1981 College Football All-America Team

The 1981 College Football All-America team is composed of various organizations that choose College All-America teams that season. The organizations that chose the teams were Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, and The Sporting News.

AP, UPI, and NEA were all press organizations that polled writers and players. FWAA was also a poll of writers, as was the Walter Camp Foundation. The AFCA was a poll of college coaches. The Sporting News chose a team for their publications. AP, UPI, NEA,The Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly chose both first and second teams. AP, UPI, NEA, also listed numerous honorable mentions.

Receivers

 * Anthony Carter, Michigan (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Perry Tuttle, Clemson, (NEA, TSN)
 * Julius Dawkins, Pittsburgh (AP)
 * Stanley Washington, TCU (FWAA)

Tight ends

 * Tim Wrightman, UCLA (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA)
 * Pat Beach, Washington State (TSN)

Tackles

 * Terry Tausch, Texas (AP, UPI, WC, TSN)
 * Terry Crouch, Oklahoma (AFCA, FWAA)
 * Ed Muransky, Muchigan (AP, UPI)
 * Bubba Paris, Michigan (WC)
 * John Meyer, Arizona State (NEA)
 * Jimbo Covert, Pittsburgh (NEA)
 * Luis Sharpe, UCLA (TSN)

Guards

 * Sean Farrell, Penn State (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Roy Foster, USC (UPI, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Kurt Becker, Michigan (AP, NEA, AFCA)
 * David Drechsler, North Carolina (FWAA)

Centers

 * Dave Rimington, Nebraska (AP, UPI, WC, AFCA, FWAA)
 * Brad Edelman, Missouri (NEA, TSN)

Quarterbacks

 * Jim McMahon, BYU (AP, UPI, FWAA, AFCA-t)
 * Dan Marino, Pittsburgh (NEA, WC, AFCA-t, TSN)

Running backs

 * Marcus Allen, USC (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Herschel Walker, Georgia (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Curt Warner, Penn State (UPI, WC)
 * Rich Diana, Yale (FWAA)
 * Darrin Nelson, Stanford (AFCA)

Ends

 * Billy Ray Smith, Arkansas (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Jimmy Williams, Nebraska (NEA, WC, AFCA)
 * Andre Tippett, Iowa (AP, UPI, FWAA)
 * David Galloway, Florida (FWAA)
 * Steve Clark, Utah (FWAA)

Tackles

 * Kenneth Sims, Texas (AP, UPI, NEA, WC, AFCA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Lester Williams, University of Miami (Fla.) (UPI, NEA, WC, TSN)
 * Glen Collins, Mississippi State (AFCA, TSN)
 * Jeff Gaylord, Missouri (AP)
 * Harvey Armstrong, SMU (AFCA)

Middle guards

 * Tim Krumrie, Wisconsin (AP, WC, UPI)
 * Emanuel Weaver, South Carolina (NEA)

Linebackers

 * Bob Crable, Notre Dame (AP, UPI, WC, AFCA, TSN)
 * Johnie Cooks, Mississippi State (AP, NEA, FWAA, TSN)
 * Chip Banks, USC (UPI, WC, TSN)
 * Jeff Davis, Clemson (UPI, AFCA, FWAA)
 * Sal Sunseri, Pittsburgh (AP, AFCA, FWAA)
 * Tom Boyd, Alabama (NEA, WC)

Backs

 * Mike Richardson, Arizona State (AP, WC, FWAA, TSN)
 * Tommy Wilcox, Alabama (AP, UPI, WC, AFCA)
 * Terry Kinard, Clemson (AP, NEA, FWAA)
 * Fred Marion, Miami (Fla.) (UPI, AFCA)
 * John Krimm, Notre Dame (NEA, TSN)
 * Johnny Jackson, Air Force (FWAA)
 * Steve Cordle, Fresno St. (AFCA)
 * Vann McElroy, Baylor (WC)
 * Ray Horton, Washington (NEA)
 * Matt Vanden Boom, Wisconsin (UPI)
 * Paul Sorensen, Washington State (NEA)
 * Rodney Lewis, Nebraska (TSN)
 * James Burroughs, Michigan State (TSN)

Kickers

 * Morten Andersen, Michigan State (UPI, WC, TSN)
 * Bruce Lahay, Arkansas (NEA, FWAA)
 * Gary Anderson, Syracuse (AP)
 * Danny Miller, Miami (Fla.) (FN)

Punters

 * Reggie Roby, Iowa (AP,UPI, WC, FWAA)
 * Rohn Stark, Florida State (NEA, TSN)

Key

 * AP – Associated Press
 * UPI – United Press International
 * NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association
 * FWAA – Football Writers Association of America
 * WC – Walter Camp Foundation
 * AFCA – American Football Coaches Association


 * TSN – The Sporting News
 * PFW – Pro Football Weekly
 * FN – Football News
 * 1 – First Team Selection
 * 2 – Second Team Selection