North Dakota St. reaches FCS final

FARGO, N.D. — Quarterback Easton Stick ran for 169 yards and three touchdowns and threw for another score to help North Dakota State defeat rival South Dakota State 44-21 in the Football Championship Subdivision semifinals Friday night.

Bruce Anderson added two rushing touchdowns for the top-seeded Bison (14-0), who will be seeking their seventh FCS title in the last eight years.

They’ll face Saturday’s Maine-Eastern Washington winner on Jan. 5 in Frisco.

Taryn Christion threw for a pair of scores for South Dakota State (10-3).

The victory capped a whirlwind week for the Bison, who lost coach Chris Klieman to Kansas State and then promoted defensive coordinator Matt Entz to the top job. Klieman will coach the Bison in the title game.

Alabama hasn’t hired Durkin

Former Maryland coach DJ Durkin is spending time with the Alabama football staff but hasn’t been hired.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said in a statement that Durkin hasn’t been “hired in any capacity” but is observing Alabama’s operations as other coaches have done.

Durkin was fired Oct. 31 after an investigation into the death of Maryland offensive lineman Jordan McNair. Durkin faced allegations of bullying and intimidation by himself and one of his assistants.

Odds and ends

Akron hired Chattanooga coach Tom Arth to replace fired coach Terry Bowden. … North Carolina State named assistants Des Kitchings and George McDonald as co-offensive coordinators. … Miami promoted defensive assistants Ephraim Banda and Jonathan Patke, and they will share the team’s defensive coordinator job. … Tennessee linebacker Quart’e Sapp says he’s bypassing his senior season to enter the NFL draft. … Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. says he’ll skip his senior season to enter the draft but will play in the bowl game.