Three Cats named AP All-America
Kentucky's Josh Allen and Bunchy Stallings earn first-team AP All-America honors, while Benny Snell Jr. named to third team.
For the first time since 1950, Kentucky has been honored by The Associated Press with three All-American selections.
Senior linebacker Josh Allen, senior offensive guard Bunchy Stallings and junior running back Benny Snell Jr. were all named to this year's AP teams on Monday. Allen and Stallings earned first-team honors, while Snell was a third-team selection.
They are the first AP All-Americans since Larry Warford was named a third-team offensive guard in 2012. UK's most recent first-team honoree was Derek Abney as a wide receiver/kick return specialist in 2002.
The only previous season in school history to feature three All-Americans was 1950 when quarterback Vito "Babe" Parilli, offensive tackle Bob Gain and end Al Bruno were chosen.
Allen, who had 84 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and a school-record 14 sacks this season, added to his long list of postseason accolades. The Montclair, N.J., native won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award honoring the national defensive player of the year. He was also the Lott IMPACT Trophy winner and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by both the AP and coaches.
Stallings, a native of McComb, Miss., allowed only one sack this season. He recorded 170 blocks at the point of attack and 55 knockdown blocks. His efforts helped Snell reach his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, the first player in UK program history to accomplish that feat.
Snell rushed for 1,305 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Westerville, Ohio, native is one of only two players in SEC history -- joining Georgia's Herschel Walker -- to rush for at least 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons.
Kentucky (9-3) is currently preparing for the Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando against the Big Ten's Penn State.