Five Pitt and Penn State football players have made The Associated Press All-America team, led by Nittany Lions defensive end Aaron Maybin, who was selected to the first team.

Two local players -- Pitt linebacker Scott McKillop of Kiski Area and Penn State center A.Q. Shipley of Moon made the second team.

Landing spots on the third team were Penn State guard Rich Ohrenberger and wide receiver Derrick Williams, who made the team as an all-purpose player.

Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis became the second player to become a three-time AP All-American. Pitt guard Bill Fralic (1982-84) is the only other player to claim that honor.

Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford beat out Texas' Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow in All-America voting that broke the same way as the Heisman Trophy balloting. McCoy, the Heisman runner-up to Bradford, was the second-team quarterback. Tebow made the third team.

The Meineke Bowl is a sellout, again. Bowl officials announced that more than 73,000 tickets have been sold for the Dec. 27 game between North Carolina and the Mountaineers. 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.

Running back DeMarco Murray will have surgery to repair a hamstring injury and miss the BCS national championship game. Murray will undergo surgery Monday to repair the tendon in his left leg.

Coach Turner Gill is staying put for at least another season and won't consider interviewing for any more jobs after receiving a one-year contract extension and raise. The new deal, which runs through 2013, is reward for a first-time coach who in three years turned around a program that was one of the worst in major college football. The Bulls won their first Mid-American Conference title this season and will face Connecticut in the International Bowl Jan. 3.

Brady Hoke was introduced as the new coach at San Diego State, promising to build a program "that expects to win." Hoke was hired away from Ball State, where he was 34-38 in six seasons but led the Cardinals to a 12-1 record this season. Their only loss was against Buffalo in the Mid-American Conference championship game. Hoke said he won't coach Ball State in the GMAC bowl Jan. 6. Hoke replaces Chuck Long, who was fired in November.

University of Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Shafer resigned. Wolverines head coach Rich Rodriguez announced Shafer's departure yesterday. Rodriguez said he and Shafer agreed the move would be in the best interest of the program.