IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior center Tyler Linderbaum and senior defensive back Riley Moss were named first-team All-America by Sporting News. The announcement was made Tuesday.
Linderbaum has now earned first-team recognition on four of five All-America teams that are used in determining Consensus All-America status. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America team will be announced tomorrow, Dec. 15.
Along with the consensus All-America status, Linderbaum received the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top center. He was a finalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy. He was named the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year in the Big Ten, while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors for the second straight season.
The Solon, Iowa, native (6-foot-3, 290-pounds) has started 34 consecutive games at center after starting his Hawkeye career at defensive lineman as a true freshman. Iowa has posted a 26-8 record during that span.
Moss (6-1, 194) earned third team honors on the Associated Press team after being named second-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). He is the fifth Hawkeye to be named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from league coaches and media.
The Ankeny, Iowa, native ranks 11th in the country and third in the Big Ten with four interceptions. Moss had two interceptions returns for touchdowns in Iowa’s opening win over Indiana. He is tied for 11th in career interceptions (10-239-3 TDs), is one of three players in program history with three interception returns for touchdowns and ranks second in career interception return yards.
Iowa won its final six games in 2020 and began the 2021 season with six straight wins. The Hawkeyes closed the regular season with four straight victories to earn the Big Ten’s West Division championship.
The 15th-ranked Hawkeyes will face No. 22 Kentucky in the 2022 Vrbo Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Florida. Kickoff is set for 12:06 p.m. (CT) from Camping World Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC.