Before the kickoff to the 2017 College Football National Championship game last night in Tampa, Fla., Little Big Town had the honor of performing the national anthem.

The Crimson Tide came up just short of its fifth national championship in eight seasons under coach Nick Saban, losing to Clemson 35-31 in the College Football Playoff title game Monday night. But Alabama is likely start next season as the No.

The coffin of former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, is carried on a truck surrounded by mourners during his funeral in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017. Hundreds of thousands of mourners have flooded the streets of Tehran, beating their chests and wailing in grief for Rafsanjani, who died over the weekend at the age of 82. The crowds have filled main thoroughfares of the capital as top government and clerical officials held a funeral service at Tehran University.

The Michigan Department of Civil Rights today announced the Relentless Tour a first-of-its-kind anti-bullying initiative will visit Cedar Springs on Wednesday, January 11.. Motivational speaker Anthony Ianni, a member of Michigan State University’s 2010 and 2012 Big Ten Champion and Tournament Championship teams and the 2010 Final Four team, will speak to students and faculty at Cedar Springs Middle School, 4873 16 Mile Road NE, at 12:00 pm.

Clemson fan Ty Nimmer looks at his face painting in a mirror before the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Clemson fan Ty Nimmer looks at his face painting in a mirror before the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Alabama Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, in Tampa, Fla.

Rivers are rising and winds ar… . Sparks firefighters monitor the rising Truckee River, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017, where it runs near the Grand Sierra hotel-casino along a line that divides the cities of Reno and Sparks, Nev.

… Class, Gibson was named to the Michigan State Centennial Super Squad in 1996. He is also a member of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. Gibson also earned All-America honors in baseball for the Spartans in 1978, batting .390 with a then-school record …

Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Mack Wilson energizes the crowd during the 2016 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between the Alabama Crimson Tide and Washington Huskies on December 31, 2016, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. Clemson has the nation’s best quarterback and perhaps the best player overall in junior Deshaun Watson, who torched the Alabama defense in last season’s 45-40 title game loss.

… as well as PennLive and statewide awards. After the points are tallied, the total will be divided by the number of sports each school competes in. The school with the most points after the division takes home the award. Lower Dauphin 223.5 2. Camp …

This image released by NBC shows Meryl Streep accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017. This image released by NBC shows Meryl Streep accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award as presenter Viola Davis, right, looks on, at the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017.

CHARLESTON, South Carolina Senior guard Breanna Bolden scored 19 points and added 12 rebounds as College of Charleston earned its second straight win, a 76-37 Colonial Athletic Association victory over UNCW at TD Arena on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars improved to 5-9 overall and 2-1 in the CAA while the Seahawks dropped to 5-9 overall with an 0-3 mark in league play.

University of California head coach Sonny Dykes during a press conference at the Bay Area Football Media Day in this file photo from Thursday, July 28, 2016 at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara. Dykes was reportedly fired from his coaching position at Cal after four seasons.

But on one key issue – the death penalty – the liberal tide shifted. Voters rejected a measure to ban capital punishment and instead approved an initiative intended to hasten executions.

But on one key issue – the death penalty – the liberal tide shifted. Voters rejected a measure to ban capital punishment and instead approved an initiative intended to hasten executions.

But coach Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles are trying to maintain their poise and keep their perspective in the midst of a historic start in Florida State history. Sophomore forward Terance Mann scored a career-high 22 points with nine rebounds to lead No.

Kansas City Lutheran defeated Chamois 40-29 in the semifinals while Metro East Lutheran edged the Lady Pirates 34-32 in the third-place game. Kansas City Lutheran led 6-4 after the first quarter, 17-11 at halftime and 29-19 after three quarters.

When the New Ulm Eagles boy’s hockey team went down to Luverne Thursday night and came back with a 4-1 win over the Cardinals, it tightened up Section 3A. “It is going to make some good debate when the coaches sit down to decide the section,” Right now, there are five teams bunched up at the top of 3A with Luverne , Litchfield-Dassel/Cokato , Marshall , Redwood Valley and New Ulm at 5-7-1.

One to 3 inches of snow fell across northern Georgia before tapering off Saturday morning. Though rain and freezing rain… .

Star-Telegram Cowboys writers Clarence Hill and Charean Williams say this is the Cowboys best chance in years to capture a sixth Super Bowl trophy in team history. Midfielder Reilly Fox scored the go-ahead goal, and Meg Carter scored twice in the Panthers’ first win of the season at TCU’s Sam Baugh Indoor Facility.

The Dukes defeated Youngstown State 28-14 on Saturday at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, to win the second FCS title in school history. Under first-year coach Mike Houston, JMU completed a perfect run to win the Colonial Athletic Association before rattling off three wins in the playoffs to reach the title game and ending the season on a 12-game winning streak.

… draft status to the NFL Draft Advisory Board. Bolden, rated No. 6 nationally among safeties (No. 55 overall) by 247 Sports, is out of Bishop Gorman High School where he teamed with cornerback Alex Perry, who previously committed to ASU to join his …

James Madison tight end Jonathan Kloosterman catches a pass for a touchdown in the first half of the FCS championship NCAA college football game against Youngstown State, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017, in Frisco, Texas . James Madison’s Bryan Schor, left, celebrates a touchdown scored on a run by running back Khalid Abdullah, center, as Youngstown State’s Jaylin Kelly, right, watches in the first half of the FCS championship NCAA college foot… .

Secretary … — The suspected gunman who opened fire in a airport baggage claim area on Friday, killing five people and wounding eight, may have flown into Fort Lau… — A U.S. consular officer was shot outside the consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico, and the FBI is offering $20,000 for information leading to identification of the s… The United States exported 121.9 million gallons of ethanol in November-down 7% from October’s huge total, but still the third-largest monthly total in five years, ac… It was a battle down to the final seconds.

Canada’s Barrett Martineau slid to eighth place for his best career finish on a European track at the Skeleton World Cup on Saturday. The 25-year-old former ski jumper from Calgary clocked a two-run time of one minute 54.08 seconds on the 1,413-metre highly technical track.

James Madison completed a memorable journey through the FCS playoffs with a 28-14 victory over Youngstown State to win the national championship Saturday afternoon at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The Dukes, which ended North Dakota State’s five-year reign atop the Football Championship Subdivision with an upset win in the semifinals, raced out to a 21-0 lead in the title game and never looked back.

The James Madison football team won the national championship for the second time in program history, as the Dukes defeated Youngstown State 28-14 on Saturday in Frisco, Texas. The Dukes led wire-to-wire in the FCS Finals after jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first half against the Penguins.

Can Manning flip the switch again as the postseason starts? I say yes. The reason: Playoff Eli Manning is a different quarterback than regular season Eli Manning.

With all their starters back to full health, No. 9 Kalaheo was ready to shock the visiting, top-ranked Kahuku Red Raiders on Friday night. Read More

Georgia Southern’s Ike Smith looks to pass against Troy on Saturday in Statesboro. Georgia Southern’s Ike Smith drives to the basket, scores and draws the foul against Troy on Saturday in Statesboro.

The Lady Tornadoes had a lead for less than one minute of Saturday’s Northern Ohio League contest against the Truckers. Once Jiselle Thomas got going, there was no stopping her, as she scored Norwalk’s first eight points of the game.

At the 55th J.C. Gorman Wrestling Invite at Mansfield Senior High School, St. Paul senior Derek Gross took home the title in the 145-pound weight class. Norwalk’s Ethan Hernandez and Gabe Phillips also found success and a spot on the podium as Hernandez took second at 152 and Phillips grabbed third at 170.

Led by another stalwart defense effort and four players in double digits, the University of Sioux Falls Men’s Basketball Team picked up a third consecutive win by stopping Upper Iowa, 71-55, at the Stewart Center on Friday night. With the victory, not only did the Cougars move past .500 on the season at 9-8, they pushed their NSIC mark to 5-4 with the double digit decision against the Peacocks, which came in as one of the leaders in the NSIC South.