1986 All-Big Ten Conference football team

The 1986 All-Big Ten Conference football team consists of American football players chosen as All-Big Ten Conference players for the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season.

Three players were unanimously chosen as first-team players by the Associated Press media panel: quarterback Jim Harbaugh, receiver Cris Carter, and linebacker Chris Spielman.

Conference co-champions Michigan and Ohio State led the conference with seven first-team players each. Michigan's first-team selections included Harbaugh, Jumbo Elliott, Mark Messner and Andy Moeller. Ohio State's first-team selections included unanimous choices Carter and Spielman. Iowa followed with four first-team honorees, including running back Rick Bayless.

Quarterbacks

 * Jim Harbaugh, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Jim Karsatos, Ohio State (AP-2)
 * Dave Yarema, Michigan State (UPI-2)

Running backs

 * Darrell Thompson, Minnesota (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Rick Bayless, Iowa (AP-1)
 * Jamie Morris, Michigan (AP-2; UPI-1)
 * Larry Emery, Wisconsin (AP-2; UPI-2)
 * Lorenzo White, Michigan State (UPI-2)

Centers

 * Bob Maggs, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Ray Hitchcock, Minnesota (AP-2; UPI-2)

Guards

 * Mark Hammerstein, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Jeff Uhlenhake, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-2)
 * Bob Kratch, Iowa (UPI-1)
 * Troy Wolcrow, Minnesota (AP-2)
 * Scott Kehoe, Illinois (AP-2; UPI-2)

Tackles

 * Dave Croston, Iowa (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Jumbo Elliott, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Jim Hobbins, Minnesota (AP-2)
 * Bob Riley, Indiana (AP-2; UPI-2)
 * Paul Gruber, Wisconsin (UPI-2)

Tight ends

 * Ed Taggert, Ohio State (AP-1)
 * Rich Borresen, Northwestern (AP-2; UPI-1)
 * Mike Flagg, Iowa (UPI-2)

Receivers

 * Cris Carter, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Andre Rison, Michigan State (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Mark Ingram Sr., Michigan State (AP-2; UPI-2)
 * Steve Pierce, Illinois (AP-2; UPI-2)

Linemen-outside linebackers

 * Jeff Drost, Iowa (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Eric Kumerow, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Van Waiters, Indiana (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Dave Haight, Iowa (AP-1)
 * Mark Messner, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-2)
 * Bob Dirkes, Northwestern (AP-2)
 * John Budde, Michigan State (AP-2)
 * Kevin Holley, Purdue (AP-2)
 * Mark Nichols, Michigan State (AP-2; UPI-2)
 * Darryl Lee, Ohio State (AP-2)
 * Rick Graf, Wisconsin (UPI-2)
 * Scott Davis, Illinois (UPI-2)

Linebackers

 * Andy Moeller, Michigan (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Chris Spielman, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Shane Bullough, Michigan State (AP-2; UPI-1)
 * Bruce Holmes, Minnesota (AP-2; UPI-1)
 * Michael Reid, Wisconsin (AP-1; UPI-2)
 * Fred Strickland, Purdue (AP-2; UPI-2)
 * Larry Joyner, Minnesota (UPI-2)
 * Michael Kee, Ohio State (UPI-2)

Defensive backs

 * Nate Odomes, Wisconsin (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Rod Woodson, Purdue (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Garland Rivers, Michigan (AP-2; UPI-1)
 * Sonny Gordon, Ohio State (AP-1; UPI-2)
 * Leonard Bell, Indiana (AP-2; UPI-2)
 * Alex Green, Indiana (AP-2)
 * Greg Rogan, Ohio State (UPI-2)

Kickers

 * John Duvic, Northwestern (AP-1; UPI-2)
 * Chip Lohmiller, Minnesota (UPI-1)
 * Rob Houghtlin, Iowa (AP-2)

Punters

 * Greg Montgomery, Michigan State (AP-1; UPI-1)
 * Tom Tupa, Ohio State (AP-2; UPI-2)

Key
AP = Associated Press, selected by a panel of 17 sports writers and broadcasters covering the Big Ten

UPI = United Press International, selected by the conference coaches

Bold = Consensus first-team selection of both the AP and UPI