Michael Penix headlines the USA TODAY Sports midseason college football All-America team
If there's a no-doubt star to put at the top of the USA TODAY Sports midseason All-America team, it's Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
The Heisman Trophy leader at the midway point has been the biggest reason why the Huskies lead the Bowl Subdivision in yards per play (8.5) by a significant margin. Penix has thrown at least three touchdowns in all but one of Washington's games and averaged just one interception for every 71.7 attempts.
Joining Penix on the All-America offense is teammate Rome Odunze, Texas running back Jonathon Brooks and Penn State left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu.
Defensively, the team includes Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner, Georgia safety Malaki Starks and Iowa standouts Jay Higgins and DeJean Cooper.
Halfway through the 2023 season, these players represent the best of the best in the FBS:
Offense
QB: Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Penix leads the FBS in yards per game (383.5) and ranks second in yards per attempt (10.7) as the Huskies have risen to the top of the Pac-12.
RB: Jonathon Brooks, Texas
RB: Ashton Jeanty, Boise State
Brooks has been the most productive back in the Power Five and a major reason why Texas is in the College Football Playoff hunt. Jeanty ranks second nationally in yards (868) and rushing touchdowns (11) with another 396 receiving yards on 30 catches.
BOWL PROJECTIONS: How Washington's win changes playoff at halfway mark
CALM DOWN: Heisman race over? Here's five overreactions after Week 7
WR: Malik Nabers, LSU
WR: Rome Odunze, Washington
TE: Brock Bowers, Georgia
Nabers (52 receptions for 860 yards) and Odunze (40 catches for 736) have filled up box scores on a weekly basis for two of college football's top offenses. Bowers has been the best pound-for-pound player in the FBS but will miss most if not all of the rest of the regular season with an ankle injury.
OL: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State
OL: Zak Zinter, Michigan
OL: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
OL: Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
OL: Joe Alt, Notre Dame
As expected, Fashanu and Alt have been blindside anchors and played like future first-round draft picks. Zinter is the most productive piece of what is once again the nation's most outstanding offensive line. Powers-Johnson gets nod ahead of Georgia's Sedrick Van Pran, but it was close. Fuaga bullies defensive linemen as part of a running game that ranks second in the Pac-12 in yards per game in conference play.
Defense
DL: Dallas Turner, Alabama
DL: Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
DL: Jonah Elliss, Utah
DL: Laiatu Latu, UCLA
Turner (seven sacks and 9½ tackles for loss) has resembled the vintage edge rushers of recent Alabama history. Cross ranks second on Notre Dame in tackles (42) and has been one of the breakout defensive stars of the season. Elliss (nine sacks) and Latu (5½ sacks and 10 tackles for loss) are the big reasons why Utah and UCLA have two of the best defenses in the FBS.
LB: Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma
LB: Jay Higgins, Iowa
LB: Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
Stutsman (10½ tackles for loss) has been even better as a junior and led Oklahoma's defense to a huge turnaround. Higgins leads the Big Ten in tackles (87) by a wide margin and is coming off a 13-tackle game against Wisconsin. Henderson tops the FBS in tackles (92) after doing the same in 2022 and is the most impactful defender in the Group of Five.
CB: Cooper DeJean, Iowa
CB: T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
S: Malaki Starks, Georgia
S: Jaylin Simpson, Auburn
DeJean has lived up to his billing as a preseason All-America pick and helped Iowa rank second nationally in yards allowed per pass attempt (4.9). Tampa is an elite NFL prospect and the best defensive back in a loaded ISU secondary. Starks (25 tackles and two interceptions) has quickly evolved into the top safety in the country. Simpson (four interceptions) has done it all for Auburn as an elite playmaker on the back end.
Specialists
K: Will Reichard, Alabama
P: Tory Taylor, Iowa
RET: Zachariah Branch, USC
The most underrated reason why Alabama has stayed in the playoff hunt despite an early loss to Texas, Reichard leads the Power Five in most field goals (13) without a miss. Taylor (48.3 yards per punt) continues to flip the field and bail out Iowa's woeful offense. Despite missing two games, Branch is the only FBS player with a punt and kickoff return touchdown.