A group of USA Today sports writers compiled a list of college football greats for its All-2000s Team, and two Notre Dame legends made the cut.
The list consists of 19 schools, including Notre Dame, with a steady mix of Heisman winners, Hall of Famers and future NFL stars as part of the rundown. Former Irish star guard Quenton Nelson
and ex-standout linebacker Manti Te’o were respectively selected to USA Today’s first-team offense and defense.Nelson, a 2018 grad of Notre Dame, was a 6-5, 330-pound force of nature that led the Irish offensive line. In his 2017 senior season, he was a unanimous All-American and won the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive line unit in college football every year. Following a successful
college football career, has developed into a three-time All-Pro lineman for the Indianapolis Colts.
Te’o was a second-team All-American after a junior season where he had a team-high 128 tackles. Te’o helped the Irish reach the Bowl Championship Series title game in 2012, the same year he was named a unanimous All-American. Before his college career came to a close, Te’o racked up Bednarik, Nagurski, Lombardi and Butkus awards – and became the second primary defender to finish second in the Heisman voting.
Te’o went to play for the San Diego Chargers (now in Los Angeles), the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears from 2013 to 2020.
The century is 25 years old which seems the appropriate time to recognize the best college football players during that era on our all-century team. https://t.co/KXEZYuAWrc
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 2, 2026
Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page onFacebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.
Follow Kevin on X: @KevLSmittie
This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: USA TODAY tabs two Notre Dame greats for its All-2000s team
