AP Makes It Consensus

UCLA defensive lineman Dave Ball and three USC players -- offensive lineman Jacob Rogers, defensive lineman Kenechi Udeze and wide receiver Mike Williams -- continued their haul of postseason honors Monday when they were named to the Associated Press All-America team.

All four players have been selected to at least four All-America teams and are regarded as consensus All-Americans by their schools.

The AP team was selected by a panel of 11 sportswriters. The Times does not participate in voting for the team.

Oklahoma, which will play Louisiana State in the Sugar Bowl, tied a record with five players selected to the team. Quarterback Jason White, who won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, defensive lineman Tommie Harris, linebacker Teddy Lehman, cornerback Derrick Strait and all-purpose player Antonio Perkins helped the Sooners equal the mark that was set by Army in 1945 and equaled by Oklahoma in 1987.

Harris, Lehman and Arkansas tackle Shawn Andrews also were on the team last year.

Michigan’s Chris Perry and Kansas State’s Darren Sproles were selected as first-team running backs. Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald also was selected to the team.

Top-ranked USC, which plays No. 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl, had the second-most players selected to the team.

“This is just as much of an honor for the rest of the guys that play next to me [on the offensive line],” said Rogers, a senior from Oxnard who did not yield a sack this season.

Williams, a sophomore from Tampa, Fla., has caught 87 passes and has scored 16 touchdowns. He finished eighth in Heisman Trophy balloting.

Udeze, a junior from Los Angeles who has 13.5 sacks, said recognition is not clouding the Trojan trio’s focus as they prepare for Michigan and a chance to win a share of the national championship.

“We’ve done a good job to this point, but it’s like, ‘What are you going to do now?’ ” said Udeze, who is expected to explore his NFL draft status after the season. “We have a big game coming up, and me and Mike got another year to play here. There are a lot of expectations set.”

Ball, the Pacific 10 Conference defensive player of the year, led the nation with 16 1/2 sacks. The senior from Dixon, Calif., is preparing for the Bruins’ Silicon Valley Classic game against Fresno State.

Ball was a finalist for the Lombardi and Nagurski awards. He and Udeze also are finalists for the Ted Hendricks Award, presented to the nation’s top defensive end.

USC cornerback Will Poole and punter Tom Malone were selected to the AP second team. Trojan defensive lineman Shaun Cody was a third-team selection.

The Big 12 Conference produced seven first-team players. The Big East had five, the Big Ten, Pac-10 and Southeastern Conference each had four.

Times staff writer Steve Henson contributed to this report.