As we get ready to hit bowl season, let’s take a look at the best of the regular season in each Power 5 conference. In addition to all-conference teams, we roll out awards for Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
Note: The positional breakdowns vary by conference, so the pass-happy Big 12 will have more wide receivers on its team than the Big Ten.
Click on the link to see your conference:
ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC
ACC
OFFENSE
QB: Ryan Finley, NC State
His 24 touchdown passes tied for the league lead and his 151.9 passer rating ranked second, but his 3,789 passing yards was the most through 12 games by an ACC quarterback since Matt Ryan in 2007.
RB: Travis Etienne, Clemson
In the past decade, no Power 5 back with as many rush yards as Etienne (1,463) has had a higher yards-per-carry average (8.31).
RB: AJ Dillon, Boston College
He wasn’t healthy for half the season and he missed two games completely, but Dillon still finished with 1,108 yards and 10 touchdowns.
WR: Kelvin Harmon, NC State
Harmon finished with more than 1,000 yards receiving for the second consecutive season — one of just seven ACC receivers to do that in the past decade.
WR: Tee Higgins, Clemson
His numbers might’ve been better if Clemson needed to throw the ball more or if he wasn’t sharing targets with a deep receiving corps. Still, Higgins finished the season with an ACC-high 10 touchdown grabs.
WR: Greg Dortch, Wake Forest
Dortch tied for the league lead in catches and was second in touchdowns, yards and yards after the catch.
OT: Mitch Hyatt, Clemson
The left side of Clemson’s line allowed just three sacks all season while opening up massive running lanes for the ground game.
OG: Chris Lindstrom, Boston College
Finished the season with a pass-blocking grade of 90.9, the highest by any guard in the country, allowing just three QB hurries and no sacks on 370 snaps.
C: Garrett Bradbury, NC State
In three years, Bradbury went from converted tight end to the Rimington Trophy winner as the nation’s top center.
OG: Terronne Prescod, NC State
In 636 snaps, Prescod had 32 knockdowns and didn’t allow a sack for one of the best passing offenses in the country.
OT: Stefano Millin, Pitt
Millin was the top lineman on a unit that rushed for nearly 3,000 yards and played for an ACC championship.
DEFENSE
DE: Clelin Ferrell, Clemson
Ferrell led the league with 10.5 sacks, and tied for second in the ACC with 17 tackles for loss and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
DT: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
The on-field and off-field leader for the Tigers, Wilkins had 13.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, 11 quarterback pressures (and two touchdown runs).
DT: Gerald Willis III, Miami
Willis led the ACC with 18 tackles for loss and finished fourth on his team with 59 total tackles in a season-long performance that got people to sit up and take notice.
DE: Brian Burns, Florida State
Burns was dominant, with 10 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss. He’s already declared for the NFL draft.
LB: Tre Lamar, Clemson
Lamar is the stalwart in the Tigers’ linebacker group, with 74 tackles on a defense that leads the ACC in run defense and ranks second in total defense.
LB: Shaq Quarterman, Miami
Quarterman has been a mainstay in the Hurricanes’ linebacker group and finished with 76 tackles and six sacks.
LB: Germaine Pratt, NC State
Pratt emerged to have a sensational senior season, ranking second in the league with 9.45 tackles per game.
CB: Hamp Cheevers, Boston College
Cheevers tied with Andre Cisco for the interceptions lead and allowed just 35 receptions this season.
S: Jaquan Johnson, Miami
Johnson might have missed a few games this season, but he still had a performance to remember, leading Miami with 79 total tackles while forcing two fumbles.
S: Andre Cisco, Syracuse
What a true freshman season for Cisco, who is tied for the national lead with seven interceptions.
CB: Bryce Hall, Virginia
Hall ranks No. 1 in the nation with 20 pass breakups and No. 2 with 22 passes defended.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Andre Szmyt, Syracuse: No kicker in the past decade has connected on more field goals through 12 games than Szmyt (28), and he was 3-of-3 from beyond 50 yards.
P: Pressley Harvin III, Georgia Tech: Led the ACC in punting average (44.26), net punting (41.03) and percentage of punts downed inside the 10 (19.4 percent).
RS: Michael Walker, Boston College: His 1,020 kick-return yards were 202 more than any other player in the country, while his 274 punt-return yards ranked seventh nationally.
Player of the Year: Christian Wilkins, Clemson
Wilkins came back for his senior season for one more chance at a championship and turned in the best performance of his career.
True Freshman of the Year: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
Lawrence already is a star for the Tigers, throwing for 2,606 yards, 24 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Coach of the Year: Dabo Swinney, Clemson
Coaches with the best teams often get overlooked for these awards, but not this season. Swinney had the most dominant team in the league and found the right way to manage a quarterback change five games in to make his team even better.
Big 12
OFFENSE
QB: Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
Quarterbacked the Sooners into the playoff while posting the best FBS QBR (96.0) since ESPN began tracking the metric in 2004.
RB: David Montgomery, Iowa State
Heart and soul of the Cyclones attack, led the Big 12 with 710 rushing yards after contact.
WR: Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State
A Biletnikoff finalist who finished the regular season ranked third nationally in receiving yards per game while saving his best performances for the biggest games.
WR: Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
Another gamebreaker in the nation’s top offense, “Hollywood” is averaging 8.7 yards after the catch per reception, tops among Big 12 wide receivers.
WR: David Sills V, West Virginia
Sills has 33 receiving touchdowns over the past two seasons; no other player in college football has more than 25 over the same span.
WR: Hakeem Butler, Iowa State
Leads FBS with an average of 22.1 yards per catch to go along with 1,126 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
OT: Cody Ford, Oklahoma
The anchor of one of the best lines in college football.
OG: Ben Powers, Oklahoma
Also named a Walter Camp All-American.
C: Zach Shackelford, Texas
Texas made big strides on the line, particularly in the run game, and Shackelford — the leader up front — was the biggest reason why.
OG: Dru Samia, Oklahoma
Was the Big 12 coaches’ Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year.
OT: Dalton Risner, Kansas State
A four-year starter, also an ESPN first-team All-American.
AP: Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Texas
Big, physical receiver was a Swiss army knife for the Longhorns, accounting for touchdowns as a receiver, runner and passer.
DEFENSE
DE: Jordan Brailford, Oklahoma State
A talented edge rusher who is second in the league with nine sacks and third in tackles for loss with 16.
DT: Daniel Wise, Kansas
Finished with 12.5 tackles for loss and five sacks as the league’s most disruptive interior lineman.
DT: Ray Lima, Iowa State
The key to Iowa State’s three-man front, Lima is the underrated linchpin of the Big 12’s top defense.
DE: Charles Omenihu, Texas
Leads the conference with 9.5 sacks and registered at least a half tackle for loss in each of Texas’ past nine games to finish with 16.
LB: David Long Jr., West Virginia
The Big 12 coaches’ Defensive Player of the Year, Long tops the league with 18.5 tackles for loss and is top five in both sacks and tackles.
LB: Gary Johnson, Texas
A big hitter who wreaked havoc in opposing backfields, with 15.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
LB: Dakota Allen, Texas Tech
Was a consistent asset in both run defense and pass rush until a knee injury hindered him in the season’s final month.
CB: Jeff Gladney, TCU
A shutdown corner for the Horned Frogs, usually tasked with guarding the opposing team’s top receiver, Gladney was third in the league with 14 passes defended.
CB: Kris Boyd, Texas
Leads the Big 12 with 18 disrupted dropbacks (sacks/interceptions/passes defended/batted or tipped passes).
S: Greg Eisworth, Iowa State
Among the league’s most reliable tacklers, ranks seventh in the conference, and first among defensive backs, with 7.6 tackles per game.
S: Caden Sterns, Texas
Showed up big time in several big games for the Horns and is second in the conference with four interceptions; also blocked a field goal that led to a touchdown.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Clayton Hatfield, Texas Tech
Led the league in field goal accuracy, making 17 of 19 attempts (89.5 percent); he was also perfect on 55 extra-point attempts.
P: Austin Seibert, Oklahoma
Opponents have averaged just 3.5 yards per return against Seibert, tops in the Big 12 among qualifying punters; Seibert also nailed 15 of 17 field goals.
RS: CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
A 1,000-yard receiver, who led the Big 12 in punt return yardage, had three returns of 20-plus yards — tied for most among Big 12 returners — and didn’t muff a single punt.
Player of the Year: QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s seventh Heisman Trophy winner, he is primed to shatter Baker Mayfield‘s FBS passing efficiency rating.
Coach of the Year: Lincoln Riley, Oklahoma
Despite losing a Heisman winner and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick in Mayfield, Riley produced an even more lethal offense behind Murray to propel the Sooners to a record fourth Big 12 title and return trip to the College Football Playoff.
True Freshman of Year: QB Brock Purdy, Iowa State
Since taking over in October, Purdy ranks sixth nationally in passer rating, and with him as the starter, Iowa State is 7-1.
Big Ten
OFFENSE
QB: Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
His passing numbers as a third-year sophomore eclipsed the greats in Big Ten history. Haskins threw for more than 400 yards five times after every Ohio State quarterback before him combined to do it once.
RB: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
The fourth Wisconsin back to win the Doak Walker Award, Taylor is the fourth player in FBS history to post consecutive 1,900-yard rushing seasons. His 3,966 yards in two seasons are the most ever for an individual before his junior season.
RB: Karan Higdon, Michigan
The workhorse as a senior for the Wolverines’ powerful running game, his 1,178 yards on the ground ranked third in the Big Ten.
WR: Parris Campbell, Ohio State
Haskins’ top target, the speedy Campbell heads to Pasadena as the Big Ten’s third-leading receiver with 79 catches for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns.
WR: Tyler Johnson, Minnesota
His consistent and often spectacular play helped spur the Gophers’ late-season surge as Johnson accumulated 1,112 receiving yards, second in the league this season and the second-highest figure ever at Minnesota.
TE: T.J. Hockenson, Iowa
The Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end, Hockenson followed in the footsteps of ex-Iowa great Dallas Clark, catching 46 balls for 717 yards in his breakout redshirt sophomore season.
G: Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin
The senior stalwart has started 48 consecutive games for the Badgers, who averaged 6.28 yards per rush to lead the league and rank fourth nationally.
G: Michael Deiter, Wisconsin
The versatile lineman has started a Wisconsin-record 53 games at three positions up front over four seasons.
T: Alaric Jackson, Iowa
The anchor of Iowa’s always-stout front five, Jackson protected the blind side for Nate Stanley as the Hawkeyes allowed a Big Ten-low 10 sacks.
T: David Edwards, Wisconsin
Another of the big bodies to open holes for Taylor in his quest to reach 2,000 yards, Edwards thrived even while fighting a shoulder injury throughout the fall.
C: Michael Jordan, Ohio State
A converted left guard, he’s started 27 consecutive games and has picked up where Pat Elflein and Billy Price left off the past two seasons in providing strong play in the middle of the Ohio State O-line.
AP: Rondale Moore, Purdue
The Big Ten’s leader in receptions and receiving yards, Moore won the Paul Hornung Award as the most versatile player nationally and enters bowl season with 2,048 all-purpose yards.
DEFENSE
DE: Chase Winovich, Michigan
At one point this season, Winovich led the nation in tackles for loss thanks to relentless effort and some much-improved technical skills.
DE: Kenny Willekes, Michigan State
The former walk-on had 20.5 tackles for loss as the most dynamic player on the nation’s best rush defense.
DT: Rashan Gary, Michigan
Injuries slowed Gary’s production this season, but the future first-round draft pick was always on the minds of opposing offensive coordinators.
DT: Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State
The redshirt junior picked up 8.5 sacks and became the Buckeyes’ top defensive playmaker after Nick Bosa’s season ended early due to injury.
LB: Devin Bush, Michigan
The fast and brash centerpiece of Michigan’s defense made 79 tackles and recorded five sacks in the regular season.
LB: Joe Bachie, Michigan State
The Spartans’ captain is six tackles shy of back-to-back 100-stop seasons heading into the postseason and has put himself near the top of an impressive list of middle linebackers to play for Mark Dantonio.
LB: Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
Fisher’s consistency in 2018 edged him past Wisconsin’s T.J. Edwards for our last linebacker spot during a season crowded with candidates.
S: Amani Hooker, Iowa
One of the more underrated defensive backfields in the country produced another standout this season. Hooker filled up the stat sheet with seven breakups and four interceptions.
S: Darnell Savage Jr., Maryland
Quarterbacks started avoiding Savage after his fourth pick in six games to start the season, but he continued to have an impact as a downhill run-stopper and hard hitter.
CB: Lavert Hill, Michigan
One of a few shutdown cornerbacks in the league, Hill helped the Wolverines play aggressively all season. He broke up six passes and was rarely targeted.
CB: Amani Oruwariye, Penn State
The veteran starter had a knack for big plays, recording three interceptions to go with a forced fumble.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Chase McLaughlin, Illinois
The Texas native hit 20 of his 25 field goal attempts, including a school-record four from 50 yards or longer.
P: Drue Chrisman, Ohio State
The Buckeyes’ punter has not had as many chances as others to shine in the past couple years, but with more than half of his punts this season pinning teams inside the 20, he flipped the field whenever his team needed it.
KR: Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Iowa
The fastest man on Iowa’s team was a big-play threat on offense and special teams, averaging 29.3 yards per kick return.
Player of the Year: Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
Haskins broke record after record and became a Heisman finalist after throwing for 4,580 yards and 47 touchdowns.
True Freshman of the Year: Rondale Moore, Purdue
The electric all-purpose player showed his versatility and value to the Boilermakers in his first season on campus.
Coach of the Year: Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Pushing through injuries and three early losses in the season, Fitzgerald and his team finished the season with eight wins and their first appearance in the Big Ten championship game.
Pac-12
OFFENSE
QB: Gardner Minshew, Washington State
The East Carolina transfer threw for 4,477 yards with 36 touchdowns with nine interceptions and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
RB: Eno Benjamin, Arizona State
Led the Pac-12 with 1,524 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
RB: Joshua Kelley, UCLA
UC Davis transfer rushed for 135.1 yards per game in Pac-12 play and was second in the conference with 12 rushing touchdowns.
WR: N’Keal Harry, Arizona State
One of the top NFL draft prospects in the country, Harry caught 73 passes for 1,088 yards in his final season for the Sun Devils.
WR: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford
Tied for third nationally with 14 touchdown receptions.
TE Caleb Wilson, UCLA
Wilson declared for the draft after catching 60 passes for 965 yards.
OT Andre Dillard, Washington State
One of the main reasons Minshew was sacked just 11 times in 652 dropbacks this season.
OG Shane Lemieux, Oregon
Lemieux graded out as one of the best guards in the country, according to Pro Football Focus data.
C: Nick Harris, Washington
Harris made a seamless transition from guard and became the conference’s best center.
OG: Gus Lavaka, Oregon State
Lavaka was an obvious bright spot on a team that struggled most of the season.
OT: Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
Throckmorton might end up at guard in the NFL, but he has been a fixture at tackle for the Ducks for three seasons.
DEFENSE
DL Greg Gaines, Washington
A block-eating tackle, Gaines finished with 52 tackles, including 5.5 for loss.
DL: Bradlee Anae, Utah
Anae led the conference with eight tackles and added 13.5 tackles for loss.
DL: John Penisini, Utah
Penisini finished 36 tackles and seven tackles for loss playing on the interior of Utah’s defensive line.
LB: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
Led the Pac-12 with a remarkable 155 tackles and forced four fumbles.
LB: Chase Hansen, Utah
Hansen led the Pac-12 with 22 tackles for loss after converting from safety.
LB: Jordan Kunaszyk, Cal
Finished third in the conference with 133 tackles and forced a league-high five fumbles.
LB: Colin Schooler, Arizona
One of the most productive players in the country, Schooler finished the season with 119 tackles and 21.5 tackles for loss.
CB: Byron Murphy, Washington
An All-America-caliber cornerback, Murphy has a bright NFL future.
CB: Paulson Adebo, Stanford
Recorded four interceptions and 60 tackles as a redshirt freshman.
S: Taylor Rapp, Washington
Arguably the top safety in college football.
S: Ashtyn Davis, Cal
A key piece on a defense that was statistically one of the best in the country.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Matt Gay, Utah
The 2017 Lou Groza Award winner connected on 24 of 29 field goal attempts and made 10 from 40-plus yards.
P: Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
Led the Pac-12 in net yards per punt (42.8).
RS: Tony Brooks-James, Oregon
Averaged more than 26 yards per kickoff return and a third went for 30-plus yards.
Player of the Year: Gardner Minshew, Washington State
Minshew Mania took over Pullman this fall as the East Carolina transfer took the Cougars to within one game of the Rose Bowl.
Coach of the Year: Mike Leach, Washington State
A victory in the Valero Alamo Bowl would set the Washington State single-season record for wins (11).
True Freshman of the Year
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC
St. Brown finished 10th in the Pac-12 with 750 receiving yards catching passes from another true freshman, JT Daniels.
SEC
QB: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
When you throw for 3,353 yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions, not only are you a mortal lock for all-conference honors, you’re a Heisman finalist.
RB Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky
The Wildcats could finish with 10 wins for the first time in decades, and Snell’s 1,305 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing are a big reason for that.
RB Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
Williams was the most productive back in the SEC, with a conference-high 1,524 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing.
TE: Jace Sternberger, Texas A&M
Only one tight end finished in the top 10 in the SEC in receiving yards, and it was Sternberger, who hauled in 47 passes for 804 yards and 10 touchdowns.
WR: Jerry Jeudy, Alabama
The sophomore from South Florida averaged an eye-popping 18.7 yards per reception. Every fifth catch he made resulted in a touchdown.
WR: A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
The junior has been a star from the minute he set foot on campus, and he capped his career with the most receptions (85) and receiving yards (1,320) in the conference.
OT: Greg Little, Ole Miss
Like his teammate Brown, Little has stood out and looked like a future NFL tackle since he arrived in Oxford. His pass protection powered one of the most entertaining offenses in the SEC.
OG: Bunchy Stallings, Kentucky
He twice earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week and helped pave the way for Snell’s 1,300-plus yards rushing.
C: Ross Pierschbacher, Alabama
The senior shifted from guard to center seamlessly, anchoring perhaps the best and most balanced offense in the SEC.
OG: Deion Calhoun, Mississippi State
The Bulldogs had the second-most-productive rushing attack in the conference, and the physical blocking of Calhoun was a big reason for that.
OT: Jonah Williams, Alabama
He protected a Heisman finalist quarterback and was one of the best run-blocking linemen in the country.
DEFENSE
DL: Quinnen Williams, Alabama: There wasn’t a more consistently disruptive lineman in the country than Williams, who posted double-digit sacks as an interior rusher.
DL: Jachai Polite, Florida: He posted an eye-popping 38 pressures and finished second in the SEC with 11 sacks.
DL: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State: He’s been one of the best defensive linemen in the conference for two years now, and he finished the regular season with 48 tackles, eight sacks and a forced fumble.
LB: Josh Allen, Kentucky: The Chuck Bednarik Award winner — given to the best defensive player in the country — not only registered 84 tackles, he led the SEC in sacks (14) and forced fumbles (five).
LB: Devin White, LSU: Linebackers shouldn’t have this guy’s speed. And it showed from sideline to sideline with 115 tackles, three sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
LB: Deshaun Davis, Auburn: The Tigers’ defense slipped a bit this season, especially late, but Davis wasn’t the reason why, with 93 tackles and three sacks.
LB: Dylan Moses, Alabama: Outside of White, there isn’t a more athletic linebacker in the conference. A Butkus Award finalist, he posted 76 tackles and four sacks.
CB: Deandre Baker, Georgia: The Jim Thorpe Award winner is the definition of a shutdown corner, with 18 pass breakups, five interceptions and three tackles for a loss during the past two seasons.
CB: Greedy Williams, LSU: He has the game to back up his name and his trash-talk. His numbers might not be awe-inspiring (11 passes defended this season and two interceptions), but that’s because most quarterbacks wouldn’t throw his way.
S: Grant Delpit, LSU: At one point, LSU coach Ed Orgeron called Delpit the team’s most dominant player. He did it all, with 75 tackles, five sacks, five interceptions and 14 passes defended.
S: Deionte Thompson, Alabama: You want to know how the Crimson Tide defense overcame losing its entire secondary, including star Minkah Fitzpatrick? Look no further than Thompson, who has first-round potential despite just one year as a full-time starter.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K: Cole Tracy, LSU: The transfer from Assumption College was arguably the MVP for LSU, making 25 of 29 field goals, including the winner against Auburn that put the Tigers on the map this season.
P: Braden Mann, Texas A&M: Only one player in the SEC averaged more than 50 yards per punt, and it’s Mann, who went 51.1 yards per attempt and even notched one beauty of a punt that traveled 82 yards.
RS: Deebo Samuel, South Carolina: He could have been one of our two receivers, but instead the Gamecocks’ Mr. Everything gets the nod as a specialist, where he led the SEC in kick return yards with 570.
Player of the Year: Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
A singular talent, Tagovailoa took the enormous expectations that followed his star turn in last season’s CFP National Championship and actually improved upon them, making himself a Heisman finalist and his offense the best in program history.
Coach of the Year: Nick Saban, Alabama
Saban shouldn’t be overlooked just because he has the No. 1 team in college football. This season, he had to juggle a tricky quarterback situation with Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts; rebuild his defense, including four new starters in the secondary; and get a retooled coaching staff, including three new coordinators, up to speed.
True Freshman of the Year: Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Waddle is perhaps the most electric of Alabama’s receivers, and that’s saying something when you consider Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith. The Texas native is eighth in receiving yards in the SEC (803) and averages a whopping 19.6 yards per catch.