Wayne Knight, Ta'Shawn James and Sammy Omosigho gave No. 12 UCLA more AP Midseason All-America first-team selections than any other program, the Associated Press announced Oct. 15.
The trio accounted for three of the Big Ten's seven first-team picks, according to UCLA Athletics. It marks the first time three Bruins earned AP All-America honors in the same season since 2012. A total of 21 schools were represented on the first team.
Knight, a fifth-year all-purpose player from Smyrna, Del., leads the FBS in points per game at 13.2 and ranks third nationally in rushing touchdowns with 10. He has scored at least one rushing touchdown in each of UCLA's five games, the first Bruin to do that since Maurice Jones-Drew in 2005. Knight has topped 100 all-purpose yards in four of five games and earned Paul Hornung Award National Player of the Week honors three times.
He was one of only nine players nationally to make both the preseason and midseason first teams. Last season at James Madison, Knight earned AP second-team All-America honors after leading the FBS with 2,039 all-purpose yards.
James, a fourth-year defensive back, leads the Big Ten and is tied for second nationally with four interceptions. He is the third Bruin in the last 10 seasons to record four picks in a season. James also leads UCLA's defensive backs with 29 total tackles.
In the season opener against California, James recorded his first two career interceptions on consecutive fourth-quarter drives to help seal a 45-24 victory.
Omosigho, a fourth-year linebacker from Crandall, Texas, leads the FBS with four forced fumbles and the Big Ten with 5.4 solo tackles per game. He paces the Bruins' defense with 42 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. In his debut season at UCLA after transferring from Oklahoma, Omosigho has landed on the Bednarik, Butkus and Lombardi award watch lists.
No other school matched three first-team picks.
The 5-0 Bruins, 3-0 in Big Ten play after a 17-15 road win at Oregon on Oct. 10, host Wisconsin at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. on NBC.
