BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - J.J. McDermott ran and threw for first quarter touchdowns and SMU beat Pittsburgh 28-6 Sunday in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
Rishaad Wimbley ran for two scores for SMU (8-5), which tied a school record by playing in its third straight bowl under coach June Jones. McDermott was 16 of 26 for 239 yards and a TD, to Darius Johnson.
Pittsburgh (6-7) was held without a first down and fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter. Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson coached the team after Todd Graham left to coach at Arizona State.
Pittsburgh's newly hired coach, former Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst, watched the game from the press box level.
O'Brien to name staff
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Sporting a Nittany Lions pin on the lapel of his dark gray jacket, Bill O'Brien took the podium, looked straight ahead and introduced himself with two quick, no-nonsense sentences.
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"I feel like I'm a mentally tough guy right now. I feel like I'm the right guy."
And with that, the New England Patriots' offensive coordinator the past four years, was off and running as Penn State's new head football coach, the school's first in nearly a half century after Joe Paterno was fired.
It is his first head-coaching job. O'Brien, 42, will stay with the Patriots for the duration of their playoff run.
O'Brien said he would pull together his staff during the next two or three days, and get the assistants on the recruiting trail. He will keep PSU assistant Larry Johnson to coach the defensive line.
North Dakota St. wins
FRISCO, Texas - Brock Jensen threw a touchdown pass right after a fake punt, then had a 1-yard keeper for another score set up by a long interception return as North Dakota State (14-1) won its first FCS title with a 17-6 win over top-seeded Sam Houston State (14-1).
Godaddy.com bowl
• Who: N. Illinois (10-3) vs. Arkansas St. (10-2)
• Where: Mobile, Ala.
• When: 7 p.m. today, ESPN
• Line: Arkansas St. by 1 1/2
• Series record: N. Illinois leads 6-1.
• Notable: Arkansas State's nine-game win streak is the nation's second-best, trailing only LSU. ... Red Wolves coach Hugh Freeze left for Mississippi; ex-Auburn assistant Gus Malzahn will take over. ... N. Illinois is playing its second January game. ... During the Huskies' eight-game win streak, five of those wins came by less than a TD.
