Alabama’s Ty Simpson edged out Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza for first-team quarterback on The Associated Press midseason All-America team released Wednesday. Ohio State and Texas A&M led all teams with three players each on the top unit.
Nine players from the Big Ten and seven from the Southeastern Conference are on the first team, as determined by a panel of media members who vote each week in the AP Top 25 college football poll.
Seven players who were on the AP preseason All-America first team also were voted to the midseason first team. Seven other preseason first-team picks are on the second team.
Since he struggled in Alabama’s season-opening loss at Florida State, Simpson has completed 76% of his passes for 285 yards per game, 14 touchdowns and one interception as the Crimson Tide have won five straight. He has Pro Football Focus’ fourth-highest grade among passers with more than 200 attempts.
Simpson received one more vote than Mendoza, who has helped lead unbeaten Indiana to the program’s highest ranking, at No. 3, and has thrown for 17 TDs against two interceptions.
Texas Tech holds down two of the three first-team linebacker spots with Jacob Rodriguez and national sacks co-leader David Bailey. Alabama, Miami and Southern California also had two players on the first team.
A total of 16 schools are represented on the first team.
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