The 1970 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1970. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes six selectors as "official" for the 1970 season. They are: (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), (2) the Associated Press (AP), (3) the Central Press Association (CP), (4) Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), (5) the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and (6) the United Press International (UPI).
AP, UPI, NEA, and Central Press were all press organizations that polled writers and players. FWAA was also a poll of writers, as was the Walter Camp Foundation. The AFCA was a poll of college coaches. The Sporting News and Time polled football scouts and coaches. AP, UPI, NEA, Central Press, and The Sporting News chose both first and second teams. AP, UPI, NEA, and Central Press also listed numerous honorable mentions.
Consensus All-Americans
The following chart identifies the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1970 and displays which first-team designations they received.
Offense
Ends
Tom Gatewood, Notre Dame (AFCA, CP-1 [end], FWAA [end], NEA-1, UPI-1 [end], FN, WC) Elmo Wright, Houston (AP-1, FWAA [end], NEA-1, UPI-2 [end], FN, PFW, Time, TSN) Ernie Jennings, Air Force (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1 [end], FWAA [flanker], NEA-2, UPI-1 [end], FN) Chuck Dicus, Arkansas (AFCA, CP-2 [end], NEA-2, FN, WC) J. D. Hill, Arizona State (PFW, Time, TSN) Terry Beasley, Auburn (AP-2, CP-2 [end], NEA-2 [tight end], UPI-2 [end], FN) Cotton Speyrer, Texas (WC) Bobby Newland, Oregon (AP-2)
Tight ends
Jan White, Ohio State (NEA-1, Time, TSN) Jim Braxton, West Virginia (AP-1) Larry Brown, Kansas (PFW) Bob Moore, Stanford (AP-2)
Tackles
Dan Dierdorf, Michigan (AFCA, AP-1, CP-2, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, PFW, Time, WC) Bobby Wuensch, Texas (AFCA, AP-2, CP-1, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, WC) Bob Newton, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-2 [guard], UPI-2, FN) Vernon Holland, Tenn State (PFW, Time, TSN) Marv Montgomery, USC (Time, TSN) Larron "Larry" Jackson, Missouri (AP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2) Worthy McClure, Mississippi (CP-2, NEA-2)
Guards
Chip Kell, Tennessee (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI, FN, WC) Larry DiNardo, Notre Dame (AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI, FN, TSN, WC) Hank Allison, San Diego St. (AP-2, NEA-1, PFW, Time, TSN) Mike Sikich, Northwestern (CP-2, UPI-2) Gary Venturo, Arizona St. (CP-2, UPI-2) Dave Thompson, Clemson (AP-2)
Centers
Don Popplewell, Colorado (AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI, FN, WC) Dave Thompson, Clemson (PFW, Time, TSN) Wimpy Winther, Mississippi (PFW) John Sande, Stanford (NEA-2, UPI-2) Bob Herb, William & Mary (AP-2) Tommy Lyons, Georgia (CP-2)
Quarterbacks
Jim Plunkett, Stanford (AFCA, AP-2, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-1, UPI, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Joe Theismann, Notre Dame (AP-1, CP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2, FN)
Running backs
Steve Worster, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, CP-2 [fullback], FWAA, NEA-1, UPI, FN, Time, TSN, WC) Don McCauley, North Carolina (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN, WC) John Brockington, Ohio State (AP-2, CP-1 [fullback], NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, PFW, Time, TSN) Ed Marinaro, Cornell (AP-2, CP-1, UPI-1, FN) Leon Burns, Long Beach St. (NEA-1, PFW) Johnny Musso, Alabama (CP-2, FN, WC) Willie Armstrong, Grambling (PFW) Mike Adamle, Northwestern (UPI-2, FN) Leo Hayden, Ohio State (PFW) Vince Clements, Connecticut (NEA-2) Joe Moore, Missouri (UPI-2) Joe Orduna, Nebraska (CP-2)
Defense
Ends
Bill Atessis, Texas (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, NEA-1, UPI-1, FN, PFW, Time, TSN) Charlie Weaver, USC (AFCA, AP-1, CP-2, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, Time, WC) Jack Youngblood, Florida (AP-2, CP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, FN, PFW, Time, TSN, WC) Richard Harris, Grambling (PFW, Time, TSN) Tody Smith, USC (PFW, Time) Herb Orvis, Colorado (AP-2, NEA-2, UPI-2) Mike Kuhn, Kansas St. (CP-2)
Tackles
Rock Perdoni, Georgia Tech (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1, FWAA, NEA-2, UPI-1, FN, TSN, WC) Dick Bumpas, Arkansas (AP-1, NEA-1 [end]) Tom Neville, Yale (CP-2, WC) Bruce James, Arkansas (FWAA) Joe Ehrmann, Syracuse (UPI-1) Jim Poston, South Carolina (CP-1) Win Headley, Wake Forest (NEA-1) Mel Long, Toledo (NEA-1) David Rolley, Kentucky (NEA-2) Dave Walline, Nebraska (UPI-2) Today Smith, USC (UPI-2) Craig Hanneman, Oregon St. (AP-2) John Sage, LSU (AP-2) Bob Bell, Cincinnati (CP-2)
Middle guards
Jim Stillwagon, Ohio State (AFCA, AP-1, CP-1 [guard], FWAA, NEA-1, UPI-1 [linebacker], FN, WC) Henry Hill, Michigan (AP-2 [guard], CP-1 [guard], NEA-2 [MG]) George Smith, Nebraska (CP-2 [guard]) Roger Roitsch, Rice (CP-2 [guard])