COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : Boise State Will Face Youngstown for Title

For the first time in four years, it won’t be Marshall and Youngstown State playing for the NCAA Division I-AA championship.

Instead, it will be Boise State and defending champion Youngstown State meeting next Saturday at Huntington, W.Va.

Marshall (12-2), after taking a 17-0 lead in the first half, gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns and lost to Boise State, 28-24, in a semifinal game at Boise, Ida.

In the other semifinal, Youngstown defeated Montana, 28-9, at Youngstown, Ohio.

Boise State (13-1) will make its first championship game appearance since 1980, when it won the title.

Leading Youngstown (13-0-1) over Montana (11-3) was Shawn Patton, who rushed for 142 yards in 26 carries and scored two touchdowns. Youngstown State beat Marshall for the title in 1991 and ’93.

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North Alabama and Albion won titles in NCAA Divisions II and III, and Northeastern State (Okla.) won the NAIA Division I championship.

North Alabama became only the third team to win consecutive Division II championships, relying on its “Purple Swarm” defense to preserve a 16-10 victory over Texas A&M; Kingsville.

Albion took the Division III title, beating Washington & Jefferson, 38-15.

In the NAIA championship, Northeastern State defeated Arkansas Pine Bluff, 13-12.