEA-1, UPI-2) * Charles Thornhill, Michigan State (AP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2) *

Adrian Young Adrian Samuel Young (born August 26, 1969) is an American drummer and member of the rock bands No Doubt and Dreamcar. Biography When not performing, in the studio or touring, Young likes to spend his time out on the golf course, as he is an a ...

, Southern California (AP-2) * Dwight Lewis, Mississippi State (CP-2) * Wayne Purdon, Montana State (CP-2)

Defensive backs

* George Webster, Michigan State (College Football Hall of Fame) (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1 inebacker FWAA, NEA-1 inebacker UPI-1, FN inebacker Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Nate Shaw :''Regarding the as-told-to autobiography All God's Dangers The Life of Nate Shaw, see Ned Cobb.'' Nathaniel "Nate" Shaw (born May 20, 1945) is a former American football defensive back in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams. Sh ...

, USC (AFCA, AP-2, CP-2, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, Time, TSN, WCFF) *

Tom Beier Thomas Eugene Beier (born June 23, 1945) is a former American football safety at the University of Miami (Florida) and professionally for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League. He is a graduate of Saint Joseph Central Catholic Hig ...

, Miami (Fla.) (AFCA, AP-1, CP-2, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WCFF) *

Frank Loria Frank Loria (1947 – November 14, 1970) was an American football defensive back. He was born in the town of Clarksburg, West Virginia in Harrison County and was a three sport athlete at Notre Dame Catholic High School. He played college foo ...

, Virginia Tech (AP-1, FWAA) *

Martine Bercher Martine Bercher (February 23, 1944 – December 7, 2005) was an American football defensive back for the University of Arkansas Razorbacks football team from 1962-1966. He was a member of the 1964 National Championship team that won the 1965 Cot ...

, Arkansas (AFCA, UPI-1) *

Rick Volk Richard Robert Volk (born March 15, 1945) is a former American football player who played for the Baltimore Colts, New York Giants, and Miami Dolphins. He retired with 38 career interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries, and totaled 574 yards on i ...

, Michigan (Time, TSN) *

John Charles William John Charles (27 December 1931 – 21 February 2004) was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre-forward or as a centre-back. Best known for his first stint at Leeds United and Juventus, he was rated by many as the greatest all-ro ...

, Purdue (Time, TSN) * Henry King, Utah State (NEA-2, Time, TSN) *

Bobby Johns Robert James Johns (May 22, 1932 – March 7, 2016) was an American race car driver. Johns raced in the NASCAR series in the 1956–1969 seasons, with 141 career starts. He had two wins among his 36 top ten finishes and finished the 1960 season ...

, Alabama (CP-1, UPI-2, FN) * Wynn Mabry, Dartmouth (CP-1) * Larry Wachholtz, Nebraska (AP-2, UPI-2) * Chuck Latourette, Rice (AP-2) * Bruce Sullivan, Illinois (NEA-2) *

Bobby Bryant Bobby Bryant (born January 24, 1944) is a former cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings. Early life At Willingham High School, he was a star in football along with basketball, track and field, and baseball. Bryant was recruited to play for the Un ...

, South Carolina (NEA-2 afety *

Tom Schoen Thomas Ralph Schoen (born 1945 or 1946 – January 31, 2023) was an American football defensive back who played one season with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Browns in the eighth round of the 19 ...

, Notre Dame (UPI-2) * Lynn Hughes, Georgia (UPI-2)

Special teams

Kicker

Jan Stenerud Jan Stenerud (, ; born November 26, 1942) is a Norwegian- American former football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) and American Football League (AFL) for 19 seasons, primarily with Kansas City Chiefs. The first Norwe ...

, Montana State (Pro Football Hall of Fame) (TSN)

Punter

Ron Widby George Ronald Widby (March 9, 1945 – December 22, 2020) was an American football punter in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. He also was a member of the New Orleans Buccaneers of the American B ...

, Tennessee (TSN)

Key

* Bold – Consensus All-American * -1 – First-team selection * -2 – Second-team selection * -3 – Third-team selection

Official selectors

* AFCA =

, sponsored by the

Eastman Kodak Company The Eastman Kodak Company (referred to simply as Kodak ) is an American public company that produces various products related to its historic basis in analogue photography. The company is headquartered in Rochester, New York, and is incorpor ...

* AP =

, "based on recommendations of the AP football board of sportswriters and sportscasters" * CP = Central Press Association, "picked with the aid of the nation's football captains" * FWAA = Football Writers Association of America * NEA =

, "chosen by consulting scouts, coaches and writers in every part of the country, representing a true cross-section of opinion" * UPI =

, "selected by the ballots of 267 football writers and broadcasters"

Unofficial selectors

* FN = ''The Football News'', consisting of the 34 best players out of the 25,000 men playing college football that year, as selected by the paper's correspondents and staff members * Time = ''

'' magazine * TSN = ''

'', consisting of 24 players (11 offense, 11 defense, a punter, and a placekicker) "picked by 24 directors of player personnel of the American and National Football Leagues for the Sporting News" * WCFF =

References

{{College Football All-America Teams

All-America Team The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

College Football All-America Teams