Football team honored again for academics

For the seventh straight year, the Mississippi State football team has been honored for graduating at least 70 percent of its players.

The university was one of 25 teams recognized by the American Football Coaches Association for graduating 70 percent or more of its degree-eligible players from the 1997 team.

Northwestern University received the Academic Achievement Award for its 100 percent graduation rate this past year, ending Duke's five-year run at the top.

Mississippi State and Duke were among 24 teams listed as honorable mention. The only other Southeastern Conference schools among the group were Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.