COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett was sentenced to prison for at least 3½ years Monday after pleading guilty to aggravated robbery and carrying a concealed weapon.

Judge David Fais announced the agreement on the day jury selection was to begin in a case in which Clarett was accused of holding up two people outside a bar.

Sentenced to 7½ years with release possible after 3½ years, Clarett also agreed to serve five years of probation after the prison sentence.

Clarett, who led Ohio State to the national championship in 2002, was arrested Aug. 9 after a highway chase with police who found four loaded guns in his sport utility vehicle.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR and team owner Richard Childress Monday dismissed as "sheer fantasy" a television report that said race winner Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton had a performance advantage at New Hampshire International Speedway.A Speed TV report Sunday said NASCAR inspectors had discovered that RCR teams had manipulated the rims on their Chevrolets to act as "bleeder valves" that slowly released air pressure in tires after the race. The practice is not technically illegal, and falls into a gray area of the rule book that teams are supposed to respect.The report left rival teams grumbling that Harvick may have cheated to win the first race in the Chase for the championship and take the points lead for the first time in his career.

PHILADELPHIA — Jevon Kearse's season is over because of a severe knee injury the star defensive end sustained in Philadelphia's overtime loss to the Giants on Sunday.Kearse badly sprained multiple ligaments in his left knee when his leg knocked against Mike Patterson while the two brought down Eli Manning on New York's first possession of the extra period. Kearse reached for his knee immediately after the play, was helped off the field and carted to the locker room.