three American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Team selections along with Woodley and Leon Hall. Long was a consensus (meaning at least half of the recognized lists, which are AP, AFCA, FWAA, TSN, and the WCFF selected him) 2006 College Football All-America Team first-team selection by Associated Press (AP), AFCA, Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Walter Camp Football Foundation, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, Rivals.com, Scout.com. He was a second-team All-American selection by the College Football News. Long was the first offensive lineman who was a Michigan high school graduate selected to the first-team by the FWAA since Paul Seymour was selected to the 1972 College Football All-America Team. Long was believed to be a likely mid to high first round selection if he had chosen to declare himself eligible for the 2007 NFL Draft, but he chose to use his last year of collegiate eligibility and stay for a fifth year. His decision to stay was what convinced Hart to stay in college. Michigan opposed the 2006 USC Trojans football team in the 2007 Rose Bowl and the offensive line that had surrendered 18 quarterback sacks in the first 12 games, allowed 6 in the 32–18 loss to finish the season 11–2. Long became a member of senior honorary society Order of Angell. Long was a co-captain of the 2007 Michigan Wolverines football team, and he again began the season on the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award watch lists. He was elected to serve as tri-captain along with Hart and Shawn Crable. Entering the season, the team was picked by the Big Ten media members to win the conference. The season was eagerly anticipated with returning seniors Long, Hart and Chad Henne in key roles, but the season quickly began to fall apart when the team lost to the two-time defending FCS champion Appalachian State Mountaineers in the opening game. The loss put Long in a position of having to defend his coach and teammates to ESPN and the nation. In the second game, the team suffered its worst defeat since 1968 and its first consecutive home losses to start the season since 1959. This presented a leadership challenge to Long as team captain. As Michigan won its next eight games, Long was described in the press as the team's most valuable player and an offensive lineman who should be considered for the Heisman Trophy