Christensen, Oldroyd garner AP All-America accolades

Christensen earns AP All-America First Team accolades, Oldroyd named to AP Third Team
 

PROVO, Utah — BYU left tackle Brady Christensen was named to the prestigious Associated Press All-America First Team on Monday while Cougar kicker Jake Oldroyd received third-team All-America honors from AP voters.  

BYU's first AP first-team selection since running back Luke Staley in 2001, Christensen has now earned first-team All-America recognition from six sponsoring organizations this postseason to become the first Cougar to earn multiple first-team All-America honors since 2009 consensus All-America tight end Dennis Pitta, who was an AP second-team pick in 2009. Last week Christensen  was also recognized as a first-team All-American by USA TODAY Sports, ESPN, CBS Sports, Pro Football Focus and Bleacher Report.

Having earned grades above 95.0 as both a pass-blocker and run-blocker throughout the regular 2020 season, the 6-foot-6 300-pound junior allowed just three pressures across 372 regular-season pass-blocking snaps and posted a 96.4 overall grade, which is on pace to break the PFF college record set by 2019 Outland Trophy winner Penei Sewell last season. 

At left tackle, Christensen protects the blindside of All-America quarterback Zac Wilson. Together they led a BYU offense that currently ranks No. 4 in scoring (43.5 ppg) and No. 7 in total offense (522.2 ypg). USA TODAY called Christensen, “the unsung star of the nation’s fourth-best offense in yards per play.” 

Oldroyd, one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award given to the nation's top placekicker, earned the first All-America honors of his career with Monday's AP recognition. He is the first BYU kicker to earn All-America honors since Matt Payne in 2004. 

A 6-foot-1, 195-pound sophomore from Southlake, Texas, Oldroyd finished the season a perfect 13-for-13 on field goals, the most by an FBS kicker without a miss this season. More than half of those kicks came from at least 40 yards out, including three from over 50. That gives him more 50-yard field goals in a perfect season than any FBS kicker since at least 2004. 

While sharing the top spot in nation with a perfect percentage, Oldroyd also converted 60 of 62 extra points to tie for No. 2 nationally for the most PAT conversions, while his 99 total points in 2020 ranks No. 11 in the country. He made at least one field goal in nine of the 11 games he has played, including four games with multiple conversions.

Overall, BYU has had four players named to All-America teams this postseason for the first time since 1984. Junior quarterback Zach Wilson and junior receiver Dax Milne also earned All-America accolades, joining Christensen last week in being selected by Pro Football Focus. Wilson and Milne garnered PFF second-team honors. 

The Cougars finished the 2020 season with an 11-1 record after a dominant 49-23 victory over UCF in the RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl. The Cougars entered the bowl season ranked No. 13 in The Associated Press Top 25 and No. 15 in the Amway Coaches Poll.

Select the following link to view the 2020 AP All-America teams.