Trevor Lawrence, Ja'Marr Chase Headline 2020 AP Preseason All-American Team

The Associated Press rolled out its preseason All-American team for the 2020 college football season.

Clemson star Trevor Lawrence edged out Ohio State's Justin Fields for the first-team nod at quarterback.

Ja'Marr Chase no longer has Joe Burrow throwing him passes, but expectations are high for the reigning Biletnikoff Award. The LSU wide receiver was named to the first team along with Alabama pass-catcher DeVonta Smith.

AP All-American First Team

Offense

• Quarterback: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
• Running Backs: Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State; Travis Etienne, Clemson
• Tackles: Penei Sewell, Oregon; Alex Leatherwood, Alabama
• Guards: Wyatt Davis, Ohio State; Trey Smith, Tennessee
• Center: Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma
• Tight End: Pat Freiermuth, Penn State
• Receivers: Ja'Marr Chase, LSU; DeVonta Smith, Alabama 
• All-Purpose: Rondale Moore, Purdue
• Kicker: Keith Duncan, Iowa

Defense

• Ends: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon; Gregory Rousseau, Miami
• Tackles: Marvin Wilson, Florida State; Jaylen Twyman, Pitt
• Linebackers: Micah Parsons, Penn State; Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon; Dylan Moses, Alabama
• Cornerbacks: Derek Stingley Jr., LSU; Shaun Wade, Ohio State 
• Safeties: Richard LeCounte, Georgia; Andre Cisco, Syracuse
• Punter: Max Duffy, Kentucky

The AP already rolled out its preseason rankings, which included teams from conferences that have already announced a cancellation of fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The approach carried over to the All-American team. Seven preseason All-Americans have announced they're opting out of the 2020 campaign, while another 16 represent schools that aren't scheduled to play.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 are the most notable conferences to have announced their intention to forgo a fall athletic season. The ACC, Big 12 and SEC, meanwhile, have shared amended schedules that either limit the number of nonconference games or eliminate them entirely.

Fields launched an online petition calling for the Big Ten to reverse course and "immediately reinstate the 2020 football season." The petition has received more than 301,000 signatures since Aug. 16.

The parents of Nebraska football players also issued a statement demanding transparency regarding how the Big Ten reached its conclusion:

The Big Ten has nine players who are first- or second-team preseason All-Americans. Barring a change, none of those nine will be eligible when the AP votes on its year-end All-American squads.