COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP News and notes

All-MAC team: There were 14 repeaters on the All-Mid-American Conference teams. Honored as first-team selections as they were in 2003 are offensive lineman Nick Kaczur of Toledo, wide receiver Darius Watts of Marshall, running back Michael Turner, defensive back Randee Drew of Northern Illinois, defensive lineman Jason Babin of Western Michigan and defensive back Atari Bigby of the University of Central Florida. First-team 2003 honorees who were second-team all-MAC last year are quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of Miami, outside linebacker Brian Atkinson of Northern Illinois, defensive lineman Jamus Martin of Marshall, defensive back Janssen Patton of Bowling Green and defensive back Justin Beriault of Ball State. Steve Azar of Northern Illinois was honored for the fourth consecutive season as an all-MAC selection. Azar was an honorable mention all-MAC in 2000, a first-team selection in 2001 and second team in 2003, as well as his first-team honors this year. Azar was one of 10 Huskies selected this season, the most from any MAC team.
Coaches: Sylvester Croom became the first black head coach in the Southeastern Conference when he accepted an offer to take over Mississippi State. Croom, 49, has never been a head coach, but has been an NFL assistant with five teams since 1987 and worked for Bear Bryant and Ray Perkins at Alabama from 1977-86. He has been running backs coach with the Green Bay Packers since 2001.
Tommy Tuberville has decided to stay at Auburn despite an attempt by the university president and athletic director to line up a replacement.
Northwestern assistant Jeff Genyk was hired as Eastern Michigan's coach. The hiring ended nearly a one-month search by Eastern athletic director Dave Diles after Jeff Woodruff was fired on Nov. 3. Woodruff compiled a 9-34 record in four seasons.
Texas-El Paso coach Gary Nord and his entire staff were fired Monday after compiling a 14-34 record in four years. UTEP had beaten only three Division I opponents in the past three years and finished 2-12 overall this year.
Biletnikoff Award: Pittsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald, Oklahoma's Mark Clayton and Southern Cal's Mike Williams were named as finalists for the Biletnikoff Award. Named after the Florida State All-American and NFL Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff, the award goes annually to the nation's top receiver.
Florida QB wants to transfer: Florida quarterback Ingle Martin has asked to be released from his scholarship so he can transfer to another school. Coach Ron Zook confirmed that Martin, who started for the first four games of the season before losing his job to Chris Leak, wants to leave the program.
Bowl bids: Louisville accepted a bid to the GMAC Bowl. Louisville (9-3, 5-3 Conference USA) will face No. 14 Miami (Ohio) in Mobile, Ala., on Dec. 18. Both teams rank among the top 10 in the nation in total offense.
Washington State is going back to the Holiday Bowl for the first time in 22 years, a consolation prize following another bitter defeat to their archrival. The No. 15 Cougars (9-3) accepted the invitation on Monday, immediately after being released from BCS consideration. They'll play a team from the Big 12 on Dec. 30 at Qualcomm Stadium.
TCU (11-1), which turned down an invitation from the GMAC Bowl because it conflicts with final exams at the school, accepted an invitation to play in the inaugural Fort Worth Bowl against an undetermined opponent.
Conference USA champion Southern Mississippi will face Mountain West champ Utah in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31.
California was picked to be Virginia Tech's opponent in the Insight Bowl.
Oregon State was picked to play against New Mexico in the Las Vegas Bowl on Christmas Eve.
Memphis was picked for the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 16 against North Texas.
-- Associated Press