Marshall Is No Match for No. 23 Miami, 45-6

Ben Roethlisberger passed for 282 yards and two touchdowns Wednesday night at Oxford, Ohio, leading No. 23 Miami of Ohio to a 45-6 victory that ended Marshall’s dominance of the Mid-American Conference.

Playing with their first national ranking since 1976, the RedHawks, 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the MAC, got their ninth consecutive victory.

Marshall (6-4, 4-2) had won all six MAC East titles since the league split into two divisions in 1997. Miami’s victory clinched the title and a berth in the conference’s championship game.

There were no clashes during a wind-blown game that had bitter undertones from last year, when quarterback Stan Hill’s one-yard run with five seconds left gave the Thundering Herd a 36-34 victory in Huntington, W.Va.

Fans stormed the field and Miami defensive coordinator Jon Wauford was led away in handcuffs, accused of knocking down a fan. Wauford resigned after the season, and a charge of misdemeanor battery later was dropped. Linebacker coach Taver Johnson also was disciplined for damaging the visiting coaches’ box at the end of the game.

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Kellen Winslow, you are not alone. Miami offensive tackle Eric Winston let loose with a tirade against Hurricane fans who boo the team.

“If they’re going to be like that, stay home. Don’t come out there.... Every time we came out for a drive, they booed.... After a while, it’s like, ‘What are we out here for?’ ”

Asked why he thought fans booed, Winston said: “Because they’re idiots -- I don’t know.”

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Iowa running back Fred Russell, who could return for another season with the Hawkeyes, says he plans to make himself available for the NFL draft.... Maryland (6-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast) plays host tonight to Virginia (5-4, 3-3).