The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes six selectors as "official" for the 1972 season.
They are:[1] (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) which selected its team for Kodak based on a vote of the nation's coaches;[2] (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers;[3] (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected by the nation's football writers;[4] (4) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) selected based on the votes of sports writers at NEA newspapers;[5] (5) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers;[6] and (6) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC).
Eight players are recognized by the NCAA as unanimous All-America selections.
They are: (1) wide receiver and 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers of Nebraska; (2) tight end Charles Young of USC; (3) offensive tackle Jerry Sisemore of Texas; (4) offensive guard John Hannah of Alabama; (5) running back Greg Pruitt of Oklahoma; (6) defensive tackle Greg Marx of Notre Dame; (7) middle guard Rich Glover of Nebraska; and (8) defensive back Brad Van Pelt of Michigan State.
[7] The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1972 and displays which first-team designations they received.