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- 2023 The Sporting News All-America Football Team
Morgantown, West Virginia – West Virginia University redshirt senior cornerback Benny Bishop Jr And the junior center Zach Frazier They were named to the Sporting News All-America Second Team in a row as announced by the organization.
Bishop and Frazier became the first Mountaineers to earn Sporting News All-America honors since Darius Stills and Tykee Smith were honored as first- and second-team selections in 2020 and ’18.y And 19y In WVU history. They became the third group of WVU players to earn a spot on one of the two teams (Steve Slaton and Dan Mozes were the first team in 2006).
Bishop, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, is the first WVU cornerback to earn Sporting News All-America honors in school history and the first defensive back since Smith. Frazier is the third center to be recognized by WVU, the first since Mozes in 2006 and the seventh offensive lineman.
This latest honor for Bishop marks the fourth finish (Walter Camp – First Team, FWAA – First Team, AP – Second Team) of the five All-America teams that make up the consensus team. He is also WVU’s 49th All-American selection since 2002. The program now has 112 All-Americans overall. Bishop was previously named to All-America teams by College Football Network, Bleacher Report (first team), USA Today and FOX Sport (second team).
A 2023 All-Big 12 Conference first-team selection, Bishop became the first Mountaineer to earn FWAA All-America honors since Darius Stills and Tykee Smith were named to the team in 2020. He is also the 16th WVU player to be named FWAA All-America honoree. by the FWAA, including 11 first-team honorees.
Bishop, a 2023 All-Big 12 Conference first-team performer, was also a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award. He played his final season at West Virginia in 2023 after transferring from Minnesota. He started all 12 games for the Mountaineers and led the nation in passes defended (24), pass breakups (20), incompletions forced (17) and Falcons’ rate (interceptions and incompletions forced combined). He currently needs two more breakaways to become WVU’s single-season rushing leader with 22, which is currently held by Brian King (21, 2003). He ranked No. 16 nationally in interceptions (4).
He has recorded 13 pass breakups over the last six games and tied the school record with five pass breakups against BYU and also had four against Oklahoma State. He was named Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Newcomer of the Week for UCF when he completed two interceptions and a pass breakup.
Frazier, a three-year captain and two-time Iron Mountaineer Award winner, has played in 47 career games, including 45 starts and 37 straight at center. He has led the team in each of the last three years, hitting over .170 during that span. He has allowed just one sack over the last two years and four throughout his career.
Fraser’s second team honor is the second on the consensus All-America list for him. He was also named to the Action Network First Team, USA Today, The Athletic, SI.com, FOX Sports, and College Football Network Second Team. Frazier was a finalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Award and the NFF Scholar-Athlete Team and a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy and the Jason Witten Man of the Year Award.
Frazier, a three-time All-Big 12 performer, including a first-team selection in 2022 and 2023, is a two-time All-American selection. He was named second-team honors in 2021 by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and the American Football Coaches Association.
Frazier, a native of Fairmont, West Virginia, was the stalwart of WVU’s offensive line, which leads the Power 5 in rushing yards, per game with 234.3 yards per game and is No. 7 nationally in fewest sacks allowed, in 2023. The same offensive line was the only group in the Big 12 to finish with more than 2,000 receiving yards in conference games (2,211).
He was named WVU’s offensive lineman of the week six times in 2023, 16 times during his career, and earned an invitation to play in the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
West Virginia Sports News First Team All-American selections
2020 – Darius Stills, D.T
2017 – David Sills V, WR
2014 – Kevin White, WR
2010 – Robert Sands, S
2006 – Dan Moses, OC, Steve Slaton, running back
2003 – Grant Wiley, LB
1992 – Mike Compton, OL
1984 – Willie Drewery, special teams
1983 – Paul Woodside, B.K
1982 – Darrell Talley, LB
1970 – Dale Farley, LP
1955 – Bruce Bosley, d
West Virginia Sports News Second Team All-America selections
2023 – Benny Bishop JrC.B
2023 – Zach Frazier,ol
2020 – Tiki Smith, S
2007 – Ryan Stanczyk, OT
2005 – Jaren Justin, OT
1988 – Brian Smith, OT
In a season filled with standout performances and exceptional talent, Bishop Jr. and Frazier have been recognized for their outstanding contributions on the field. Their impressive skills and unwavering determination have earned them the prestigious honor of being named The Sporting News All-Americans. As two of the most promising athletes in the sport, Bishop Jr. and Frazier have truly made their mark and solidified their place among the best in the game.