From Red Grange to Travis Hunter, the AP All-America team has been the 'gold standard' for a century

For 100 years, The Associated Press has honored the best of the best in college football with its annual All-America team.

Nearly 2,000 men — from Red Grange to Travis Hunter — have earned the distinction of AP All-American in a tradition that rivals the longest in the history of the game.

“For anyone named an AP All-America, the honor has immediate cachet,” said John Heisler, who worked in media relations at Notre Dame for 41 years and is the author of 11 books on the Irish's football history. “If anyone received multiple All-America honors, it always seemed like the AP recognition would be at the top of the list.”

Notre Dame leads all schools with 85 AP first-team picks since the news organization's All-America honors debuted in 1925. The Irish are followed by Alabama (83), Ohio State