COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four Mountain West football players earned spots on the The Associated Press All-America team, as announced Monday.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and San José State wide receiver Nick Nash earned first-team honors, with Jeanty being the only unanimous selection to the team. Colorado State center Jacob Gardner and UNLV safety Jalen Catalon claimed third-team honors.

Jeanty and Nash also earned first-team distinction on the AFCA and Walter Camp All-America teams.

Jeanty, the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy who claimed the Maxwell Award as the national player of the year and the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back, leads the FBS in several offensive categories, including rushing yards (2,497), rushing yards per game (192.1), rushing touchdowns (29), total offense (201.0), total points score (180) and total touchdowns (30). Jeanty was also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award. Jeanty has helped the Broncos to the No. 9 spot in the final CFP rankings and the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff as the third-highest ranked conference champion. The Broncos will face either No. 6 seed Penn State or No. 11 seed SMU in the CFP quarterfinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

Nash, who was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, is just the fourth player to earn the FBS receiving triple crown in the regular season, as he enters postseason play leading the FBS in receptions (104), receiving yards (1,382) and receiving touchdowns (16). He also leads the country with 8.7 receptions per game and 115.2 yards per game and has thrown two touchdown passes this season. Nash helped the Spartans qualify for their fourth bowl in five seasons. SJSU will take on South Florida in the Hawai‘i Bowl on Dec. 24.

Gardner anchored a Colorado State front that ranks tied for fourth nationally in least sacks allowed (10 on the season, .83 per game) and paved the way for a rushing attack that improved by 1.3 yards per carry and 77.6 yards per game – the seventh-best improvement nationally. Gardner was only one of two centers nationally to be graded at better than 90 percent by Pro Football Focus in pass blocking and had the highest overall ranking (run and pass) by the organization, finishing at 88.6 percent. Gardner did not allow a sack this season. He helped the Rams to their first bowl appearance since 2017, as CSU will take on Miami (Ohio) in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop on Dec. 28.

Catalon, who transferred to UNLV from the University of Texas this year, made the most of his lone season in Las Vegas. A Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist, he heads into Wednesday’s Art of Sport LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk ranked third in the nation with five interceptions and is among the top 35 nationally in solo tackles. He leads the MW in interception return yards, including a pick-6 in the season-opening win at Houston, and was a two-time MW Defensive Player of the Week honoree. Catalon’s 89 total tackles include five TFL and a key forced fumble that helped the Rebels win at Oregon State.

2024 Associated Press All-America Team

First-team offense

Wide receivers — Nick Nash, San Jose State, senior, 6-3, 195, Irvine, California; Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, junior, 6-5, 212, Waimanalo, Hawaii; Xavier Restrepo, Miami, senior, 5-10, 198, Coconut Creek, Florida.

Tackles — Kelvin Banks, Texas, junior, 6-3, 320, Humble, Texas; Will Campbell, LSU, junior, 6-6, 323, Monroe, Louisiana.

Guards — Addison West, Western Michigan, senior, 6-3, 305, Cary, Illinois; Willie Lampkin, North Carolina, senior, 5-11, 290, Lakeland, Florida.

Center — Jake Slaughter, Florida, junior, 6-5, 308, Sparr Florida.

Tight end — Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green, junior, 6-4, 230, Canton, Ohio.

Quarterback — Cam Ward, Miami, senior, 6-2, 223, West Columbia, Texas.

Running backs — u-Ashton Jeanty, Boise State, junior, 5-9, 215, Jacksonville, Florida; Cam Skattebo, Arizona State, senior, 5-11, 215, Rio Linda, California.

Kicker — Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana-Lafayette, senior, 6-2, 252, Clute, Texas.

All-purpose — Travis Hunter, Colorado, junior, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Georgia.

First-team defense

Edge rushers — Abdul Carter, Penn State, junior, 6-3, 252, Philadelphia; Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College, senior, 6-2, 247, Williamstown, New Jersey.

Interior linemen — Mason Graham, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 320, Mission Viejo, California; Walter Nolen, Mississippi, junior, 6-3, 305, Powell, Tennessee.

Linebackers — Jay Higgins, Iowa, senior, 6-2, 232, Indianapolis; Shaun Dolac, Buffalo, graduate, 6-1, 225, West Seneca, New York; Carson Schwesinger, UCLA, junior, 6-2, 225, Moorpark, California.

Cornerbacks — Jahdae Barron, Texas, senior, 5-11, 200, Austin, Texas; Travis Hunter, Colorado, junior, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Georgia.

Safeties — Xavier Watts, Notre Dame, graduate, 6-0, 203, Omaha, Nebraska; Caleb Downs, Ohio State, sophomore, 6-0, 205, Hoschton, Georgia.

Defensive back — Nick Emmanwori, South Carolina, junior, 6-3, 227, Irmo, South Carolina.

Punter — Alex Mastromanno, Florida State, senior, 6-1, 241, Melbourne, Australia.

Second-team offense

Wide receivers — Travis Hunter, Colorado, junior, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Georgia; Tre Harris, Mississippi, senior, 6-3, 210, Lafayette, Louisiana; Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, freshman, 6-3, 215, Miami Gardens, Florida.

Tackles — Spencer Fano, Utah, sophomore, 6-5, 304, Spanish Fork, Utah; Wyatt Milum, West Virginia, senior, 6-6, 317, Kenova, West Virginia.

Guards — Tyler Booker, Alabama, junior, 6-5, 325, New Haven, Connecticut; Donovan Jackson, Ohio State, senior, 6-4, 320, Cypress, Texas, and Dylan Fairchild, Georgia, junior, 6-5, 315, Cumming, Georgia.

Center — Seth McLaughlin, Ohio State, graduate, 6-4, 305, Buford, Georgia.

Tight end — Tyler Warren, Penn State, senior, 6-6, 261, Mechanicsville, Virginia.

Quarterback — Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, senior, 6-2, 215, Dallas.

Running backs — Omarion Hampton, North Carolina, junior, 6-0, 220, Clayton, North Carolina; Kaleb Johnson, Iowa, junior, 6-0, 225, Hamilton, Ohio.

Kicker — Dominic Zvada, Michigan, junior 6-3, 180, Chandler, Arizona, and Alex Raynor, Kentucky, senior, 6-0, 185, Kennesaw, Georgia.

All-purpose — Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh, junior, 5-8, 175, Miami Gardens, Florida.

Second-team defense

Edge rushers — Kyle Kennard, South Carolina, senior, 6-5, 254, Atlanta; Mike Green, Marshall, sophomore, 6-4, 238, Williamsburg, Virginia.

Interior linemen — Derrick Harmon, Oregon, junior, 6-5, 310, Detroit; Alfred Collins, Texas, senior, 6-5, 320, Bastrop, Texas.

Linebackers — Anthony Hill Jr., Texas, sophomore, 6-3, 235, Denton, Texas; Danny Stutsman, Oklahoma, senior, 6-4, 243, Windermere, Florida; Kyle Louis, Pittsburgh, sophomore, 6-0, 225, East Orange, New Jersey.

Cornerbacks — Nohl Williams, California, senior, 6-1, 200, Oxnard, California; Jermod McCoy, Tennessee, sophomore, 6-0, 193, Whitehouse, Texas.

Safeties — Malaki Starks, Georgia, junior, 6-1, 205, Jefferson, Georgia; Malachi Moore, Alabama, graduate, 6-0, 201, Trussville, Alabama.

Defensive back — Michael Taaffe, Texas, junior, 6-0, 195, Austin, Texas.

Punter — Brett Thorson, Georgia, junior, 6-2, 235, Melbourne, Australia.

Third-team offense

Wide receivers — Tai Felton, Maryland, senior, 6-2, 186, Ashburn, Virginia; Jayden Higgins, Iowa State, senior, 6-4, 215, South Miami, Florida; Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State, sophomore, 6-1, 195, Allen, Texas and Eric Rivers, Florida International, senior, 5-11, 174, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Tackles — Josh Conerly Jr., Oregon, junior, 6-4, 315, Seattle; Aireontae Ersery, Minnesota, senior, 6-3, 330, Kansas City, Missouri.

Guards — Tate Ratledge, Georgia, senior, 6-6, 330, Rome, Georgia; Paolo Gennarelli, Army, sophomore, 6-1, 310, Campton Hills, Illinois.

Center — Jacob Gardner, Colorado State, graduate, 6-4, 300, Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Tight end — Oronde Gadsden II, Syracuse, junior, 6-5, 236, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Quarterback — Dillon Gabriel, Oregon, graduate, 6-0, 200, Mililani, Hawaii.

Running backs — Dylan Sampson, Tennessee; junior, 5-11, 201, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; RJ Harvey, UCF, senior, 5-9, 208, Orlando, Florida.

Kicker — Ryan Fitzgerald, Florida State., senior, 6-1, 190, Coolidge, Georgia.

All-purpose — Brashard Smith, SMU, 5-10, 196, senior, Richmond Heights, Florida.

Third-team defense

Edge rushers — Antwaun Powell-Ryland, Virginia Tech, senior, 6-3, 252, Portsmouth, Virginia; Mikail Kamara, Indiana, junior, 6-1, 265, Ashburn, Virginia.

Interior linemen — Aeneas Peebles, Virginia Tech, graduate, 6-1, 290, Raleigh, North Carolina; Kenneth Grant, Michigan, junior, 6-3, 339, Gary, Indiana.

Linebackers — Chris Paul Jr., Mississippi, junior, 6-1, 235, Cordele, Georgia; Barrett Carter, Clemson, senior, 6-1, 230, Suwanee, Georgia; Jalon Walker, Georgia, junior, 6-2, 245, Salisbury, North Carolina.

Cornerbacks — Chandler Rivers, Duke, junior, 5-10, 180, Beaumont, Texas; Will Johnson, Michigan, junior, 6-2, 202, Detroit.

Safeties — Lathan Ransom, Ohio State, graduate, 6-1, 210, Tucson, Arizona; Jalen Catalon, UNLV, senior, 5-11, 205, Mansfield, Texas.

Defensive back — Mello Dotson, Kansas, senior, 6-1, 190, Daytona Beach, Florida.

Punter — Eddie Czaplicki, Southern California, senior, 6-1, 207, Charlotte, North Carolina.