Michael Penix Jr., Brock Bowers Highlight 2023 AP Midseason All-America Team

Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Georgia tight end Brock Bowers are among those honored as members of the Associated Press midseason All-America team, which was released on Wednesday.

Penix, who is considered the clear favorite for the Heisman Trophy at the moment, has completed 72.1 percent of his passes for 2,301 yards, 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions. His Huskies sit No. 5 in the Associated Press poll after a 36-33 win over Oregon on Saturday.

Bowers, who stars for the undefeated No. 1 Bulldogs, has amassed 41 catches for 567 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately, the junior suffered a high ankle sprain that requires surgery and will sideline him for at least several games, per Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner and USC quarterback Caleb Williams did not make the first or second team. Instead, LSU signal-caller Jayden Daniels leads the second team at QB.

Notre Dame and Alabama paced college football with three first-team members apiece.

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First Team Offense

• Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

• Texas RB Jonathon Brooks; Notre Dame RB Audric Estime

• Notre Dame OT Joe Alt; Oregon State OT Taliese Fuaga

• Kansas State OG Cooper Beebe; Michigan OG Zak Zinter

• Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson

• Georgia TE Brock Bowers

• LSU WR Malik Nabers; Missouri WR Luther Burden III; Washington WR Rome Odunze

• Boise State All-Purpose Ashton Jeanty

• Alabama K Will Reichard

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First Team Defense

• UCLA EDGE Laiatu Latu; Alabama EDGE Dallas Turner

• Notre Dame DL Howard Cross III; Illinois DL Jer'Zhan Newton

• North Carolina State LB Payton Wilson; Old Dominion LB Jason Henderson; Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper

• Alabama CB Kool-aid McKinstry; Missouri CB Kris Abrams-Draine

• Georgia S Malaki Starks; Auburn S Jaylin Simpson

• Iowa DB Cooper DeJean

• Iowa P Tory Taylor

No first-year players made either team, but three second-year players did in Missouri wideout Luther Burden III, Boise State all-purpose player Ashton Jeanty and Georgia safety Malaki Starks.

No. 3 Ohio State features four players on the second team, including superstar wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is a candidate to be a top-three NFL draft pick this upcoming spring.

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Second Team Offense

• LSU QB Jayden Daniels

• Kentucky RB Ray Davis; Michigan RB Blake Corum

• Penn State OT Olu Fashanu; Missouri OT Javon Foster

• UConn G Christian Haynes; Ohio State G Tanner Miller

• Georgia C Sedrick Van Pran

• Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison, Jr.; Oregon WR Troy Franklin; South Carolina WR Xavier Legette

• Ohio State TE Cade Stover

• Florida State All-Purpose Keon Coleman

• Miami (Ohio) K Graham Nicholson

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Second Team Defense

• Utah EDGE Jonah Elliss; Colorado State EDGE Mohamed Kamara

• Texas DL T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II

• Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman; Iowa LB Jay Higgin; UNC LB Power Echols

• Ohio State CB Denzel Burke; Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston

• Minnesota S Tyler Nubin; USC S Calen Bullock

• Iowa DB Sebastian Castro

• Vanderbilt P Matthew Hayball

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Texas defensive linemen T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy II form the core of the second team. The Longhorns are the only team to have at least two players on the defensive second team.

We'll see how the final All-America teams shake out after the regular season, which is set to end in mid-December. For now, the college football season is entering Week 8 with a power-packed schedule that includes No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 6 Penn State, No. 17 Tennessee at No. 11 Alabama and No. 14 Utah at No. 18 USC.