UNDATED (AP) β Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota (mar-ee-OH’-tuh) is The Associated Press college football player of the year in a landslide vote reminiscent of his Heisman Trophy romp. Mariota received 49 of the 54 votes submitted by the AP Top 25 media panel.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) β Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher has been rewarded with a contract extension to keep him with the program through the 2022 season. The ‘Noles are 58-10 since Fisher replaced Bobby Bowden before the 2010 season.
WASHINGTON (AP) β Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer has been cleared by his doctors to work the Military Bowl on Saturday when his team plays Cincinnati. The 68-year-old Beamer is still recovering from throat surgery shortly after the end of the regular season.
NEW YORK (AP) β The AFC West champion Denver Broncos led the NFL with nine players selected for the Pro Bowl. Quarterback Peyton Manning was picked for the 14th time and is joined by Ryan Clady (KLAY’-dee), Chris Harris, Von Miller, Aqib Talib (ah-KEEB’ tah-LEEB’), Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, T.J. Ward and DeMarcus Ware. The NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys were second with six players chosen, including Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Dez Bryant.
UNDATED (AP) β The division-deciding games at Green Bay and Atlanta will be played late Sunday afternoon. The NFL has moved the Lions-Packers game for the NFC North championship to 4:25 p.m. EST, to be broadcast on Fox. It also put the Panthers-Falcons game in that time slot, but switched networks for that NFC South showdown to CBS.
