Three-time defending national champion North Dakota State and Illinois State shared a conference title without having to play each other this season.
Until now, with a much bigger trophy at stake for the Missouri Valley Football Conference co-champions in the FCS championship game Saturday in Frisco, Texas.
“Who’s the better team? It’s going to be settled,” Illinois State running back Marshaun Coprich said. “Might as well, whoever wins, take both (trophies).”
North Dakota State (14-1) again made it from Fargo to Frisco and is going for an unprecedented fourth consecutive title in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Redbirds (13-1) are making their first FCS championship game appearance.
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Cooper among ’Bama players headed to NFL • Wide receiver Amari Cooper, safety Landon Collins and tailback T.J. Yeldon are the latest Alabama underclassmen to leave for the NFL draft.
The three Crimson Tide stars held a news conference Friday, and coach Nick Saban endorsed the move by all three players as “a good business decision.”
All-Americans Cooper and Collins are projected as likely top 10 picks, with the receiver widely regarded as one of the top five players available. Yeldon said he received a second-round grade from the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, while the other two said they were rated as first-rounders.
Oregon’s Carrington suspended • Oregon wide receiver Darren Carrington is suspended for the national championship game after testing positive for marijuana during an NCAA drug test, a person with direct knowledge of test results said Friday. The 6-foot-2, 191-pound redshirt freshman had seven catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns in Oregon’s Rose Bowl victory over Florida State on Jan. 1.
Tressel, Snyder among Hall class • Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and Kansas State coach Bill Snyder have been selected for induction to the College Football Hall of Fame.
The National Football Foundation announced the latest Hall of Fame class of 15 players and two coaches Friday. They will be inducted Dec. 8 in New York.
Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams of Texas and Oklahoma linebacker Brian Bosworth were also selected. (Complete list, B7)
Other college football • Texas A&M has released former starting quarterback Kenny Hill from his athletic scholarship. Aggies spokesman Alan Cannon confirmed reports of the release Friday but declined to comment on media reports that Hill intended to enroll at Texas Christian.
• Michigan has hired Tim Drevno to serve as offensive coordinator for new coach Jim Harbaugh. Drevno was the running game coordinator and offensive line coach at Southern California last season.
Baseball • Free-agent outfielder Chris Denorfia has completed a $2.6 million, one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs. Denorfia, 34, played for San Diego and Seattle last season, batting .230 with three homers and 21 RBIs in 121 games.
• Outfielder Delmon Young has finalized a $2.25 million, one-year contract to play a second season with the Baltimore Orioles.
Berdych, Ferrer in final • Third-seeded Tomas Berdych beat Andreas Seppi 6-2, 6-3 to set up a Qatar Open final against fourth-seeded David Ferrer. Ferrer defeated seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4).
