Roethlisberger throws for record 440 yards

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) -- Ben Roethlisberger showed why so many

NFL scouts are watching his every move and waiting to find out if

he'll stay in college another year.

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Roethlisberger threw touchdown passes to four receivers Thursday

night, leading Miami of Ohio (No. 11 ESPN/USA Today, No. 14 AP) to a 49-27 victory over

Bowling Green (No. 23 ESPN/USA Today, No. 20 AP) in the Mid-American Conference

championship.

He picked apart the Falcons, spreading the ball over nine

receivers, and along the way setting a title game record with 440

passing yards.

"All I had to do was put it out there and they made the play,"

said Roethlisberger, who gave credit to everyone but himself.

He praised his offensive line for not allowing a sack in the

game.

"I still have a white jersey," Roethlisberger said with a

grin.

He became just the second MAC quarterback to go over 4,000 yards

in a season, joining Byron Leftwich.

Roethlisberger, a junior, led Miami (12-1, 9-0 MAC) to scores on

its first four possessions of the second half. He sealed the

victory with a 55-yard scoring pass to Calvin Murray, who found a

seam along the sideline.

That put the RedHawks up 42-20 with 17 seconds left in the third

quarter in only the third meeting between two MAC teams ranked in

the Top 25.

Roethlisberger, a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award,

given to the nation's top quarterback, has remained quiet all year

about whether he will return to Miami next season.

He's projected to be a top pick in the NFL draft if he comes

out.

"People that know football marvel," Miami coach Terry Hoeppner

said. "It's only people who see him for the first who are

surprised."

It's the first MAC title since 1986 for the RedHawks, who

haven't lost since the season opener at Iowa. The last team to win

all of its MAC games was Marshall in 1999.

Miami will play Louisville in the GMAC Bowl on Dec. 18.

After the game, it was announced that Bowling Green (10-3, 7-2

MAC) accepted a bid to play in the Motor City Bowl in Detroit on

Dec. 26.

The Falcons trailed 21-17 at the half, despite being outgained

306 yards to 172.

But P.J. Pope fumbled on the first two possessions of the second

half, giving the RedHawks the ball inside the Falcons' territory

each time.

And Miami took advantage.

Murray scored on a 1-yard plunge and Mike Smith ran 13 yards for

the first of his two touchdowns, giving the Redhawks a 35-17 lead

with 4:57 left in the third quarter.

Roethlisberger, the conference's player of the year, threw four

touchdown passes for the third straight game and completed 26 of 35

passes.

Roethlisberger, a junior, now has 4,110 passing yards this year.

Leftwich surpassed 4,000 twice with Marshall -- in 2001 and 2002.

Roethlisberger also broke Leftwich's MAC title game record of

421 yards set in 2001.

Miami's defense took away Bowling Green's short passing game and

harassed quarterback Josh Harris throughout.

Harris, a running and passing threat, finished with 260 passing

yards. He was far from sharp much of the game, completing 30 of 49

passes.

Bowling Green had no answer for Roethlisberger, who was on

target all night with short throws and then went deep when the

Falcons played tighter coverage.

"I can't wait to play them when he's gone," Bowling Green

coach Gregg Brandon said. "We had no answer for him. When we did

pressure him, he eluded it and found receivers, and they ran past

us all day."

Miami didn't take the lead until late in the second quarter. Roethlisberger sidestepped a blitzing defender and then rolled

to his left before finding Mike Larkin in the back of the end zone

for a 16-yard scoring strike that put the Redhawks ahead 21-14 with

4:36 left in the half.

It was Roethlisberger's third touchdown pass of the half.

Bowling Green twice jumped ahead by a touchdown earlier in the

half.

T.J. Carswell blocked Mike Wafzig's punt, and the Falcons

recovered at the Miami 33, setting up its first score.

After moving to the 6-yard line, Harris took the snap and ran

untouched into the end zone to put Bowling Green up 7-0 with 11:46

left in the first quarter.

Miami answered five plays later, when Roethlisberger found Ryne

Robinson with a 53-yard touchdown pass.

Both Miami and Bowling Green were playing in the championship

game for the first time.