Get ready for an incredible journey as we celebrate the 2025 AFCA All-American selections! This year, we're spotlighting three exceptional athletes who have taken the college football world by storm.
First up, we have Jeremiyah Love, a junior running back, and Leonard Moore, a sophomore cornerback, both named to the AFCA First-Team All-Americans. Joining them is Billy Schrauth, a junior offensive lineman, who made it to the AFCA All-America Second Team. These honors are just the beginning, as the AFCA All-America team is one of the prestigious five that contribute to the consensus and unanimous All-America status.
But here's where it gets controversial... Love and Moore have already received three first-team all-america selections from these five teams! Love, the winner of the Doak Walker Award for the best running back and the Disney Spirit Award for inspiration, was also a Heisman Trophy finalist. Moore, a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, is equally impressive.
Let's dive into Love's remarkable season. He rushed for an incredible 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns on 199 carries, with an impressive average of 6.9 yards per rush. And here's the kicker: he achieved all this while sharing the backfield with Jadarian Price, who also rushed for an impressive 674 yards and 11 touchdowns! Love is the only player on the 1,300-yard rushers list with a teammate achieving similar feats.
At the end of the regular season, Love ranked among the nation's elite, leading in scoring, total touchdowns, and yards from scrimmage. He was the only player with over 1,100 rushing yards and an average of 6.6 yards per carry. Love's performance against Syracuse was a highlight, with 171 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries, an average of 21.4 yards per carry! He joined an elite club with this performance.
In Notre Dame's win over Stanford, Love rushed for a touchdown on the opening drive, becoming the single-season leader in total touchdowns, surpassing Jerome Bettis' legendary record. Love's impact continued, as he became the first player in program history with multiple seasons of 17+ rushing touchdowns. His performance against USC was nothing short of extraordinary, earning him the Associated Press National Player of the Week and the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week honors.
Now, let's shift our focus to Leonard Moore, a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Moore ended the regular season with an impressive five interceptions in just 10 games, ranking second in the nation for interceptions per game. He also ranked third nationally in total interceptions and eighth in passes defended per game. According to Pro Football Focus, Moore was the top-rated Power 4 cornerback in coverage and defensive grades.
