Associated Press
NEW YORK ó James Laurinaitis idolized A.J. Hawk, Chris Spielman and the other great linebackers who played for Ohio State before him.
Now, in at least one area, he has surpassed them.
Laurinaitis became the second college football player to be a three-time AP All-American, joining Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and star receiver Michael Crabtree on the first team released Tuesday.The only other player to make the AP first-team three times was Pittsburgh offensive lineman Bill Fralic (1982-84), according to STATS LLC.
Players with local ties who made the team were Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes (Crest) and Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith. Alabama put more players ó about 1,000 pounds of linemen ó on the 2008 AP first team than any school. Offensive tackle Andre Smith, listed at 330 pounds, was a unanimous first-team choice. He was joined by center Antoine Caldwell. Crimson Tide nose guard Terrence Cody anchored the top-ranked defense in the SEC.
Bradford beat out Texas’ Colt McCoy and Florida’s Tim Tebow in All-America voting that broke the same way as the Heisman balloting.
Laurinaitis and Crabtree, the Texas Tech receiver, were among five players to repeat as first-teamers. Oklahoma guard Duke Robinson, Cincinnati punter Kevin Huber and Missouri receiver/returner Jeremy Maclin, who made it as an all-purpose player, were the others.
MEINEKE BOWL
CHARLOTTE ó The Meineke Bowl is a sellout again. More than 73,000 tickets have been sold for the Dec. 27 game between North Carolina and West Virginia.
It marks the third sellout in the bowl’s seven seasons at Bank of America Stadium.
Bowl officials anticipated a hot ticket when the matchup was announced. Both teams have large fan followings and are within driving distance of Charlotte.
West Virginia lost to Virginia 48-22 in front of a sellout crowd in the bowl’s inaugural game in 2002. The other sellout came two years later, when North Carolina lost to Boston College 37-24.
Oklahoma
NORMAN, Okla. ó Running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery to repair a hamstring injury and miss the BCS national championship game against Florida.
Murray will undergo surgery on Dec. 22 to repair the tendon in his left leg. He was Oklahoma’s leading rusher before he was injured in the Big 12 championship game.
Murray, now the team’s second-leading rusher with 1,002 yards, will be replaced by Mossis Madu. Chris Brown leads the Sooners with 1,010 yards.
SOUTH CAROLINA
COLUMBIA, S.C. ó South Carolina safety Emanuel Cook has been declared academically ineligible for the team’s upcoming bowl game.
San Diego State
SAN DIEGO ó Brady Hoke was introduced as the new coach.
Hoke was hired away from Ball State. He won’t coach the Cardinals in the GMAC bowl on Jan. 6.
Buffalo
BUFFALO, N.Y. ó Turner Gill is staying put for at least one more season and won’t consider interviewing for any other jobs after receiving a contract extension and pay raise.