Hall and Kolar named AFCA All-Americans

Oct 24, 2020; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Iowa State Cyclones running back Breece Hall (28) looks to get by Oklahoma State Cowboys safety Tre Sterling (3) in the second quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sarah Phipps-USA TODAY Sports

Breece Hall is one step closer to history.

The Cyclones’ superstar tailback was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association on Thursday, making him one team shy of being the program’s first-ever unanimous All-American. He will achieve the honor if he’s selected for the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American team, which will be released on Jan. 7.

To be a unanimous All-American, a player must be selected to the Football Writers Association, Associated Press, The Sporting News, AFCA and WCFF first-team All-American squads. Hall has already secured four of those after his stellar 2020 campaign that saw him rush for 1,436 yards and 19 touchdowns plus two more receiving scores to tie Troy Davis’ school-record of 21 total touchdowns set in 1996.

Hall was joined on the AFCA team by tight end Charlie Kolar, who earned a second-team nod. Prior to this season, Iowa State football had never had multiple players on one of the major All-American teams, but they’ve had more than two on each of the four released so far.

Kolar will go down not only as one of the best tight ends but as one of the best pass-catchers to ever play in Ames. The Norman, Okla. native has caught 39 passes for 538 yards and six touchdowns in 2020. His 101 career receptions and 16 touchdown receptions are school records for a tight end (and his touchdowns mark is fourth overall) while he’s only nine yards short of holding the career receiving yards for a tight end record as well.

Hall and Kolar are the sixth and seventh AFCA All-Americans in Iowa State history, joining Tom Watkins (1960), Tom Vaughn (1963), Matt Blair (1973), Mike Busch (1989) and Troy Davis (1995).

Iowa State will close its 2020 campaign on Saturday when it squares off with Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

Jared Stansbury

View articles by Jared Stansbury subscriber

Jared a native of Clarinda, Iowa, started as the Cyclone Fanatic intern in August 2013, primarily working as a videographer until starting on the women’s basketball beat prior to the 2014-15 season. Upon earning his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Iowa State in May 2016, Jared was hired as the site’s full-time staff writer, taking over as the primary day-to-day reporter on football and men’s basketball. He was elevated to the position of managing editor in January 2020. He is a regular contributor on 1460 KXNO in Des Moines and makes regular guest appearances on radio stations across the Midwest. Jared resides in Ankeny with his four-year-old puggle, Lolo.

Follow @@JaredStansbury